Documentation Discipline

Photo > argument. The 4-shot rule. Contents inventory. Daily log. Burden of proof reality.

What you'll learn

The standard a public adjuster uses to document a loss — applied to your own claim. Photos. Video. Time-stamping. Contents inventory. The level of detail that wins arguments without arguing.

3.2.1 The principle

Photo > argument. File > phone call. Documentation > memory.

Every dispute on your claim eventually comes down to: what does the file show?

Carrier estimate vs. yours? File. Coverage dispute? File. Scope dispute? File. Bad-faith claim later? File.

Build the file the way an adjuster does and you take 80% of disputes off the table before they happen.

3.2.2 Photo standards

The 4-shot rule

For every damaged area, take all 4 types of shot:

Shot	Distance	Purpose
Wide	10–15 ft	Establish location + context (which room, which wall)
Medium	4–6 ft	Show damage scope + relationship to surroundings
Close-up	1–2 ft	Detail of specific damage (cracks, water lines, stains, breaks)
Extreme close-up	<1 ft	Macro detail (fiber damage, mold spots, rust, paint bubbling)

Don't skip the wides. Adjusters orient by wide shots. Without them, your detail shots are floating in space.

Coverage requirements

For every room/area:

All 4 walls (including corners)
Floor (full + close-up of damage)
Ceiling (full + close-up of any staining/sagging)
Each window and door
Built-in fixtures
Visible plumbing/electrical
Any visible mechanical (HVAC, water heater)

For total loss or large areas: aerial drone footage of roof + property.

Time-stamp + geo-tag

Modern phones do this automatically. Do not strip metadata. Carriers use timestamps to validate "date of loss" claims.

If your phone strips metadata: use CompanyCam, DocSketch, or take a photo of a date-displayed device (phone clock, newspaper) in each shot.

File naming

When you upload to your claim folder:

2025-03-15_LivingRoom_Wide_Wall1.jpg
2025-03-15_LivingRoom_CloseUp_WaterStain_Wall1.jpg
2025-03-15_Kitchen_Wide_Floor.jpg

Pattern: date_location_shot_subject.jpg

Adjusters scan filenames. Easy filenames = faster claim.

3.2.3 Video documentation

When video beats stills

Walking through the damage
Showing water actively running/leaking
Demonstrating mechanical failures (door won't close, window won't latch)
Walking the roof (drone or smartphone gimbal)
Showing scale of larger damage (commercial losses, total losses)

Video standards

Narrate as you walk. "I'm in the master bathroom. Date is March 15, 2025. You can see the water line on the wall is approximately 18 inches from the floor..."
Slow + steady. No fast pans. Adjusters need to see detail.
2-5 minute clips per area. Not one 45-minute video. Easier to share + reference.
Continuous shot per room. Don't cut. Continuous footage harder to dispute.

3.2.4 Contents inventory

For Coverage C losses, you need a detailed inventory.

What to capture per item

Field	Example
Description	Sony 65" XBR-65X800H 4K Smart TV
Quantity	1
Brand/model	Sony XBR-65X800H
Age	4 years (purchased March 2021)
Original price	$1,099
Current replacement cost	$1,200
Condition before loss	Excellent / very good / good / fair / poor
Condition after loss	Total loss / partial damage
Photo (before, if available)	Link
Photo (after)	Link
Receipt (if available)	Link

For high-value items (>$500): always photograph. For irreplaceable items: appraisals or notarized statements of value.

Tools that help

Spreadsheet (Google Sheets template — most flexible)
Encircle — purpose-built contents inventory app
CompanyCam — photo-based with annotations
NAIC Home Inventory — free app, decent

When you didn't document pre-loss

Most homeowners haven't. Reconstruct best you can:

Credit card statements (search by retailer)
Email receipts
Social media photos showing items in your home
Wedding/event photos showing rooms
Friends/family photos of your house
Online order histories (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.)

The carrier knows you weren't expecting a loss. Reasonable best-effort reconstruction is acceptable — but the more you can show, the more you collect.

3.2.5 Documenting actions over time

A claim isn't a one-day event. It's weeks or months. Document the timeline.

Daily log

For active claims, keep a simple log:

Mar 15: Initial loss. Photographed everything.
Mar 16: Called carrier. Spoke to Sarah, claim # 12345. Mitigation crew arrived 2pm.
Mar 17: Fans + dehumidifiers running. Carrier adjuster scheduled Mar 22.
Mar 22: Adjuster inspection 10am-12pm. Carrier adjuster: John Smith.
Mar 25: Received initial estimate from carrier — $14,200.
Mar 26: Got contractor estimate — $32,500. Significant scope difference.
Mar 28: Submitted rebuttal letter w/ contractor estimate + photos.
...

Date everything. Names of everyone you spoke to. Numbers (claim #, estimate $, dates).

Communication log

Save everything. Email and carrier portal messages auto-save. Phone calls require notes.

Format:

Date/Time: Mar 16, 2:14 PM
Spoke to: Sarah (claim associate, ext. 4421)
Topic: Initial claim setup
Outcome: Claim # 12345. Adjuster assigned in 24-48 hrs. Adjuster will call to schedule.

If they refuse to give a name → use "[refused name]" and note it. Refused names become exhibits later.

3.2.6 Receipts + financial documentation

Every dollar you spend on the claim is potentially reimbursable. Save:

Mitigation receipts (covered in 3.1)
ALE receipts (hotel, food, pet boarding) — track from Day 1
Repair estimates (every contractor you talk to)
Replacement receipts (for anything you replace yourself before final settlement)
Travel costs (if you had to travel to manage the claim)
Communication costs (long-distance, copies, etc.)

Receipt organization

Folder structure:

ClaimName/
├── 01_Policy/
├── 02_Photos/
│   ├── 2025-03-15_Initial/
│   └── 2025-03-22_PostMitigation/
├── 03_Communications/
│   ├── Carrier/
│   └── Vendors/
├── 04_Estimates/
├── 05_Receipts/
│   ├── Mitigation/
│   ├── ALE/
│   └── Replacements/
└── 06_Timeline/

Use Dropbox, Google Drive, or iCloud — whatever you'll actually keep up.

3.2.7 The "burden of proof" reality

When the carrier disputes anything, the burden is on you to prove it.

Did the damage happen on the date you claim? Prove it (photos, weather records, witness statements).
Was the item really worth what you say? Prove it (receipts, comparable pricing, appraisals).
Was the damage as extensive as you claim? Prove it (photos, video, expert reports).
Did you really pay $X for mitigation? Prove it (receipt, paid invoice).

A clean file = your burden is met. A weak file = you fight uphill.

3.2.8 Common documentation mistakes

Mistake	Cost
Photographs after cleaning up	Lost evidence of original scope
Skipping wide shots	Adjuster can't orient your detail shots
Strip metadata when sharing	Lost timestamps + GPS
No daily log of conversations	"He said / she said" disputes you lose
No receipts for mitigation	Costs forfeited
Inventory by memory	Items forgotten + values disputed
One huge folder, no organization	File appears unprofessional

3.2.9 Action steps

Set up the folder structure today, even before you have a loss.
Walk your house and document it pre-loss — every room, all 4 shots. 30 minutes saved you tens of thousands later.
Inventory your contents. Spreadsheet template or app.
Save your dec page + policy in cloud storage (multiple copies).
The day a loss happens: 4-shot rule before any cleanup beyond emergency mitigation.

Next: 3.3 Reporting to the Carrier — In Writing.

Educational. Not legal advice. Documentation standards described here are common professional practice; specific policy requirements vary. Verify against your own policy.