ARS PRINTABLE FIELD TOOL

Property-Damage Documentation Checklist

A practical, printable record for property conditions, damaged contents, communications, emergency work, and claim-related expenses.

Updated September 2026 · Technical review: ARS Restoration & Reconstruction

Safety controls access. Photograph only from areas you are allowed to enter. Do not cross fire, utility, structural, contamination, or authority-imposed restrictions for the sake of documentation.

Print tip: Use your browser’s Print command to create a paper copy or save a PDF. Keep original digital files separately.

Loss identification

Property address, unit, owner, occupant, and primary contact.
Date and approximate time of loss; date and time discovered.
Known facts about the source or event; label uncertain information as unknown.
Emergency incident, fire, police, utility, or building report numbers.
Insurer, agent, policy number, claim number, and assigned adjuster contacts.
Access restrictions, evacuation status, utility status, and known hazards.

Photo and video sequence

Orientation: address, exterior elevations, access points, and affected openings.
Room context: doorway, each wall, ceiling, floor, windows, doors, built-ins, and major contents.
Damage detail: staining, residue, standing water, swelling, charring, openings, and damaged finishes.
Pathways: adjoining spaces, lower levels, cabinets, closets, and HVAC supplies or returns where safely visible.
Identity: labels, model and serial numbers, and a scale reference where useful.
Milestones: repeat after stabilization, extraction, contents movement, selective removal, drying, cleaning, and reconstruction.

Room-by-room building and contents record

Record	What to capture
Location	Room, wall or zone, floor level, and precise placement.
Item or material	Description, brand, model, serial number, quantity, and approximate age when known.
Observed condition	Visible damage or exposure; separate facts from suspected causes.
Evidence	Photo/video filename, measurement, estimate line, or document reference.
Status	Remains onsite, moved, packed, evaluated, cleaned, stored, disposed, or unresolved.
Authorization	Who approved movement, cleaning, removal, or disposal, and when.
Value support	Receipt, manual, account record, prior photo, or comparable replacement information.

Do not guess. Mark unknown details as unknown and update the record when evidence becomes available.

Communication, authorization, and expense log

For every material conversation: date, time, names, roles, decisions, requests, deadlines, and next responsible person.
Confirm important verbal instructions in writing and save the complete message thread.
Keep the full signed work authorization—not only the signature page—and note scope, price basis, cancellation terms, disposal authority, and payment direction.
Save estimates, scopes, revisions, change orders, drying or cleaning logs, subcontractor documents, and invoices by date.
For each expense: receipt, date, amount, payment method, purpose, and relationship to the loss.
Separate emergency protection, temporary living, travel, pet care, storage, replacement essentials, professional services, and repairs.

Minimum closeout packet

Incident facts and safety/access records.
Claim and contact sheet.
Master chronology.
Original photo/video archive and index.
Building and contents inventory.
Emergency-service authorizations, estimates, logs, and invoices.
Insurer and contractor correspondence.
Receipts and expense log.
Completion records, warranties, permits, and inspection results.
Open-issues list showing owner, deadline, and status.

Back up the packet in at least two secure locations. Avoid emailing highly sensitive personal information unless the recipient and transmission method are appropriate.

Use this record with the claim timeline

A complete file is most useful when it is tied to dates, decisions, and next actions.

Sources, scope, and review

Review note: Prepared September 2026. This resource is educational and does not replace instructions from emergency services, your insurer, medical professionals, building officials, engineers, environmental professionals, or legal counsel. ARS does not determine insurance coverage.