What inadequate documentation looks like
- A few cell-phone photos without context
- No measurements
- No scope list
- Handwritten contents inventory
- No expert reports
- No preservation of damaged items
What proper documentation looks like
- Room-by-room photo coverage
- Multiple angles per damaged area
- Measurements for each affected space
- Xactimate estimate matching the scope
- IH / engineer reports when warranted
- Detailed contents inventory with values
- Preserved physical evidence
- Chronological timeline
Why this mistake compounds
- Carrier's adjuster documents what they see; their photos become the baseline
- Gaps become scope reductions
- Scope reductions become low settlement
- Low settlement becomes accepted
How to recover from documentation shortfall
- Reshoot if damage still present
- Retain expert reports
- Prepare Xactimate estimate
- File supplemental with expanded documentation
- Consider PA representation for escalation