After the storm raged and the water invaded every room in the house, I stood there—just wet socks, ruined furniture, and that awful mildew smell. It’s wild how fast life can flip. I didn’t even know where to start at first, but I figured it out, step-by-step. Here’s what I did, maybe it’ll help if you’re ever stuck like I was.
You can call me cautious, but when the rain started falling heavy, I knew it’d get bad. What I didn’t know? That bad would mean filing a flood insurance claim and learning all the ropes real quick.
First Thing? Don’t Get Hurt
I can’t stress this part enough. Look, I get it—you want to run inside and see what’s wrecked. Don’t. First, make sure nothing’s sparking, no wires in water, gas leaks? I left the house right away and only came back when the fire department gave the OK. Safety’s boring until it’s not.
Then I Called My Insurance Right Away
No messing around here. I had flood coverage through InsureDirect.com (thank God I didn’t cheap out). Called them as soon as the cell towers started working again.
📞 Phone: (800) 807-0762 ext. 602
📧 Email: contact@insuredirect.com
📍 Office: 618 South Broad Street, Lansdale, PA 19446
Gave them my policy number, told them what happened. Don’t overthink it—just say what you know. They asked a few questions, told me what info I’d need to get together. Quick, professional, and nice too. I saved their number in my phone now, permanently.
Pictures, Videos—Everything
So this is where I kinda went overboard… but it helped. I took, like, 200 pictures. Maybe more. Every wall, ceiling stains, soaked carpets. Even the basement door that swelled shut. It’s not about being artsy, it’s proof.
Oh—and video too. A slow pan around each room, and I narrated it like I was on HGTV or something. “Here’s the family couch… it’s floating now.” Gotta laugh or you’ll cry.
I also wrote a list of stuff that got ruined. It was a mess, but I just started with the big things: TV, fridge, furniture, clothes. Tried to remember brands and prices. You can look it up online if you forget.
Stopped It From Getting Worse
So, after documenting, I tried to stop the bleeding, so to speak. Pulled soaked rugs, borrowed fans from my neighbor, and left the windows open even though it made the place smell weird. You gotta dry things out.
The thing I didn’t know before? Your insurance expects you to try to prevent more damage. They’re not gonna cover stuff that got worse because you didn’t clean it up or patch it.
Saved every single receipt from supplies I bought—fans, gloves, trash bags, even takeout since I couldn’t cook.
The Adjuster Showed Up
A guy from the insurance company came out a few days later. He was chill, looked around, asked questions. I followed him everywhere like a lost puppy.
I showed him my pics and receipts—he said it helped a lot. One thing: don’t throw anything away yet. I almost tossed my ruined mattress, but he needed to see it.
He jotted things down on his tablet, measured stuff, and explained how the process works. I appreciated that. Real straightforward. Didn’t try to sugarcoat anything either.
The Dreaded “Proof of Loss”
I didn’t even know what a Proof of Loss was until they mentioned it. It’s this official form where you say what was damaged and how much it’s all worth.
It had to be sent in within 60 days for my policy (through NFIP). I stressed about it, but honestly, once I had everything written down and the photos sorted, it wasn’t so bad.
I emailed it to them and followed up with a phone call to be sure it got there.
Finally Got Paid
Okay, so here’s the part you want to hear: yes, I got my payout. It wasn’t instant—took a couple weeks—but it came through. They sent one payment for the structure and another for the contents inside.
Was it exactly what I hoped? Not quite. But it covered the major stuff, and I can live with that.
I didn’t wait—I started calling contractors while waiting for the check. That way I wasn’t wasting time once the money landed.
Always get multiple quotes, by the way. First guy tried to charge me almost double.
Didn’t Like the Amount? You Can Appeal
There was one thing the insurance didn’t cover and I didn’t agree with it. I appealed. Wrote a letter, attached more photos, even included a screenshot from a product listing online. They didn’t change their mind, but they explained why in detail.
Honestly, it felt good knowing I could push back a bit. If I really wanted, I could’ve hired a public adjuster, but for me, the hassle wasn’t worth it.
Extra Tips From the Trenches
Here’s some wisdom from someone who lived through it:
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Make a flood file—just one folder for every receipt, email, phone log.
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Be patient. Claims take time. Nothing’s instant.
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Keep backup copies of everything in your email or cloud.
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Don’t count on memory. Take notes while you talk to people.
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Be kind to the reps—they’re swamped after major storms.
And honestly? Just being a decent human to everyone involved goes a long way.
Final Thoughts From Me
This wasn’t fun. It wasn’t easy. But I got through it, and if you’re dealing with flood damage now, you will too. It’s just a matter of sticking with it, staying organized, and knowing who to call when you need answers.
InsureDirect.com had my back through all this. That’s not just a plug—it’s the truth.
If you’re reading this and you’re in the middle of the mess, call them now:
📞 (800) 807-0762 ext. 602
📧 contact@insuredirect.com
📍 618 South Broad Street, Lansdale, PA 19446
🌐 www.InsureDirect.com
You’ll make it. Just take one step at a time, friend.