Do Insurance Companies Need To Take Pictures of a House?

In an ideal scenario, your homeowner’s insurance policy would kick in to help you cover the damages to your house after a storm or disaster without any hassle or resistance from the insurance company. In reality, though, you might just find your insurance company taking pictures of your house after you file a claim. Can they do that? What are they looking for?

At Insurance Claim HQ, we commit to helping Louisiana homeowners fight back against bad faith insurance practices. Our homeowners insurance claim lawyers can help you understand when the insurance company can and cannot take pictures of your house, and we can support you every step of the way toward a fair settlement.

Is the Insurance Company Taking Pictures of Your House Required?

While photos are not strictly essential to the claims process, insurers will likely send an insurance adjuster to investigate and take pictures of the damage for their own records. If you see the insurance company taking pictures of your house, it is because they are comparing the current damage to the way the home looked when they took photos for your initial inspection.

In the case of damage caused by storms or falling trees, many of the photos your insurance company takes will be of the exterior of your home. However, the adjuster will likely wish to take pictures inside the house as well. They will likely be searching for structural damage, leaks, or similar unsafe conditions. It is in your best interest to allow the insurance company to take pictures of any damage both outside and within the home, but take note if the investigator is seemingly taking too many pictures.

Why Do Insurance Companies Take Pictures of Your House?

If you see the insurance company taking pictures of your house, you will understandably wonder why they need so many photos in the first place. If you are in the midst of purchasing a homeowners insurance policy, your insurer will want to inspect the home to determine its risk factors. They will also take photos at this time that they can reference later if you file a claim.

As for the question of why insurance companies take pictures of your house after a claim, it is for the sake of being meticulous in their investigations. These photos also serve as evidence that both your legal team and the insurer can refer to when making a case for how much compensation you should receive for your claim.

Is the Insurance Company Taking Too Many Pictures?

While it is understandable that insurance investigators will want to take their own photos of the scene, be mindful of how many pictures they are taking. If it becomes clear that they are photographing excessively, it may be a scene of malicious or suspicious intent.

While insurance providers have the right to take photographs of property damage as a requirement for coverage, there comes a point when they may be violating your privacy or intentionally depicting your treatment of the property in a negative light. If it seems that the insurance company is taking pictures of your house in unrelated areas of your property or taking upwards of a dozen pictures of one area, be sure to document their behavior. Your legal team can potentially use this documentation to expose wrongful behavior and strengthen your case.

Can You Take Your Own Pictures for Your Insurance Claim?

You can absolutely take your own pictures to use in your insurance claim. Keep in mind that an insurance adjuster might still assert themselves in taking pictures as well, but having your own before and after photos of the damage will give your case a stronger foundation to stand on.

High-quality photos that include a lot of information serve as the best evidence in an insurance claim case. Be sure to use a camera that displays the date and timestamp on its photos – this is a feature you can enable on practically any smartphone camera. Be sure to also photograph the damage from multiple angles and include a measuring tool in the frame for scale if possible.

If you do not want the insurance company taking pictures of your house, it is important to be mindful of when you should take your own pictures. Keep up-to-date photos at all times just in case the unexpected happens, take photos before a major storm or hurricane since these may cause unavoidable damage, and, of course, retake them immediately after a storm to document its effects on your home.

How an Insurance Claim Attorney Can Help You

An insurance claim attorney can provide guidance at every step of the process, giving valuable recommendations on when you should take photos and how you should deal with pushy insurance investigators. Your legal team also helps you navigate the complexities of an insurance claim and bears much of the burden of your case so you can focus on being safe and comfortable while the repair process gets underway. All of this is to put you on a level playing field with an insurance company that might be leveraging loopholes to lowball you.

At Insurance Claim HQ, we fulfill our commitment to you by:

• Investigating the damage to your property
• Taking additional photos of the damage, with your permission
• Handling paperwork and other administrative tasks
• Negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf
• Taking your case to court over bad faith practices if necessary

Involving an insurance claim lawyer early on in the process can make all the difference in ensuring your case goes smoothly. Your attorney should be one of the first people you call after you experience home damage, as they can help you file your initial claim and guide you on how best to document the effects of a disaster.

Contact Our Home Insurance Claim Lawyers Today

Filing a home insurance claim is the natural and correct step to take after a disaster strikes your property. If you see the insurance company taking pictures of your house to an excessive degree, though, you might come to the conclusion that it is time to plan a more involved strategy for securing the compensation you deserve. Contact our home insurance claim lawyers at Insurance Claim HQ by phone or online today to learn more about what we can do to achieve a favorable outcome for you.