I went through something similar recently with some drywall cracking. The insurer immediately blamed "settling" and environmental shifts, even though the house was barely a year old. Luckily, I'd snapped a bunch of photos during construction showing proper framing and supports. Took some patience, but eventually they backed down. Definitely agree that documenting everything—even casually—is worth the effort. You never know when it'll come in handy...
Good call on documenting the framing process—photos can really save the day. I've found insurers often jump to "settling" as a default excuse. Curious, did anyone else here have luck challenging their insurer without construction photos handy?
"Curious, did anyone else here have luck challenging their insurer without construction photos handy?"
I wish I could say yes, but sadly, insurers aren't known for their trust in verbal descriptions alone... Had one client who managed it once, but only after a lot of back-and-forth and headaches. Photos really are lifesavers in these cases.
"Photos really are lifesavers in these cases."
Yeah, learned that the hard way myself. Had a friend renovating his dream home—gorgeous place, marble everywhere—and when a pipe burst, he thought his detailed descriptions would be enough. Nope. Weeks of headaches later, he wished he'd snapped even one blurry pic...
That's a tough lesson, but honestly, even photos aren't always bulletproof. I've seen cases where insurers argued over angles, lighting, or claimed the damage was pre-existing. Documentation helps, sure, but it's not foolproof. Makes me wonder—has anyone here actually had an insurer accept responsibility quickly without pushing back on the evidence provided? Seems rare from my experience...
