Protect the property before you chase the paperwork
The California Department of Insurance (CDI) tells policyholders to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. It also cautions that if you skip reasonable steps to secure the property after the first loss, later damage may fall outside your cover.
In plain terms: stop the water, dry what you can, tarp or board what you must, and keep every receipt. CDI says an insurer reimburses reasonable protection costs when you save the receipts. Waiting for an adjuster to arrive before you start drying can cost you more damage than the delay is worth.
The California clock
State regulations set deadlines for insurers once you report a claim. These come from the California Code of Regulations, Title 10, sections 2695.5 and 2695.7, as summarized in CDI guides.
| Step | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| You report the claim | The insurer must acknowledge receipt within 15 calendar days |
| You submit proof of claim | The insurer must accept or deny within 40 calendar days |
| A denial | Must be in writing |
| More time needed | The insurer must send written notice every 30 days |
| Claim accepted | Payment is due within 30 days of acceptance |
Keep your own log of calls and dates. If the clock seems to be running past these points, CDI has a consumer hotline at 1-800-927-4357, and its website explains how to file a complaint.
Water loss and a claim to open?
Call the 24/7 line. We will stop the damage, record moisture readings and photos, and walk you through scope and price before the work begins.
Call (818) 337-2642What to document, and how
Good records make the claim easier to explain. Start before you move anything, then keep adding:
- Wide and close photos of every wet area, the source and the waterline, with the date.
- Video walking through the rooms while narrating what you see.
- The plumber's invoice or a note on the cause, if a pipe or appliance failed.
- A list of damaged contents, with age and approximate value, and hold on to damaged items, or photograph them well, before they are thrown out.
- Moisture readings and a drying log from the restoration company, which show what was wet and when it reached dry.
- Every receipt for emergency repairs, hotel stays and equipment.
Moisture readings matter more than people expect. A wall can look dry and still hold water. Meter and thermal camera readings with dates give you a record that a photo cannot.
What a restoration company does, and does not do
A crew stops further damage through water damage cleanup: extraction, removal of wet materials, sanitizing and drying. It can document the damage with photos, readings and an itemized scope, and it can talk to your adjuster about what the work involved.
It does not decide whether your claim is covered, set the amount, or promise an outcome. It does not diagnose health issues, and a plumber still fixes the pipe. If a company tells you an insurer will approve the job, treat that as a warning sign.
Flood is a separate coverage
Per CDI, flood coverage is usually missing from a homeowners policy, along with mudslide and debris flow, and it can be bought through the federal National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). A burst pipe, which is sudden and accidental, often falls inside cover. A slow leak or neglect frequently does not. Your policy wording decides, so ask your insurer, and call CDI on 1-800-927-4357 if you have questions about flood coverage.
A sensible order of events
- Stop the water at the source and shut the main valve if needed.
- Take photos and video before moving or discarding anything.
- Call your insurer or agent to report the loss and ask what they need from you.
- Call a restoration crew to extract water and start drying, and ask for readings and a written scope.
- Call a plumber or roofer to repair the cause.
- Send your insurer the photos, the drying log, the invoices and the receipts, and keep copies.
Steps three to five often happen on the same day. Reporting the claim does not need to hold up the drying, because the drying is part of limiting the loss.
Staying in control of the scope
You choose who does the work, within the terms of your policy. Ask for the scope and price in writing before work starts. If the loss involves storm or groundwater, the work may fall under flood damage restoration, and the claim question changes with it.
Keep damaged materials, or photograph them thoroughly, before they are hauled away. If your insurer sends an adjuster, share the drying log and photos. Disagreements about scope are easier to settle with dated records.
Local note: when the water comes from a public line
NBC Los Angeles reported that in 2024 a broken water line set off a slide of ground by Thousand Oaks Boulevard close to Las Virgenes, affecting at least 20 homes. A loss like that mixes a water source outside your property with moving ground, which is the sort of cause that makes coverage questions harder. Photograph everything, note the time, and let your insurer tell you which section of the policy applies.
When a water or sewer problem begins on the utility side, LVMWD answers emergency calls around the clock at (818) 251-2100. Report it, write down the time and the person you spoke with, and keep that note with your claim records.
Frequently asked questions
How long does my insurer have to respond in California?
Under state regulations, the insurer must acknowledge your claim within 15 calendar days of notice. After you give proof of claim, it must accept or deny within 40 calendar days, and a denial must be in writing. If it needs more time, it must tell you in writing every 30 days.
Should I wait for the adjuster before drying my home?
No. CDI directs policyholders to make temporary repairs and take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Photograph the loss, then start protecting the property. Save receipts, and keep the drying log your restoration crew produces.
Does a standard homeowners policy cover flood?
Flood is typically excluded from homeowners policies, as are mudslide and debris flow, and CDI points to the NFIP for flood cover. Read your policy or ask your insurer. The CDI consumer hotline is 1-800-927-4357.
If a water main or utility line caused my damage, who do I call first in Calabasas?
Phone LVMWD's emergency line, (818) 251-2100, when the source is a utility water or sewer problem, so it gets stopped. Then document the damage and call your insurer. Ask the insurer how the cause affects your claim, since it may be handled differently from a pipe inside your walls.
Can a restoration company work with my adjuster?
It can share photos, moisture logs and an itemized scope. It cannot decide the claim. Neighbors in Agoura Hills and Woodland Hills follow the same California rules, since the regulations apply statewide.