Skylight insurance

The practical implication is unpleasant but simple: the longer a leak goes unreported, the worse your position. Document and report promptly. Photos with dates, of the ceiling, the shaft, the attic and the contents, taken before cleanup, are what separates a covered event from an argued one.

Roof-related claims have their own wrinkles. Many policies handle roof damage differently depending on the age of the roof, and some settle older roofs on an actual-cash-value basis rather than replacement cost. Those terms are in your declarations page and endorsements, not in general advice — find yours before you need it.

Be careful with post-storm door-knockers. Assigning your claim to a contractor at the door, before you've spoken to your own insurer, hands away control of the process. Report the claim yourself, get your own adjuster's account, then hire.

One thing entirely in your control: keep records. Install date, model number, invoice, photos of the flashing during installation, and your annual inspection photos. That file is the difference between "sudden damage" and "you never maintained this."

How to choose

Report promptly

Delay is the most common reason a water claim gets reduced or denied. Call it in even if you're not sure it's covered.

Photograph before cleanup

Wet contents, ceiling, attic and the weather event itself. After you dry it out, the evidence is gone.

Read your roof endorsement

Roof age can change how a claim settles. Know whether yours is replacement cost or actual cash value before a storm, not after.

Don't sign your claim away at the door

Assignment-of-benefits paperwork pushed by post-storm canvassers hands over control of your claim. Report it yourself first.

Keep a maintenance file

Dated inspection photos are the cheapest defense against a "wear and tear" denial.