Burglary: how to file a home insurance claim

You do not need every receipt before you report the theft.

The answer in 2 lines. Report the burglary to police and notify your homeowners or renters insurer promptly. Document stolen belongings and damage, then send supporting evidence as you gather it. Ask for your reporting and replacement deadlines in writing. Your payment depends on coverage, depreciation, your deductible and any special limits. There is no single nationwide reporting deadline for every home insurance theft claim.

Start your claim

Report the theft to local police and keep the report information. Tell the insurer if the report is still pending; ask whether you can submit it later.
Use the claims contact printed on your policy to report the loss. Request a claim number, the adjuster's contact details and written instructions.
Create an itemized inventory of stolen belongings and photograph damaged doors, windows and rooms before cleanup. Save receipts for necessary temporary security repairs.

Stop: danger

An intruder may still be inside: stay outside and contact emergency services. Recovering property and collecting evidence can wait.
Unsafe entry: do not touch broken glass or enter an area with damaged wiring just to take pictures.

Build evidence without inventing details

For each missing item, record its description, approximate purchase date, original cost, condition and identifying details. Mark uncertain information as approximate. Include serial numbers when available.

Gather receipts, account records, photographs showing the belongings in your home, repair records and existing appraisals. Ask the adjuster what alternative evidence is acceptable when a receipt is missing. Keep copies of everything you submit and a record of calls.

The Washington insurance regulator's inventory guidance explains what to photograph and retain. Use those documentation suggestions to organize your evidence; its claim-handling deadlines apply specifically to Washington.

What not to do

Inflating values, adding belongings you did not own or describing estimates as established facts.
Discarding damaged property before asking whether the adjuster needs to inspect it.
Assuming replacement cost coverage means an immediate payment for brand-new replacements.
Replacing expensive items without checking the applicable reimbursement deadline and evidence requirements.

Understand the payment calculation

Ask for an itemized calculation showing the value accepted for each item and every deduction.

Actual cash value: generally replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear.
Replacement cost: coverage based on replacing property with comparable items, subject to policy conditions. The insurer may initially pay depreciated value and release additional money after replacement.
Deductible: the portion of the covered loss you pay.
Special limits: certain belongings may have lower coverage limits than your overall personal property limit.

The Texas insurance glossary explains these terms. Compare them with the definitions and endorsements in your own policy.

Check coverage before accepting the settlement

Read the personal property, theft, exclusions and duties-after-loss sections. Check whether valuable belongings have separate scheduled coverage. Do not assume every stolen item has the same limit: the Texas regulator's coverage overview identifies valuables as an area where limits need attention.

Ask separately about damage to the building. If you rent, notify your landlord about damaged locks, doors or windows while pursuing your own belongings claim.

If an item was omitted or valued incorrectly, send a specific correction with evidence. For unresolved problems, use the NAIC insurance department directory: select your state under File a Complaint and follow that department's instructions.

Good to know

The insurer's adjuster evaluates the claim for the insurance company. Point out missing damage and ask how disputed values were determined.
Ask whether a payment is partial or accompanied by a final settlement or release before signing.
If stolen property is recovered, notify the insurer and police before deciding what to do with it.

Illustrative example: Elena discovers that her laptop and a necklace are missing. She reports the burglary and opens a claim without waiting to reconstruct every receipt. She supplies a purchase record for the laptop and photographs of the necklace. When the estimate arrives, she asks whether the jewelry payment reflects a special limit and what evidence is needed to recover withheld depreciation on the laptop.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on November 6, 2026, for the United States. Confidence: high for documentation and payment terminology; medium for individual coverage outcomes, which depend on the policy and state law. State guidance is identified as such.