January 3rd, 2014 8:31 PM by Dan Howard
Photograph and document the damage. It will make the insurance claims easier to process. It may also provide additional information that can be used to avoid the recurrence of the problem.
Promptly notify your insurance agent of a claim. In times of severe cold, you will not be alone in having this problem and you will be better off at the front of the line to receive service than instead of the end.
Take reasonable action to minimize the claim. You have a duty to perform whatever is within your power to protect the property from additional damage.
Understand this important fact: Homeowners insurance is not required to make corrections to avoid recurrence of the claim. They will correct the damage, but not solve underlying problems. The homeowners that had gutter leak issues two years in a row learned that lesson the hard way.
Though you may take solace in the fact that the damage is covered by homeowners insurance, I have yet to meet the person believing that the claims process was good entertainment. Having the cause of the problem corrected is the very best plan.