Give the photographs context
- Use consistent names for elevations, rooms, and detached structures.
- Keep original files and dates, and write down when the damage was first noticed.
- Include the surrounding area so a close-up can be located later.
Track protection and changes
If urgent temporary work is needed, ask the provider to document the condition before and after the work when safe. Keep receipts, work descriptions, dates, and contact details. Tell the insurer about work that changes what its adjuster will be able to see.
Keep observations factual
Describe a missing piece, leak, dent, or broken component without claiming a cause beyond what you know. Give the contractor and insurer prior-condition records where available. A thorough first record supports later review; it does not settle coverage or the final repair extent.