When your home is damaged, the first decisions you make matter. Whether it’s a burst pipe, storm damage, fire, or flooding, acting quickly - and correctly - can prevent further damage, protect your insurance claim, and reduce long-term disruption.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- What qualifies as an emergency or temporary home repair?
- Emergency property damage: What to do first
- Why preventing further damage is so important
- Common mistakes that can jeopardise your claim
- Why insurers expect fast action
- How contacting an emergency-capable insurance repair specialist can help
- How Action Insurance Repair can help you
- When disaster strikes, act quickly (and carefully)
What qualifies as an emergency or temporary home repair?
Emergency or temporary repairs are urgent actions taken to make your property safe and stop damage from getting worse after an incident. They’re not permanent fixes, and they’re not intended to restore your home to its original condition straight away.
Typical emergency home repairs include:
- Isolating the water supply after a leak
- Boarding up broken windows or doors following a break-in or storm
- Installing temporary roof coverings
- Making electrics safe after fire or flood damage
In some cases, emergency drying or ventilation may also be needed to reduce the risk of mould or structural problems.
The key thing to remember is that emergency repairs are about protection, not restoration. Insurers generally expect homeowners to take reasonable steps to limit damage while waiting for their claim to be assessed.
Emergency property damage: What to do first
When disaster strikes, here's what to do:
1) Make things safe
Your safety comes before anything else. If there’s a risk from fire, gas, exposed electrics, or structural damage, leave your property and contact the emergency services or utility providers straight away.
If it’s safe to stay in your property, try to isolate the source of the problem if you can. This might mean turning off the water supply, switching off electrics in affected areas, or ventilating rooms impacted by smoke or moisture.
2) Contain the damage
Once safe, take simple, temporary steps to stop things from getting worse. Turn off water or electricity where needed, fit a temporary roof cover, board up broken windows, or move undamaged belongings away from affected areas. For water damage, early drying and ventilation is particularly important.
Remember, the goal is to stabilise the situation; you can focus on permanent repairs later.
3) Avoid permanent repairs
It’s natural to want repairs done quickly, but permanent work should usually wait. Making permanent repairs too early can remove important evidence and make it harder for insurers to assess the damage.
If you’re unsure about the temporary fixes you can implement, consider reaching out to an insurance repair specialist (like us!). We’ll be able to assess the damage and can advise before any irreversible work is carried out.
4) Document everything
Take clear photos or videos of the damage as soon as possible, both before and after any emergency measures. Try to include wide and close-up shows to show the full extent of the damage, and be sure to keep notes of the actions you’ve taken and when. This helps to demonstrate to your insurer that emergency works were necessary and focused on preventing further damage.
5) Contact your insurer and consider specialist help
Get in touch with your insurer as soon as you can to report the incident and explain what emergency steps you’ve taken. At the same time, consider contacting an emergency-capable insurance repair specialist like Action Insurance Repair. We’ll be able to advise you on next steps, carry out temporary measures safely, and ensure your claim stays on track.
Why preventing further damage is so important
Most home insurance policies require homeowners to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. If additional damage occurs because no action was taken, your insurer may question whether that secondary damage is covered by your policy.
For example, untreated water damage can quickly lead to mould, damaged electrics, or structural issues, so in the event of an escape of water or flood, it should be your priority to get your property dried out as soon as possible.
Likewise, if your roof has been damaged by a storm and is left uncovered, rainfall can cause further damage to other parts of your home that weren’t originally affected.
Acting early protects your property and helps to make your claim more straightforward.
Common mistakes that can jeopardise your claim
One of the most common mistakes you can make after your property has been damaged is carrying out permanent repairs too soon. While well-intentioned, this can complicate your claim by removing evidence of the original damage.
Another issue is using unsuitable or inexperienced contractors for emergency works. Poor temporary repairs can fail, cause further damage, or lead insurers to question whether reasonable care was taken.
Delaying action altogether can be just as problematic. Leaving a property unsecured or allowing damage to get worse might result in parts of the loss being excluded from your cover.
Why insurers expect fast action
When disaster strikes, your insurer will expect you to have acted quickly and sensibly because emergency repairs directly affect the scale and cost of a claim. Putting the right temporary fixes into place at the right time will help to prevent the damage from spreading or worsening, which reduces the likelihood of extended repairs or additional disruption.
It’s important to remember that acting quickly doesn’t mean acting without guidance. Involving professionals who understand insurance repairs can make the process far easier.
How contacting an emergency-capable insurance repair specialist can help
Not all contractors are set up to deal with emergency insurance repairs. An experienced specialist can respond quickly, carry out appropriate temporary works, and ensure everything is properly documented.
A specialist will also understand insurer requirements, including what can be done immediately, what needs approval, and how to communicate clearly with loss adjusters. Early involvement often leads to smoother claims and better repairs in the long-run.
How Action Insurance Repair can support you
At Action Insurance Repair, we support homeowners through every stage of the insurance repair process — from the initial emergency response through to the full reinstatement of your property.
Here’s what you can expect from our service:
1) Initial damage triage
Share photos of the damage with our team via WhatsApp. We’ll take a look and complete an initial triage, providing clear guidance on what to do next.
2) Thorough damage assessment
We’ll arrange to visit your property within 48 hours to thoroughly assess the damage and begin compiling a scope of work. We can also bring in specialist emergency treatment services, such as drying and ventilation, if required, as well as a trusted independent loss assessor who can handle the claim on your behalf and ensure you get a fair settlement.
3) Detailed repair quote
With a clear picture of the damage, we’ll complete the scope of work and prepare a detailed quote for the repairs in a format we know insurers will accept.
4) Expert claim support
Our trusted loss assessor will work tirelessly on your behalf to advocate for the best possible outcome from your claim. They’ll manage all communications with the insurer and respond to any queries or challenges that might crop up, so there’s one less thing for you to worry about.
5) Quality repairs
Once the claim has been approved, it’s time for our team to get to work. We’ll manage and complete all the repairs to the highest standard to give you a home you can be proud of again.
When disaster strikes, act quickly (but carefully)
Emergency and temporary home repairs are about protecting your property when it’s most vulnerable. Acting quickly, safely, and with the right support can prevent further damage and help your insurance claim run more smoothly.
Understanding what to do first, and when to involve an experienced insurance repair specialist, puts you in a far stronger position from the earliest stage.
Looking for help with restoring your property? We’ve got over 17 years of experience supporting homeowners with reinstatement following floods, fires, storms, water leaks, and accidental impacts. Get in touch for a survey, quote, and quality repairs, all at no cost to you.
FAQ
What counts as an emergency home repair?
Emergency home repairs are urgent, temporary steps taken to make your property safe and prevent further damage, such as isolating the water supply, boarding up broken windows, or covering a damaged roof.
Should I carry out repairs before my claim is approved?
You should only carry out emergency or temporary repairs to prevent further damage. Permanent repairs should usually wait until your insurer has assessed the damage and agreed the scope of works.
What happens if I don't prevent further damage?
If additional damage occurs because reasonable steps weren’t taken, your insurer may argue that the secondary damage isn’t covered under your policy.
Can emergency repairs affect my insurance claim?
Yes. Appropriate emergency repairs can support your claim, while unnecessary, excessive, or permanent repairs carried out too early can delay or complicate things.
Who should I contact after property damage?
Once you’ve made sure your property is safe, you should contact your insurer to notify them of the damage, and consider contacting an emergency-capable insurance repair specialist who understands insurer requirements. They’ll be able to provide guidance on next steps and support you throughout the claims process.
