A claim is decided by what you can document, not by what you lost. Two businesses with identical damage get very different settlements, and the difference is almost always the quality of the inventory rather than the severity of the loss. Memory is not evidence. A receipt, an old photograph or a card statement is.

The other reason to do this properly is that you only get one real attempt at the first number. Everything afterwards is arguing with a figure you supplied. Time spent on the inventory before you file is worth more than any amount of pushing afterwards.

Report the loss to your insurer first, before the documentation is finished. Policies require prompt notice, and some set a deadline for a formal proof of loss after that. Reporting late can affect a claim. The specific windows are in your policy and change between policies. Not yet confirmed by LAEDC. Reporting opens the claim. You can supply detail afterwards.

Write down the claim number, the adjuster’s name, their direct line and their email on day one, and start a contact log. Every call, who said what, and the date. Claims change hands, and the log is the only thing that survives a change of adjuster.

Do not throw anything away or start repairs beyond making the place safe until it is documented. You usually have a duty to prevent further damage, which is different from clearing up. Photograph before you move anything.