Practical preparation for homeowners, from people who work on property claims.
Before Your Claim is a free homeowner resource provided by Absolute Adjusting. It has two parts: plain-language guides on this website, and a home-documentation app (currently in testing) that helps you photograph your home room by room and keep a backup you control.
The experience behind the guides
The guides are written by Jeffrey S. Aal, A.I.C., who began handling property insurance claims in 1995. His work has included carrier claims positions, independent-adjusting management, public adjusting, and expert-witness and litigation-support assignments. He holds the Associate in Claims (AIC) designation.
That work has shown, again and again, the gap between what a household owned and what anyone can show after a loss. The guides focus on what helps close that gap: clear photographs, honest notes, records kept where a loss cannot reach them, and knowing which questions to ask.
How the guides are prepared
Each guide is intended to be practical and useful whether or not you ever engage a professional. Some drafts are prepared with AI writing assistance. Jeffrey reviews and approves the homeowner-facing material before publication. Any generated illustrations are intended to explain concepts, not represent photographs of actual claims or properties.
What Before Your Claim is, and is not
Before Your Claim is general education and a documentation tool; it is not an insurance company, and it does not provide legal advice, decide coverage, or handle claims. Policies and laws differ, so for questions about your own policy or claim, speak with your insurer, your state’s insurance department, or an appropriately licensed professional.
Absolute Adjusting
Absolute Adjusting is a property-claims firm that provides public adjusting, expert-witness, and consulting services. It pays for Before Your Claim. Its professional services are separate and optional, and using Before Your Claim never obligates you to hire anyone. Our article Why is this free? explains more.
Contact
Questions about this website or the app: beforeyourclaim@absoluteadjusting.com.