Contents Claims Frequently Asked Questions
A contents claim has its own process, separate from the building repair, and its own decisions about every affected item. The answers below explain how that process works in British Columbia, from the pack-out through documentation, non-restorable reporting, storage and pack-back (the return of belongings once repairs are done). They're written for the insurance adjusters and restoration contractors we work with every day, and for policyholders going through a claim for the first time. They describe the contents process, not insurance coverage, which is always decided by the insurer.
1. What is a contents claim?
A contents claim is the part of a property insurance claim that deals with personal belongings: furniture, clothing, electronics, dishes, documents and other personal property, as distinct from the building and its fixtures. It runs alongside the building repair after a fire, flood, water leak or other loss, but follows its own process. Each affected item is documented, then restored or reported as non-restorable, and everything is returned once repairs are complete.
Whether a particular item is covered depends on the policy and is decided by the insurer. Because a single home can hold thousands of items, contents is handled as a specialized claims discipline.
The adjuster manages the claim for the insurer, the restoration contractor repairs the structure, and a contents specialist such as Action Contents looks after the belongings, working with the policyholder throughout.
2. What does a contents restoration company do?
A contents restoration company looks after the belongings affected by a loss. It packs them out, documents them, cleans what can be restored, reports what can't, stores everything securely and returns it once repairs are done. It works alongside the contractor repairing the building, but its focus is the items rather than the structure.
At Action Contents, routine cleaning and laundry are done in-house, and our processing room handles one job at a time to prevent cross-contamination. Electronics testing and specialty cleaning go to specialist subcontractors, quoted in writing and sent to the adjuster for approval before work starts.
We assess and recommend, but restoration, replacement and disposal proceed only with the appropriate authorization. Every step, from pack-out to return, is recorded in an itemized, photographed inventory.
3. What is the difference between a contents specialist and a moving company?
A moving company relocates belongings from one address to another. A contents specialist handles belongings as part of an insurance claim, which adds work a move doesn't require.
Every item is inventoried, photographed and tagged, and its condition recorded. Restorable items are separated from non-restorable ones, then cleaned or reported, and the results are organized so the adjuster can act on them.
Storage can last as long as the repairs and stays traceable to the inventory. The return is timed to the rebuild rather than a moving date, and charges are itemized line by line for adjuster review.
Action Contents also offers moving services, but contents claims run as their own discipline. Each claim gets one project manager, itemized photographic documentation and direct coordination with the adjuster and restoration contractor.
4. When is a contents pack-out necessary?
A pack-out is necessary when belongings have to leave the property, either to protect them from further damage or because repairs can't proceed with them in place. Common triggers include water or fire damage that requires drying, demolition or new flooring, and smoke and soot that need off-site cleaning. Contaminated Category 3 water, such as a sewage backup, and homes that become unsafe to live in during repairs are others.
At Action Contents, the project manager assesses the contents on site, photographs the conditions and confirms the scope of work before anything moves. The pack-out proceeds once the adjuster authorizes that scope.
Not every loss needs a full pack-out. Depending on the damage, packing out only the affected rooms, or moving contents within the property away from the work area, may be enough.
5. What happens during a contents pack-out?
During a pack-out, a trained crew protects, documents and removes the affected belongings, then transports them for processing and storage. The crew works to the scope of work the project manager has confirmed with the policyholder.
Furniture is padded and wrapped, fragile items are wrapped and boxed, and mattresses are bagged. Every item is tagged, photographed and logged room by room in the inventory. Items that look non-restorable are listed for reporting and set aside, and nothing is discarded without approval.
A large home can take more than one day to pack out. Policyholders should keep identification, important documents, medication, jewellery, cash, and daily-use electronics and chargers with them. Food, perishables, flammable materials, liquids, firearms, ammunition, live plants and pets can't go into storage.
6. How should contents be documented for an insurance claim?
Contents should be documented item by item, with photographs, and the record should follow each item from the first site visit until it's returned or disposed of. A record that holds up under review links each item to a description, quantity, room of origin, condition and photos, then tracks it through processing, storage and reporting.
Action Contents starts documenting at the first site visit. Pre-existing damage and wear are recorded before work begins, and each item's physical tag number is matched to its inventory entry. Cleaning results and non-restorable findings are added as the claim moves, so the record reaches the adjuster organized and file-ready rather than reassembled after the fact.
Protecting belongings from further damage comes first. When it's safe, policyholders can help by photographing damaged rooms, keeping receipts or other proof of ownership, and checking with the adjuster before discarding anything damaged.
7. What is a schedule of loss?
A schedule of loss is an itemized list of the belongings being claimed as lost or damaged beyond reasonable repair, submitted to the insurer as part of the contents claim. Each entry describes the item, including make and model where known, and purchase details and replacement cost are usually added. The insurer reviews the schedule, and the adjuster determines the settlement under the policy, including how any depreciation applies.
At Action Contents, schedule of loss preparation is part of our non-restorable reporting. Items are identified at the pack-out and during processing, photographed, and compiled into an organized schedule with a supporting photo record. Policyholders receive a copy of the finalized list and can raise anything that seems to be missing with their project manager.
8. How is it determined whether an item can be restored?
An item can be restored when cleaning or repair can return it to an acceptable condition safely and at a reasonable cost. If it can't, or restoring it isn't economically feasible compared with replacing it, it's considered non-restorable.
The assessment weighs the type of loss (for example clean, grey or contaminated Category 3 water, or smoke and soot), the material, the extent of damage and what restoration would involve. Trained Action Contents crews screen items at the pack-out, and items are checked again during processing. Where needed, electronics are tested and specialty items assessed by specialist subcontractors.
Each finding is photographed and recorded. The result is a recommendation: restoring or replacing an item is the insurer's decision, made through the adjuster, and work proceeds only with that authorization.
9. What happens to non-restorable contents?
Non-restorable contents are documented, reported and held until disposal is authorized. Nothing is thrown away without approval, including at the pack-out.
Each non-restorable item is photographed and listed for Action Contents' non-restorable report and schedule of loss. The items are then held at our warehouse, separate from restorable contents, until disposal is approved by the adjuster and authorized in writing by the policyholder.
Non-restorable work is among the most questioned parts of a contents claim. When disposal goes ahead, it's photographed, supported by a disposal receipt and traceable to the approved list.
Policyholders who want to keep an item rather than have it listed as non-restorable should tell the crew at the pack-out or their project manager before the list is submitted.
10. Where are belongings stored during property repairs?
During repairs, packed-out belongings are kept off-site in secure storage until the home is ready for them. Action Contents stores them in its own warehouses in Richmond and Surrey, not in public storage. Each claim's contents are held in individual vaults with no public access, in climate-controlled, monitored facilities.
Storage is inventory-linked. What goes into a claim's vaults is tied to its itemized inventory, so items can be traced, sent out for approved specialist cleaning and returned to storage. Contents stay in storage until the pack-back, which is timed to the completion of repairs.
Policyholders can visit their belongings by appointment through their project manager; additional charges may apply. What to keep with you, and what can't be stored, is listed on our Homeowner Resources page.
11. How long does the contents claim process take?
A contents claim usually runs about as long as the property repairs, because packed-out belongings stay in storage until the home is ready for them. The contents work itself is front-loaded: pack-out, inventory, processing and non-restorable reporting happen early, while the rebuild sets the length of storage.
Timelines vary with the size of the loss, the type of damage and how quickly approvals come through.
Pack-back is scheduled with the restoration contractor around the completion of repairs, so contents arrive when the home is ready rather than holding up the final walkthrough. One Action Contents project manager runs the contents side of the claim from assignment through return and updates the adjuster at each key stage.
12. What commonly delays a contents claim?
Most delays on a contents claim come from waiting: for approvals, for information or for the repairs themselves.
Approvals are a frequent pinch point. A specialist cleaning quote, a non-restorable list or a disposal authorization can take time to clear, and the work tied to it waits until the right person signs off. Missing information also causes delays, from unclear item details and missing photos to documentation that has to be rebuilt after the fact.
Pack-back can only happen once the rebuild is ready, so construction delays extend storage. Large storms, floods and wildfires can also stretch every vendor's capacity at once.
Action Contents project managers keep approvals in writing and follow up on the ones still open. Documentation is completed as the work happens, and pack-back is planned around the contractor's schedule.
Have a contents claim to place?
Assign a claim and a project manager takes it from here. For an emergency pack-out, call our 24/7 dispatch at 604-694-7777.