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Shut off the water, take pictures before anything moves, then make the call. Here is the first hour, the first week, and the deadlines Texas sets for your insurance company.
The short answer
Shut off the water at the main valve first, then take photos and video before anything moves, then make the call. If water is near outlets or your breaker panel, turn the power off only from dry ground. The Texas Department of Insurance says to file a claim as soon as you can, make only temporary repairs, and keep every receipt. Texas law then gives most insurers 15 days to acknowledge the claim. When the damage sits close to your deductible, call us before you file.
The first hour, in order
After the February 2021 freeze, 110,342 insurance claims came from Harris County, the most of any Texas county, by TDI's own count. On February 23 of that year, the Governor's office and the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners announced 500 more licensees to help Texans with plumbing repairs.
So after a hard freeze, the plumber may be days away. The first hour is yours, and the order matters.
The first hour after a pipe breaks
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Shut off the water
Close the main shutoff valve. TDI says that if your pipes freeze, turn off the water at the shutoff valve, which keeps broken pipes from leaking into your house after they thaw.
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Turn off the power from dry ground
If water is near outlets, appliances, or the breaker panel, turn the power off at the main breaker. The CDC says never to enter standing water to reach the panel, and to call an electrician to turn it off for you.
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Take pictures before anything moves
TDI says to take pictures or video of the damage before making any repairs. Walk every wet room with your phone, the break, the ceilings, and the floors included.
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Open the faucets, then move what you can
TDI's podcast on winter pipes says that after the water is off, turn on the hoses outside and the faucets inside to drain the pipes. Then lift rugs, furniture, electronics, and papers out of the water.
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Then make the call
Call a licensed plumber to stop the break. Then call us, or your insurance company, about the claim. The next two sections cover what to save and who to call first.
Not sure where your valve is? Our freeze checklist shows where to look and which way it turns. Find it on a calm night, before you need it.
Proof first, then cleanup
A water claim turns on what broke and why, so gather the proof before the cleanup starts.
Keep the split section of pipe when the plumber cuts it out, and ask for the cause in writing on the invoice. TDI says most home policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, and that most don't cover gradual leaks or seepage. The pipe and the plumber's note show which one you had.
Then list what was damaged, room by room. TDI's home claim sheet asks for that list, and our home inventory guide shows how to film a house in about an hour.
Do now
Start drying. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Make the temporary repairs that keep the damage from getting worse. TDI says to keep receipts for all expenses.
Wait on
Throwing things away. TDI says not to throw away damaged items until an insurance adjuster has had a chance to see them.
Permanent repairs. TDI says not to make them until your insurance company tells you to.
What a policy pays for mold cleanup, and for the pipe itself, depends on the form. Our post on whether home insurance covers frozen pipes reads those lines one by one.
Plumber or insurance company first?
The plumber, when water is still coming or the valve won't hold. Stopping the damage needs no one's permission. TDI says to do what you need to keep the damage from getting worse, temporary repairs included, and to keep receipts for all expenses.
Check the license before the work starts. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners runs a license search, and it says a Master Plumber's license number begins with the letter M and should appear in all advertisements.
Then the claim. TDI says to file a claim as soon as you can, by phone, online, or in the company's mobile app. A real loss is what the policy is for, so file it.
Call the desk before you file
When the damage sits close to your deductible, bring the question to us first. A filed claim can show on your CLUE report even when it pays nothing, and TDI's own reminder is that filing small claims may affect how much you pay for insurance later. We'll read the water coverage and your all other perils deductible with you, in dollars, and the decision stays yours.
TDI's page What to know about deductibles, updated October 14, 2024.
Why us first? The Texas Consumer Bill of Rights says your insurance company can't use your questions about your policy to deny, nonrenew, or cancel your coverage, or to set your premium. It makes one exception, a question about damage that has occurred and that results in an investigation or a claim. Our post on raising your home insurance deductible walks through the math.
Already our client, and a pipe just broke? Call 281.378.5002 or book a service meeting, and we'll walk through the claim with you before it's filed.
Schedule a Service MeetingThe claim clock in Texas
Once your insurance company has notice of the claim, Texas law starts a clock. The Insurance Code sets three deadlines, and TDI's Consumer Bill of Rights repeats them in plain words.
- 15days to acknowledge your claim, start investigating, and ask for what it needs
- 15business days to accept or reject the claim, once it has everything it asked for
- 5business days to pay, once it tells you it will pay
Two things can stretch the clock. An insurer that needs more time must tell you why within those 15 business days, and it then has until the 45th day after that notice to decide. After a weather-related catastrophe, as the insurance commissioner defines one, each deadline extends by 15 days.
A rejection has to come in writing, with the reasons. The Bill of Rights adds that if your company misses these deadlines, you may be able to collect the claim amount, interest, and attorney's fees.
When the adjuster comes
TDI says to be available for the adjuster so you can point out the damage, and to get the adjuster's name, phone number, and email address. Walk the house together with your photos and your list, and have your contractor there if you can. Take notes on every call, and ask who to call with questions.
Repairs, contractors, and the checks
You can use your own contractor. TDI's claim guide from the 2021 freeze, Help after the Storm, says a consumer can use their contractor, and to get bids in writing and use local companies when possible.
Before you sign with a contractor
TDI says to get at least three bids, each on the company's letterhead with a phone number and an address. Be wary of a large or full down payment, and don't sign a contract with blank spaces. After a disaster, it is against the law for an out-of-town contractor to ask for a down payment before the work starts. It is also against the law for a contractor to offer to waive your insurance deductible.
TDI's page How to avoid contracting scams, updated December 9, 2025.
TDI adds that your adjuster can give you an idea of what the repair should cost, so read each bid beside the adjuster's estimate. Here is how the money usually arrives.
| The payment | What to expect |
|---|---|
| The first check | Comes after the adjuster has looked at the damage. TDI says it is the estimated cost of repairs, minus depreciation and your deductible |
| The second check | With replacement cost coverage, it follows your contractor's final bill, when the repairs are finished within 365 days of the date of loss |
| Your mortgage company's name | Often on the check beside yours. After it receives the payment, your lender has 10 days to tell you what it needs to release the money |
| Your deductible | Subtracted before the company pays. For a burst pipe, that is the all other perils deductible |
| A place to stay during repairs | TDI says additional living expenses include rent, food, and other costs you wouldn't have if you were still in your home |
If the house can't be lived in during repairs, our post on whether insurance pays for a hotel in a winter storm covers that coverage.
When you need more help
We're your agent, so we don't adjust the claim or decide it. Your insurance company does. What we do is read the policy with you before you file, help you report the claim, and coordinate with the carrier when you need a hand.
If you disagree with the amount, TDI says to call your insurance company or agent and tell the company why you disagree. Its home insurance guide also describes appraisal, where an umpire's decision is binding on both you and the insurance company.
If you hire a public adjuster
TDI says a public insurance adjuster works for you and negotiates with your insurance company to settle your claim. Public adjusters are licensed by TDI, and they can charge up to 10 percent of what the company pays on your claim. You have 72 hours after signing a contract to cancel it, and a public adjuster who works on your claim can't act as your contractor.
TDI's page on public adjusters, updated March 25, 2025.
TDI lists a public adjuster as an option when a claim is denied or you think the company should pay more for repairs. You can check a license through TDI's Help Line at 800.252.3439, and a complaint to TDI has to be in writing.
Questions homeowners ask after a pipe bursts
Should I call a plumber or my insurance company first?
Stop the water, then call the plumber. TDI says to do what you need to keep the damage from getting worse, and to file a claim as soon as you can. Take photos before the repair, and keep the invoice. When the damage sits close to your deductible, call us before you file, and we'll read the policy with you.
Can I clean up before the adjuster comes?
Yes, once you have photos and video. TDI says to make only the repairs needed to protect your home from further damage, and not to throw away damaged items until an insurance adjuster has had a chance to see them. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Will insurance pay the plumber?
That depends on your form. TDI says coverage for sudden and accidental water damage pays for damage from burst pipes. Whether your policy also pays to repair the pipe itself, or to open a wall to reach it, depends on its wording. Keep the plumber's invoice, with the cause in writing, either way.
How soon do I report a freeze claim in Texas?
As soon as you can. That is TDI's advice, and its home insurance guide says some policies have a one-year deadline unless you can show good cause for the delay. Once an insurer has notice of your claim, Texas Insurance Code Section 542.055 gives it 15 days to acknowledge the claim and begin investigating, or 30 business days for a surplus lines insurer.
Can I choose my own contractor?
Yes. TDI's claim guide from the 2021 freeze says a consumer can use their contractor, and to get bids in writing and use local companies when possible. TDI also suggests at least three bids, and it says it is against the law for a contractor to offer to waive your insurance deductible.
Should I hire a public adjuster?
It can help when a claim is denied or disputed. TDI lists a public adjuster as an option when your claim is denied or you think your insurance company should pay more for repairs. A public adjuster works for you, is licensed by TDI, and can charge up to 10 percent of what the company pays on your claim. You have 72 hours after signing a contract to cancel it.
Sources worth opening
- The Texas Department of Insurance, its page Steps to getting your home or car insurance claim paid (updated April 16, 2025) and its sheet How do I file a homeowners insurance claim?, for filing, temporary repairs, receipts, damaged items, the adjuster, and the two checks
- The Consumer Bill of Rights for homeowners, dwelling, and renters insurance, a TDI rule (28 TAC Section 5.9971), for the deadlines, questions about your policy, and lenders, and Texas Insurance Code Section 542.055, read on Texas Public Law with Sections 542.056, 542.057, and 542.059
- TDI's Home insurance guide (updated June 1, 2026), for the one-year deadline, the checks, the mortgage company, and appraisal, its winter storm tips (updated April 29, 2025), and its podcast Are your water pipes ready for winter? (February 2, 2022)
- TDI's pages When are water damage and mold covered by insurance? (updated April 24, 2025) and What to know about deductibles (updated October 14, 2024)
- TDI's page How to avoid contracting scams (updated December 9, 2025), its claim guide Help after the Storm, from the 2021 freeze, and its page on public adjusters (updated March 25, 2025)
- The EPA's A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home (updated February 18, 2026), the CDC's page What to Do to Protect Yourself From Electrical Hazards (August 26, 2026), and the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners' consumer information
- The Governor's office, its release of February 23, 2021, on 500 more plumbing licensees, and TDI's report Insured Losses Resulting from the February 2021 Texas Winter Weather Event (December 27, 2021), for Harris County's claims
The purpose is to help the reader ask better questions before claim time.
General insurance education. For plumbing work, use a licensed plumber, for electrical work, a licensed electrician, and for legal questions, a licensed attorney. In a freeze, follow local officials and your water provider. Carrier rules, eligibility, underwriting, policy language, and the final contract control. Figures and deadlines carry the dates shown.
Know who to call before a pipe breaks
The first hour goes better when the order is in your head and the number is in your phone.
- Book a time. Use the button below, or call 281.378.5002.
- Send your declarations page. Email it to contact@mcdadeins.com, and a licensed Texas agent reads your water coverage and your all other perils deductible in dollars.
- You get a straight answer. Stay, adjust, or switch, with the reason in writing.
About 40 percent of the time we tell homeowners to stay with their current carrier, and sometimes even with their current agent, because that is the right answer for the family.
We work with 50+ top Texas carriers we know well. Local broker. National infrastructure. Carrier availability and underwriting vary by risk and location. We translate the insurance contract before claim time.
The review is free. The decision is yours. No broker fees for personal lines clients.
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