Homeowners insurance claim course: learn to manage your own claim
Thirty-one video lessons that walk you through a property claim in the order it happens, from the first photos to the final check.
- Taught by John Dwayne, NFIP Certified Adjuster and FEMA Housing Inspector (retired)
- A printable Claim Toolkit for every stage
- Education only: we never contact your insurer for you
Quick answer
What is a homeowners insurance claim course?
A homeowners insurance claim course teaches you how a property insurance claim works, so you can manage your own. The Claims Answer Man course is organized into 31 video lessons in 7 modules, with printable checklists and trackers, covering documentation, estimates, adjusters, contractors, supplements, payments and closing the claim.
What the course is and what it covers
Claims Answer Man is a video course for homeowners who have to deal with an insurance claim after their home was damaged. It teaches the claim process the way it actually unfolds. You learn what to do in the first days, how to document the loss, and how your policy and the insurance estimate work. Then it covers how to talk with adjusters, when to bring in a contractor, and how to get from the first check to a closed claim.
The goal is simple. You should understand each step well enough to take part in your own claim with confidence, ask good questions and keep a clean record. The course doesn’t take over your claim, and it doesn’t contact your insurance company. You stay in charge. The lessons help you understand what you’re looking at.
Each lesson focuses on one job and points to the worksheet that goes with it. Follow the lessons in order, or jump to the part of the claim you’re in now. See how the three steps of the course fit together, or read every module and lesson explained.
Who the course is for
You don’t need any insurance background. The course was built for homeowners in situations like these.
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You just had damage
Fire, wildfire, hurricane, tornado, hail, wind, snow and ice, water or another loss, and you have never handled a claim this size.
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Your estimate just arrived
The numbers don’t make sense, the first check looks small, or words like depreciation and O&P are new to you.
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Your claim feels stuck
Adjusters keep changing, calls go unreturned, or repairs uncovered damage nobody saw at the inspection.
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You are helping someone else
A parent or relative has a claim, and you’re helping from down the street or from another state.
Who the course isn’t for
We would rather tell you now than after you sign up. The course is probably not the right fit if:
- You want someone to handle, review or negotiate your claim for you. We teach. We don’t act on anyone’s claim.
- You need legal advice about your situation, for example a lawsuit or a denial you plan to take to court. A licensed attorney in your state is the right person for that.
- Your claim is for a business property, a car or a health matter. The lessons cover homeowners property claims.
- You’re an insurance professional looking for licensing or continuing education credit.
Some homeowners decide partway through a claim that they want a licensed professional on their side, and that can be a sensible choice. A public adjuster works for you, not the insurer, and is usually paid a percentage of the claim payment, which some states cap. Learning the process first helps you judge whether you need that help and understand any contract before you sign it. Our free guide explains what a public adjuster does and how they’re usually paid.
The course
The 7 modules
The modules follow the order of a real claim, from the day of the damage to the day it closes. Lesson numbers run from 1 to 31, so you always know where you are.
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Module 1: Start your claim the right way
5 lessonsThe first days after damage: protect, document, report, and get ready for the adjuster.
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Module 2: Understand your policy and your estimate
6 lessonsThe words and numbers that decide how much your claim pays.
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Module 3: Work with your insurance company
5 lessonsWho you’ll deal with, how to keep a clean record, and how to stay on schedule.
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Module 4: Contractors and repairs
4 lessonsGetting the right contractor involved and keeping repairs and paperwork in step.
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Module 5: Coverage issues that often get missed
4 lessonsParts of your coverage homeowners often don’t know to ask about.
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Module 6: When you disagree with the insurance company
4 lessonsCalm, documented, professional steps when the numbers or findings look wrong.
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Module 7: Large losses and closing your claim
3 lessonsCatastrophic and total losses, finishing the claim, and staying accurate.
Total: 7 modules 31 lessons
Plus the Claim Toolkit: printable checklists, trackers and sample letters
Join the early-access list
Checkout isn’t open yet. Leave your email and we’ll let you know when the free previews go live and when enrollment opens, with the price, what is included and the refund policy shown up front. Joining is free and doesn’t commit you to anything. Marketing emails only go out if you tick the consent box, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
You are on the early-access list
Thank you. We will email you when the course opens.
The Claim Toolkit: the paperwork side of your claim
The videos teach the process. The toolkit keeps it organized. Every worksheet, checklist and letter template can be downloaded and printed, and each one is tied to the lessons where you use it.
- Keep records: Claim Diary, Claim Communication Log and Claim Deadline Tracker.
- Document the damage: Damage Documentation Checklist, Photo Documentation Checklist and Personal Property Inventory.
- Get ready for inspections: Adjuster Inspection Checklist, Contractor Inspection Checklist, and a Professional Report Checklist for engineer and specialist reports.
- Check the numbers: Insurance Estimate Comparison Worksheet, Contractor Estimate Comparison Worksheet and Insurance Payment Tracker.
- Cover the costs people forget: Additional Living Expense (ALE) Tracker, Supplemental Claim Checklist and Mortgage Company Payment Checklist.
- Write clearly and finish well: Sample Correspondence Templates and the Claim Completion Checklist.
Trackers come as spreadsheets as well as PDFs, and the letter templates come as editable documents. One piece is free to everyone today: the homeowner claim checklist, which puts the whole claim on a few printable pages.
Free preview videos are on the way
Free public previews are planned so you can see how John teaches before you decide anything. The planned previews are:
- A welcome from John Dwayne
- What Claims Answer Man is, and what it isn’t
- A sample lesson from the course
- Why documentation matters so much in a claim
- How homeowners lose control of their claim, and how to keep it
They aren’t published yet. People on the early-access list will hear first when each one is ready.
How the lessons are delivered
When the course opens, lessons will stream inside your own private account on a phone, tablet or computer, and the account is designed to remember where you stopped. Watch a few minutes in a parked car or a motel room, then pick up at the same spot later.
Videos will be streaming only, with no download option, and the course terms don’t allow sharing a login or copying, reposting or reselling the videos. The toolkit works the other way: every worksheet, tracker and letter template is yours to download, print and keep.
Have a question about phones, logins, downloads or refunds? Our course FAQ answers the ones homeowners ask most.
Who teaches the course
The course is presented by John Dwayne, an NFIP Certified Adjuster and FEMA Housing Inspector (retired). At disaster sites, homeowners swarm John with claim questions as soon as he arrives. This course puts his answers in order, from the first day to the last check.
John has also been on the homeowner’s side. After severe winter storm damage to his own home, he went through a long claim involving Travelers Insurance and Vertex Engineering. Seeing how confusing the process is for an ordinary homeowner, even with his background, is why every lesson is taught from the homeowner’s side. Claims Answer Man is the homeowner education program of Homeowners Insurance Exposed.
- NFIP Certified Adjuster
- FEMA Housing Inspector (retired)
- Host of the HOI Exposed podcast
What the course can and can’t do for you
Education can do a lot. It can help you document a loss clearly and completely, read an estimate line by line, spot items that look missing, and keep a written record that survives adjuster changes. It can show you why the first check is often only part of the payment (see how recoverable depreciation works) and how to ask for a review in a calm, organized way.
Education can’t change your policy limits, rewrite your policy, or promise any result. Every claim depends on your policy wording, your state’s rules and the facts of your loss. If your situation needs a licensed professional, the course helps you recognize that and know what to ask. Because rules differ by state, we also point you to claim rules and insurance department contacts by state.
Questions about the course
When will the course open for enrollment?
There’s no opening date yet, and we would rather not guess. The lessons, the toolkit and the secure video player all need to be ready first. People on the early-access list will be told first when enrollment opens, along with the price, what is included and the refund policy. Until then, the free checklist and free guides are open to everyone.
Will there be free preview videos before I decide?
Yes, that’s the plan. The previews include a welcome from John Dwayne, an explanation of what Claims Answer Man is and isn’t, a sample lesson, a video on why documentation matters, and one on how homeowners lose control of their claim. They aren’t published yet. Early-access members will hear first when each one goes live.
What is the difference between the free checklist and the full course?
The free checklist tells you what to do at each stage of a claim, on a few printable pages. The course explains how and why, across 31 video lessons, and adds the full Claim Toolkit: trackers, comparison worksheets and sample letters. You can start with the checklist today and decide later whether you want the deeper lessons.
Does Claims Answer Man ever contact my insurance company for me?
No. Claims Answer Man is education only. We don’t call your insurer, speak with your adjuster, review your estimate or negotiate on your behalf. The course teaches you how to do those things yourself, calmly and in writing. If you want someone to act for you, a licensed public adjuster or attorney in your state is the right kind of professional.
How long will I have access to the lessons once I enroll?
The access period hasn’t been set yet. When enrollment opens, it will be stated plainly next to the price and the refund policy, so you know before you pay. Claims can take months, and your account is designed to remember where you stopped, so you can step away for a while and pick up again at the same spot.
What happens after I join the early-access list?
Your email is added to the list. We’ll tell you when the free preview videos are published and when enrollment opens. Other course emails only go out if you ticked the marketing consent box, and every email has an unsubscribe link. You can read how we handle your details at any time, and joining doesn’t mean you have agreed to buy.
Sources for this page
- NAIC: What You Need to Know When Filing a Homeowners Claim (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC: Navigating the Claims Process: Recover and Rebuild (opens in a new tab)
- Insurance Information Institute: Settling insurance claims after a disaster (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB: How do home insurance companies pay out claims? (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Department of Insurance: Public adjusters, what to know before you hire one (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC: Public Adjuster Licensing Model Act (#228), including model fee limits (opens in a new tab)
Claims Answer Man is an educational course. We teach how homeowners insurance claims work. We are not a law firm, public adjuster, insurer or contractor, and we cannot review your claim or give legal advice.