What records must an adjuster maintain for a claim file?

Comprehensive claim file documentation serves multiple purposes: defending coverage decisions, supporting bad-faith defenses, regulatory compliance, training and audit, subrogation, and reinsurance. Standard file contents: (1) First Notice of Loss — original report; (2) Policy declarations and applicable endorsements; (3) Coverage analysis — written explanation of coverage applying to the loss; (4) Investigation notes — chronological log of all activity, calls, visits, decisions; (5) Statements — recorded statements, EUO transcripts, witness statements; (6) Photographs — pre-loss if available, post-loss, throughout repairs; (7) Estimates — repair estimates, replacement costs, depreciation calculations; (8) Expert reports — engineers, contractors, medical providers, fire investigators, IME reports; (9) Correspondence — all letters to and from insured, attorneys, vendors; (10) Receipts and documentation — for actual replacement, repair invoices; (11) Payment records — all checks issued, dates, recipients, amounts; (12) Releases — signed and dated; (13) Recovery efforts — salvage, subrogation; (14) Reserve setting and updates; (15) Closing documentation. Electronic claims systems handle most documentation today. Retention: most jurisdictions require 5-10 years; some claim types (workers comp, asbestos, latent injury) much longer. Quality documentation: (1) Contemporaneous — written when events occur, not reconstructed later; (2) Factual — describes what happened without unnecessary characterization; (3) Complete — addresses all material issues; (4) Professional — written as if every entry might be read in court.