Burst pipe claim finally settled after 4 months - here is what actually helped

Just wanted to share a win because this community helped me so much when i was panicking in January. Pipe burst in my utility room over a long weekend, flooded about 800 sqft of my first floor including hardwood floors and drywall. Initial adjuster offer was $11,200. I thought that felt low but had no idea what anything should cost.

What changed everything: I hired a public adjuster about 6 weeks in after reading posts here. He found damage the original adjuster completely missed - subfloor damage under the hardwood, moisture in the wall cavities that wasnt documented, and HVAC ductwork that needed cleaning. Final settlement came in at $34,800. His fee was 10% but I still came out way ahead.

Other things that helped: I kept a log of every single call with dates and times, I photographed everything before any cleanup, and I got 3 independent contractor estimates. If you are in the early stages of a water claim - dont sign anything quickly and dont let them pressure you into accepting the first number.