Restoration call scripts for a hard day.

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Before you dial

Every script assumes three things: the fire is out, it is inside calling hours where the owner is, and you have read the label on the number (clean, on a Do-Not-Call registry, disconnected, or opted out). In IncidentLead, the dispatch timeline shows whether crews are still on scene. For the whole sequence from alert to signed job, see the first hour after dispatch.

1. Fire damage lead script: the first call

Use it once crews have cleared. Lead with the person, not the job. More on these jobs in fire damage leads.

Hi, is this [first name]? My name is [your name], with [company], a local fire restoration company. I'm calling about the fire at the house on [street]. First, is everyone okay?

[Listen. If now is a bad time, offer to call back, and mean it.]

I'm so sorry. I'm not with the fire department or your insurance company. We help families after a fire: boarding up, covering the roof, and cleaning up smoke and water before the damage spreads. Has anyone helped you with that yet?

[If no:] We can have someone there [today] to look at it with you. There's no obligation. Would that help?

[If someone is helping:] Good. Would you like my number in case you need it later?

[If no thanks:] I understand. I won't call again. Take care of yourself.

2. Water damage lead script: the first call

Water damage grows by the hour, so this call can come sooner than a fire call. More on these jobs in water damage leads.

Hi, is this [first name]? This is [your name] with [company], a water damage restoration company in [town]. I'm calling about the water emergency at [street] today. Is everyone safe? Is the water shut off?

[If it is still running:] If you can reach it safely, the main shutoff is usually where the water line enters the house. Stay out of rooms with standing water if the power is on.

Water keeps soaking in until it is dried out, and mold can start within a day or two. We can have a crew there to remove the water and start drying, usually within [time]. Would it help if we came to take a look? There's no obligation.

[If no thanks:] Understood. I won't call again. I hope it dries out quickly.

3. Voicemail script for restoration calls

Leave it yourself, live, in under 30 seconds. Never use a prerecorded message or a ringless voicemail drop.

Hi, this message is for [first name]. My name is [your name], with [company], a local [fire / water] damage restoration company. I'm sorry to hear about what happened at the house on [street]. If you need help securing the property or drying it out, you can reach me at [number]. Again, that's [number]. If you'd rather not hear from us, just say so and I won't call again. Take care.

One voicemail on the first day is enough. Keep details of the loss off it, because someone else may hear it first.

4. Follow-up call the next day

Only if they have not said no. One follow-up, then stop.

Hi [first name], it's [your name] from [company]. I left a message yesterday about the house on [street], and I'm checking in once. How are you holding up?

[Listen.] If you already have help, that's great, and I'll leave you be. If not, the most useful thing today is [a board-up and roof cover / starting the drying] so the damage doesn't grow. Would you like us to come by?

[No answer? One short line:] It's [your name] from [company], checking in once. My number is [number]. Take care.

5. When the person is not the owner

Tenants and relatives often answer the owner's number. Ask once, and never press for personal details about the owner.

Thanks for picking up. Can I ask, are you the owner of the house on [street]?

[If a tenant:] I'm sorry about what happened. Repairs to the building are usually the owner's call. Would you pass my name and number to the owner or property manager? It's [number]. If you need help with your own belongings, we can help with that too.

[If family:] I don't want to intrude. Would you pass my name and number to [owner's name], or tell me a better time to reach them?

[If no:] That's completely fine. I won't call this number again.

If the owner has passed away, apologize, end the call gently, and mark the number so no one calls it again.

6. Public adjuster first call

State solicitation rules apply. Most states regulate when and how a public adjuster may contact a policyholder after a loss, including waiting periods, calling hours and required disclosures. Check your state's rules first. More in leads for public adjusters.

Hi, is this [first name]? My name is [your name], a licensed public adjuster with [firm], license number [number]. I'm calling about the [fire / water damage] at [street]. First, is everyone safe?

I'm sorry this happened. To be clear, I don't work for your insurance company or the fire department. I work for policyholders, preparing their claims and negotiating them with the insurer. You don't have to hire anyone to file a claim, and if you ever hire me, every term, including my fee, is in writing before you sign.

Has your insurer been in touch yet? [Listen.] Can I email you my license details so you can look me up? No obligation.

[If no thanks:] I understand. I won't call again.

7. What never to say

These lines lose jobs, invite complaints, and in some states break the law.

• "The fire department asked us to call." Never claim or hint that you are with the fire department, the city or any agency.
• "Your insurance company sent us." Never imply you work for their insurer.
• "Your house will be full of toxic mold by tomorrow." Scare tactics are pressure, not help.
• "This offer ends today." Invented deadlines rush people in shock.
• "We'll take care of your deductible." Waiving or absorbing a deductible is against the law in some states.
• "Insurance will cover all of this." You do not know that yet. Say instead: "I can't promise what your policy covers, but we document everything for your adjuster."
• "Don't call your insurer yet." Never discourage someone from talking to their own insurer, and never run down their insurer or another contractor.

8. On-scene checklist

If you go to the property, the fire department's work comes first.

• Wait until fire crews have cleared. Follow the dispatch updates from a distance.
• Never interfere. Park well away from engines and hydrants, never cross tape, and do not ask firefighters about the job.
• Identify yourself and your company. Company shirt, photo ID, marked vehicle, and your name before anything else.
• Stay on the sidewalk unless invited.
• Respect a no. Thank them, leave, and do not come back.
• Leave written information: a card or one-page sheet with your name, company, license number and phone. Hand it over or leave it at the door, never in the mailbox.
• No photos of people or the house without permission.
• Know the local rules. Some cities require a permit to solicit, and some states restrict soliciting after a declared disaster.

9. First-visit checklist

Once the owner invites you out, this visit decides whether they trust you.

• Confirm the person can authorize work on the property.
• Check it is safe: the fire department has released it, and you know the state of the power and gas.
• Show your license and insurance, and leave a card.
• Photograph before you touch anything, and offer the photos for their claim.
• Do the urgent work first. Board-up, a roof tarp or water extraction stops more damage. The rest waits for an agreed scope.
• Put it in writing: the work, how billing works, who pays, and any right to cancel your state gives the homeowner. Leave a copy.
• Never rush a signature. Give them time to read, and to call their insurer first.
• Log the visit: who, when, and what was agreed.

10. Compliance notes

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and change. Confirm your own obligations with qualified counsel.

• Dial manually, as a live person. No autodialer, no prerecorded or AI voice.
• Call inside permitted hours in the owner's local time. Federal rules generally allow 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and several states are stricter.
• Honor do-not-call and opt-outs at once, on every number and every future lead.
• No texts without consent. Only text someone who asked you to or agreed on the call.
• Public adjusters follow their state's solicitation rules.
• Keep a simple log of who was called, when, and what they said.

IncidentLead never dials anyone and never contacts owners. Tapping a number opens your own phone's dialer. The plain-English rules are in our compliance guide and in calling fire and water leads without getting burned.