Thank you for the responses. I just spoke with the floor guy. His experience with our insurance company has been that they "get it" with the hardwoods and are generally agreeable to redoing the whole floors and not just a patch. I sure hope that holds true for us. DH and I have pretty much decided to do the whole floor out of concern for matching and aging thereafter. If we end up having to eat part of the cost, it's probably worth it in the long run. I'll keep my fingers crossed, though. Thanks again for helping me!

I'm sorry that you think I'm making snide comments. Actually I'm trying to point out that you're largely giving subjective information based on limited observation and trying to pass it off as fact. I'm a professional in the wood flooring industry, selling, installing and refinishing solid and engineered wood floors. What is your experience in the wood flooring industry? Most prefinished floors have urethane finish, whether they're engineered or solid. Most urethane finished, prefinished wood floors look plastic because of the factory finish application and curing method (unless they're hand scraped or wire brushed). Many solid floors (and some engineered floors) are site finished. They don't look as plastic because there is a different finish application method. Most people, professional or not, would not say that adding a coat of polyurethane to any floor, makes it look less plastic. Most people, professional or not, would not say that semi-gloss finish looks more natural. Of course that's my subjective opinion but it's one based on dealing with thousands of people who own wood floors. Now if you wrote that lightly sanding a prefinished wood floor to smooth out the ripply texture and applying an additional coat of polyurethane looks better to you, I could agree with that. But that's not what you wrote. I agree that adding a coat after installation will help with water absorption but I feel you have underestimated the risks that one exposes themselves to if they do so.

I had a similar situation with an icemaker line that damaged the hardwood in the kitchen and an adjacent hallway. The insurer paid for replacement of the entire downstairs because the hallway hardwood had been discontinued. The adjuster indicated that if it hadn't been discontinued, they might try to replace only a few boards. (I would have fought her if that was a serious proposal, but it wasn't.) I'll echo weissman's comment -- I sue insurers on claims like this for a living, and for a small claim it's not worth it. The insurer should have brought in fans/blowers immediately upon you reporting the claim. Sometimes the fans/blowers can work wonders with drying things out, esp. if you're on a raised foundation.

You should be able to lightly sand the raised wood, and coat with finish. I would try this in an area that may not be too noticable first. Finish if applied properly should last for many many years. Water on the finish should have no effect. I use a catalyzed Varnish and part of the test is 30 days wet in a bell jar with no effect. Lacquer is softer and will allow water to penetrate the finish, this is what causes the white ring when a glass is left on a piece of furniture. The water will evaporate but the minerals left behind form the ring. Kitchen cabinets typically are coated with a Catalyzed finish of some type as it is much more reistant to water. Were these cabinets finished on the job ? You can also take a drawer head and sand and recover the inside to make sure the new finish is compatable with the existing finish, that way if there is a problem it will not show. Good Luck !