My case: Insurance paid some $ (under $20K) for damage to us and my mortgage company (normally, when you report damage, they will ask for your mortgage company). So I can't deposit the check unless the bank sign the check. So I call the bank, because the ammount is under 20K, they just sign the check for me. I deposit the check to my acount. Paid some money to repair and some to keep in my acoount because most of damage we can fix by ourselvies. By rule, insurance should include your mortgage company in the check if it is structure damage. They don't care how you spend the money. But mortgage company care if the damage is big. They could hold the money until you repair everything. But if you need paid more for repair, then you need ask insurance company first, they may agreen to paid the contractor even the cost is more than the check ammount.