The weather is changing and that means more looming disasters. Drought and heat waves create serious fire conditions, while more ferocious hurricanes and typhoons cause damage to more homes being built in the path of these killers. Add to that better building capacity and we find ourselves encroaching on hills and flood plains that were never meant to support communities.
Of course you need to have proper insurance coverage and certainly its wise to have an escape route that the whole family has rehearsed, along with a kit of food, clothing and cash for up to 72 hours.
But thats not everything!
Without a complete inventory, kept outside the home you may never see the full value of your contents paid out to you.
What Should I Do
You have to be sure to document everything or the insurance company may assume you are padding the bill. The best way to go about an inventory that will pass insurance inspection is:
1. Go through every room and itemize everything of value.
2. Keep all receipts safely outside the home
3. Get an appraisal everything of value, such as jewelry, antiques, art
4. Be sure to have the model number of all appliances and keep receipts and warranty
5. Take a digital photo of everything insured
6. Burn two CD's. Ask your insurance agent to keep one with your file
7. Keep a copy, or at least the page with the policy number, face value of the policy, name of the insurer and the business card of your agent along with receipts, and the digital photo's of your possessions.
Here's a Free Time saver Free software from the Insurance Institute
Is fun to use and it will inventory your home by room and allow you to sort by room or by type of article: Clothing or Tools or Bedrooms Garage Basement etc. The insurance Institute, a non profit representing the insurance industry offers this software as a free download for your use.
