If your
home and personal property is destroyed
by a hurricane, flood, fire or other disaster, it may be harder than
you realize to remember all the items you had in your home before the
event. Without an itemized list of the items you lost, you cannot get
the recovery you deserve from the insurance company.
To avoid this you can create a home inventory. You could hire someone
to create your home inventory for you, but who knows your home better
than you do; it isn’t difficult to do it yourself, either.
-
Go room by room: Remembering all of the items located in each
room of your house is nearly impossible. And, should the worst occur, do
you want to leave the possibility of being made whole up to your
memory? Instead, go into one room and focus on that space completely
while you are in it. Do not begin inventorying another room until you
finish the one that you are in.
-
List every item in each room: As you look around the room,
write a comprehensive list of every item in the room as you look at it.
This is really the only way to ensure that you make note of every
possession you own. No item is too small, if you see it write it down.
- Add descriptions, serial numbers and any other distinguishing facts: Now
that you’ve created a comprehensive list of what is in your home, go
back to the room you began in and start cataloguing serial numbers and
descriptions next to each of the items you have listed. This will take
some time, but it will be worth the effort should something happen to
your home or belongings.
- Attach receipts or third party valuations: If you
have any receipts for the items that you own, or any value estimates
from third party appraisers, be sure to attach them to your inventory.
- Add pictures: Pictures can often tell a better
story than a simple list, and they certainly tell a verifiable one. Take
pictures of the rooms you have just inventoried and attach it to your
list. You can also take additional close-up pictures of any especially
valuable items in each room. You could also use these photos to verify
serial numbers and distinguishing factors you’ve documented in your
inventory.
- Store your inventory in a safe, fire-proof place and send a copy to your insurer and agent: You
need to store your copy of the inventory and pictures in a place that
can’t get damaged by flood, fire or wind. Also, send a copy to your
insurance company and your agent so that there are back-ups in the event
that you can’t access yours after a disaster.
Buying insurance is just the first step in a process used to cement
your financial security. Having an inventory of all your items ensures
that you get the benefits you are entitled to after an insurable
incident. Call us today at
214-824-8888 to get a free
Texas Home Insurance quote.
