What if you were a victim of a home burglary or a worse yet a fire would you be able to remember all of your possessions? An up-to-date home inventory list will ease your mind that you haven’t forgotten something and assist in the claim being settled faster.
But where do you start? The thought of documenting your belongs can seem overwhelming. To simplify the process you can tackle the list by choosing one room at a time (kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc.) or by your recent purchases.
The list should include the following items:
- Description of the item you are recording. Include details such as brand, make, model, serial number, what you paid and when you remember purchasing it.
- Count clothing as one category but include how many of each item you are recording and which household member they are for. For example: 5 pairs of jeans, 5 pairs of slacks, 15 shirts, 2 pairs of tennis shoes, 3 pairs of dress shoes. Total up the value.
- Check your policy to see if you need to document big ticket items differently such as jewelry, art/collectibles, firearms.
- Do you store any of your possessions of site such as in a self-storage facility. You will want to make sure to note those items for reference.
- You will want to track down receipts to prove value. If you paid for the item on a credit card your past statements may help. If you don’t have receipts try to find the value of a similar item for reference. Also make a mental note to start savings receipts for items going forward.
- Taking photos or a quick video of each room can be helpful as well.
- Keep updating the list as time goes on. Either after big purchases or once a year.
- Store the receipts and list in a fireproof safe or digitally off site.
- You can always schedule an appointment with us to review your list and make sure your insurance limits don’t need to be adjusted. An annual review is a great time to go over all aspects of your insurance.
