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When you have an insurance claim most people want to get moving quickly on clearing out the damaged items and getting repairs started. Before you start doing that here are some tips on how to help yourself maximize your contents claim.

Take pictures of everything

We like to say there is no such thing as too many pictures. Make sure to not only get overview photos but close up individual photos as well. This will help you and your insurance company know where items are in the home.

Don’t rush into throwing things away

Per the policy, the insurance company has the right to inspect. If items are not available for inspection, hasn’t been documented in a photo, and you have no proof of ownership – you may not get paid for that item.

Brand and size matters

When putting your inventory list together it is important to include the brand so that the insurance company is paying you for the correct item you had and not one of lesser quality. The same goes for sizing and weight. If you had a full size bottle of Gucci perfume you will want to notate that so that your insurance company doesn’t price a travel size Calvin Klein perfume.

There are many factors that go into preparing a list of damaged items for an insurance company. Decisions you make in the early stages of your claim can impact not only the timeframe of when you will get paid but also the amount.

For these reasons, most people opt to hire a public adjuster. Brown O’Haver is equipped for a full count inventory where we document every item and make sure you get paid to replace or restore all of your personal belongings.