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Your personal property is the most sentimental part of any insurance claim. Furthermore, the contents are also the most tedious to adjust. Typically, it’s stated in your policy that you, as the policyholder, are responsible for providing the contents damages to the insurance company. However, some insurance companies do aid in doing their inventory of your home after a loss. In our experience, insurance companies miss many things and only high-priced price items. Completing a few tasks before an insurance claim will dramatically increase the time saved and your likelihood of higher compensation.

Before a Loss

Hopefully, a large loss never happens to you. But being prepared is crucial if this does occur. Most of these things can be done without professional help. Here is a list of things you can do to ease your property adjustment process.

Keep Your Receipts

Keeping receipts is essential in proving the worth and date on which something was purchased. Luckily, most of us purchase things online and with credit cards that keep extensive records of these purchases. Smaller things that are purchased, such as food and other quickly used things, can go without a receipt. However, any expensive item you purchase should have a record either by you or the story for as long as you plan on keeping that item. Providing receipts if a large loss does occur will quickly prove the item’s ownership and expedite your compensation.

Keep Your Pictures

Pictures of you and your family are excellent proof of lost items. For some public adjusters, entire inventories are conducted based on the personal property visible in the background, even though you and your family are the focal points. The pictures include birthday parties, family gatherings, and holidays. Essentially, any picture of your home before the loss is important to keep. Lastly, try to keep these photos somewhere safe, away from any potential damage, such as a storage platform that can be accessed from any electronic device. If you have a photo album or flash drive, these can still be lost or damaged during a disaster.

Taking Pictures/Video of Your Property

As stated above, keeping pictures is important in preparing for a future insurance loss. However, if you want to take your reassurance a step further, you can take time and have a picture of every item in your home. This is easiest if you take general pictures of common items in your kitchen. Take the time to take more specific pictures of antique and high-value items. These pictures should include details of relative dimensions, price tags, or model numbers. You can expedite this process by taking a recording or several recordings of your personal property. Again, if you choose to do this, take extra time on the bigger ticket items documenting the dimensions, brand, model numbers, etc.

Pre-Loss Inventory

A pre-loss inventory can be done by you but can take up a significant amount of your time. If you choose to do this, have photos, ages, and accurate prices for your content. This is a very tedious endeavor, but it can save you months of heartache. Some companies provide inventory services, but their prices can be quite high.

As your items are replaced in your home, repeat some of these processes periodically to ensure your personal property is up to date. Doing the latter two every few years will guarantee an easier and quicker compensation process in the event of an insurance claim. If you have more questions on preparing for an insurance claim or if you have an insurance claim and need help with the inventory, contact Brown O’Haver.