The Insurance Locator

Holiday season means it's time to do a home inventory

By Ronald R. Reitz, www.qualityclaims.com CPPA

Her new possessions, gifts and acquisitions must be protected. Here are seven great tips to help protect all new material that has this season holiday.

1) Prepare an inventory list of your house now – before you have a loss. Include a description of the item, age, replacement cost, where purchased, and if the item was a gift, indicate when he got it. Is that best you can. You'll find that on the first go through you will not remember much, but as they revise it, the details should begin to appear again in his memory. Do not forget to include items in the garage, attic or backyard.

2) Make sure your homeowners insurance policy contains a replacement cost endorsement of its content. It only costs about few extra dollars per year and well worth it. If you have collectibles, expensive jewelry, silver, etc., be sure to let your agent know. It may be necessary to "program" some of the items is sufficient coverage. Its policy is likely to limit the number of different elements, so be sure to ask your agent to explain coverages or other options if you want to secure valuables.

3) You can use the catalogs to aid seasonal to remember several elements that had kept vacation and not used recently. This may include Halloween, Easter, anniversary and other unique decorations that only will be lifted once or twice a year.

4) Use your camcorder or digital video camera to your home or shoot photos to document your items. Go room per room. Be sure to open drawers and look in the cupboards. The image or video store in a location outside the site, such as your office or store in a back-up the electronic system. You can use your written inventory list of your home as a script as you go through the house. If you know, put your photos and video a USB drive, DVD / CD or removable hard drive and then store them somewhere safe – not at home. Make copies and store them in a safe deposit box or with a member family.

5) Enlist the help of her grandchildren, relatives or friends and each take an inventory of the items in the house. Maybe assigned to each room. Have them use their existing written as a script for that not too far from topic. Make it fun and take your time. Having grandchildren can not serve as a memento of affection as young children.

6) Update the inventory of each year. A good time of year to do it earlier this year, right after the holidays winter, as it is when you have probably added more to its content.

7) If you received an appraisal of real estate when you bought your home, make a copy and keep it with the information in your content inventory. The assessment must contain a map and descriptions of floors, ceilings, walls, counters and other items connected to your home. This is critical information that the adjuster will need.

If you have a loss, consider that the insurance company will apply to each item of depreciation based on age of the item. The depreciation will reduce the amount of money you pay up that items are actually replaced. Once replaced, you will have to provide receipts showing the amount spent replacement cost of the items.

If you suffer a loss of contents, start making a list of damaged items as soon as possible. You can return later to search for prices and add descriptions and ages. It's easy to forget over time. Do not submit your list until you feel complete. Do not let your insurance company rush you. They want to sign on the list before it is ready. And they expect to be ready.

Make sure your holiday pleasant stay.

Get a free home kit inventory and guidance on the website Complaints Quality Management.

About the Author:

Ronald R. Reitz, CPPA, President of Quality Claims Management, http://www.qualityclaims.com, pioneered the National Hazard Insurance Claims business of GMAC-RFC (now GMAC-ResCap). Mr. Reitz left GMAC-ResCap in January 2007 after ten years of managing the Insurance Services group. He is the past President of the California Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (CAPIA) and is currently an officer on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) www.napia.com. Recognized as a leading expert on hazard claims, he is serving on many industry panels, as well as providing consulting and training services industry-wide.

Quality Claims Management Corporation provides hazard claim recovery services to investors, mortgage servicers, homeowners and businesses. All claims are adjusted by licensed insurance professionals for an equitable settlement and accelerated resolution timelines. Quality Claims is nationally licensed as Public Insurance Adjusters or Insurance Consultants and complies with Department of Insurance Regulations.

For more information, www.qualityclaims.com or call 619-243-3916
Get a free Home Inventory kit and Guide at http://www.qualityclaims.com/newsandresources.aspx

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Holiday Season Means it is Time to Do a Home Inventory