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4 Ways to Reduce Frustration Should You Suffer a Homeowners Insurance Loss
When homeowners experience a fire, a flood or some other major property loss, they’re often in shock. Once the shock wears off, goal 1 is to dispatch of the loss and return to life as before as soon as possible. They’re not thinking about details or the process behind the process. People don’t realize how much stuff they have, or the details about their stuff, until they need to account for it. This is important because you’re asking your homeowner’s insurance company to help you replace thousands of dollars in personal property; they’re asking for proof you owned it.
Here are 4 things you can do to prepare for a possible loss and speed up your claim:
- Video – If you have a camcorder or a smart phone with a video recorder app, video tape your entire home or go one room at a time, focusing on item location and close ups of items of value such as your electronic equipment, antiques and other valuables. Update it periodically if you make a major purchase or move. Store the video in a safe deposit or fire proof box.
- Photos – Photos help provide proof of ownership in the event of a loss. Take photos of the rooms in your home. As well, take detailed photos of any and all electronic devices such as TVs and blu-ray players, high end coffee makers, including Model and Serial Nos. as this will make your claim for these items much stronger. It also helps your Public Adjuster find a comparably priced item for replacement. You can upload your photos to a secure cloud based server so they’re there should you need them.
- List – If you’re like most people, you don’t know what’s in your home. Well, you do but if you had to make a list detailing each and every item, from paper clips and other office supplies to your living furniture and everything in between, could you? That’s what you will need to do should you ever suffer a personal property loss. Make that list one room at a time of everything in each room. Include as much detail as possible. Store your list in a fire proof box or safe deposit box.
- Receipts – If you have receipts for major items such as electronics, furniture and high end artwork, keep them with your list so they are easily accessible in the event of a personal property loss. They will help strengthen your claim and help you get more money back.
These four suggestions might seem like common sense but they aren’t nearly as common as you might think. When they have to submit a claim, most homeowners find themselves struggling to remember details, find photos or videos they might have and recalling price ranges. Help yourself by creating records of your property now. It’s better to have and not need versus needing and not having.
For over 10 years, Advocate Claims public adjusters have been helping homeowners with home and home insurance related questions. If you have recently suffered a loss, Advocate Claims can help. Contact our public adjusters today at 954-369-0573 to speak with a licensed public adjuster about the homeowners insurance claim process and what we can do to help.