If home insurance has been on your mind, you might be wondering what you can do to help yourself out when it comes to your insurance. You are trying to be proactive and be a responsible homeowner. One thing you can do to get your home insurance in order is taking a home inventory. But that sounds complicated. We’ve got a few tips for taking a home inventory – and naturally, we’ll go over why it’s important to have a home inventory so you know why it’s a worthy use of your time.
Why taking a home inventory is important.
Having a home inventory is really important for several reasons. First, it lets you take stock of your belongings so you know exactly what coverage you need. You can uncover things and find things that might need some special coverage – for example, jewelry or other valuables (more on that in a minute). Hey, you never know what you might find! Next, it can help you if you ever have a claim. When you’re filing a home insurance claim, it can be very convenient to have a list of your belongings already created. You won’t be wracking your memory when you’re already stressed out enough with getting the claim sorted. Lastly, it can provide proof of your belongings. It’s not that the insurance company doesn’t want to believe you, but insurance fraud is a big problem. If you have an inventory, it can help your case.
So, yes, having an inventory is important, but there are a few things to keep in mind so you can make the best home inventory ever.
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Pro tips for taking a home inventory.
1. Use photos and video.
The wonders of technology! Taking photos or video to include with your home inventory can be helpful. (You won’t forget anything if you’ve got pictures, right?) This is your chance to be a photographer. Go to town. Of course, it’s important to have your written list of all your belongings – that’s kind of the point of having a home inventory. But photos or videos can be a really nice, helpful addition to your home inventory. So, snap some pictures, take some videos, and throw those in when you’re taking your inventory.
2. Don’t forget your valuables.
You may need to have special coverage for valuables, which is why it’s important not to forget things like jewelry and even silverware. That’s because it’s possible your home insurance only offers limited coverage for your valuables – for example, you might only have $1,000 of coverage for jewelry. So, pay special attention to your valuable items when you’re taking your home inventory.
So, if you do find some valuables that you need to document in your inventory, here are a few tips.
- Photograph valuables on a white background
- Place a common household item next to the valuable item (this can give an idea of the item’s size)
- Keep receipts and get appraisals regularly
Anyways, it’s really important to have the proper coverage for your personal belongings, particularly the valuables you might have in your possession.
3. Record the serial numbers of appliances.
When you’re doing your inventory, you may want to record the serial numbers of your appliances. Just a handy thing to have just in case you have a claim – it makes things a little easier. You’ll be thanking yourself for the details if you are ever in a situation where you need to file a home insurance claim.
4. Don’t overlook the details.
When you’re taking your home inventory, don’t forget to record the details. Note details like…
- A description of the item
- The date of purchase
- The quantity of items
- The current value of the item
- The purchase price of the item
That might sound like a lot of information. But if you’re writing out a list of your belongings or putting everything into a spreadsheet on your phone, you may as well put some extra columns in there and record these things. Why not?
5. Save the inventory somewhere safe.
It’s also important to keep the inventory safe and sound. You can store a copy in a safety deposit box. Or you can use Google Drive to save a copy of your inventory. Anyways, it’s important to keep the inventory safe so that you can access it when you need it.
That’s the scoop on some pro tips for taking a home inventory. It’s important to keep a detailed and updated home inventory for your belongings. Yes, it might sound time-consuming and boring, but it’s well worth it.
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Another important home insurance consideration is getting home insurance quotes. Our team can help with that. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat. We can help you get the right home insurance for your situation.