Do you know what's in your house? Most people do not realize just how much stuff they actually own. We recommend taking the time to do an inventory of all your personal belonging. This may seem like an overwhelming task at first, but it can be easily done in a matter of just a few hours. With video and digital camera's readily available to everybody, it is easy to schedule a time to walk through your home and make a very effective inventory. Once you have done that, find a safe place OUTSIDE the home to keep it. Even fire-proof safes can reach dangerously hot temperature that can damage or even destroy sensitive materials such as pictures and memory cards (common in most digital cameras).
If the time ever comes to make a claim, an adjuster will not write a blank check. An adjuster that will ask specifics such as, the make, the model, value and quality of all the items that were lost or damaged by a covered peril... Both a homeowners and a renters policy have set amounts of coverage for your contents, if the list of items that are assembled on a list from memory are of a less than set amount, that will be the amount of coverage provided. With an inventory, you can avoid the headache of trying to remember and the heart ache of disappointing claim coverage. With high dollar items, such a guns or electronics write down the serial numbers Don't forget to make copies of the irreplaceable things as well (Childhood photos, negatives, or digital clips...) A claims adjuster has preset amounts for the basics, he won't be as concerned about the normal household goods such as socks, sheets, and towels unless the amount and or quality exceed the average. If you have collections or unique items, highly document them as well, as they may not be found in the average home, and not automatically covered. Your home is unique, help us help you put it back together.
(Katherinehood@allstate.com)