If you’re reorganizing your house this winter, take a few moments to jot down a list of what you keep in your home and how much each item costs. This type of an inventory can be a huge help should something happen and you need to file a homeowner’s insurance claim to recover what you’ve lost.
“It helps to know what you have,” said Jerry Linscheid, general manager of Mennonite Insurance Services, which processes about 100 homeowner’s insurance and church insurance claims a year.
Linscheid said a home inventory – even if it’s just a series of pictures someone snapped with their phone – can come in handy because people don’t always remember everything they own after a tragedy. People also might not realize their silver set was stolen or damaged because it’s only used once or twice a year. Either one of these situations could force somebody to reopen their claim after it’s settled.
Linscheid recommends people update their inventories at the start of each year so the lists reflect any expensive gifts that may have come in over the holidays. The more details you have in your inventory the easier it will be to settle your claim.
