It is critically important to take photographs of all your possessions and of your personal property because it is document proof that you own what you say you own in the condition in which you own it. Renters and homeowner’s insurance will protect you in the event that you possessions or personal property is stolen or destroyed, in most cases, and so taking digital photographs of your property is the easiest way to get things settled as soon as possible. With the prices of a quality digital camera where they are these days, it is a no-brainer. In fact, chances are you already own a digital camera and have pictures of a lot of your stuff by accident - make it deliberate and take some photos right now!
The reason why photos are so important is because think about the situation where you come home and discover your house has burned down. Now fast forward a few days when you’re filing a claim with your insurance company… what is in your basement closet? If you say a bunch of old winter clothes worth $200, maybe the insurance company gives it to you. If you show them a photograph of boxes and the contents of those boxes, then the insurance company won’t hassle you as badly. Now let’s say you had a family heirloom worth a few hundred dollars in a box in your basement. Without a picture, even I have a difficult time believing you have a family heirloom collecting dust in your basement. Finally, consider the situation where you forgot you had the family heirloom in your basement until you went to look for it three years later… starting to get the picture?
There are many ways to organize these photos as well. I find the most effective strategy is to organize the photos by room, using labelled envelopes. Take some photos of the whole room and then take more close-ups on expensive items. So if you have a spare moment, snap up a few pictures. The marginal cost per photo is nothing except your time (maybe a little electricity) but the value is tremendous. And the last bit of advice, keep the photos off site. That way if someone steals your computer you won’t be screwed.
One Comment
i have started a home inventory business. can i use some of this material in this article in my flyers or website. thank you.
One Trackback/Pingback
[...] If you’ve read my past article about keeping a home contents inventory, you’ll know how important that small aspect of your insurance plan truly is. However, taking an inventory of all the contents of your home once isn’t enough, it’s important to update it at least quarterly. I’m not saying that you should take photos again of your ten year old television or your 15 year old Walkman - just take photos and update your records for all your important or expensive purchases in the last three months. Follow the same strategy as the first home inventory, just keep it current. This is important because you never know when disaster will strike, thieves are stealing every night and fires don’t care it’s your birthday today, so keep it updated every quarter if you can. If you can’t, do it at least every year… and snap pictures of those prized possessions when you get them (if you haven’t already). [...]
Post a Comment