There are countless reasons to get and keep a current home inventory.
Here are a few:
- A residential burglary takes place every 12 seconds and produces an average loss of $1,675 per event. - National Crime Prevention Council
- There were 256,000 claims from fires started by lightning with an average loss of $3,446 (not including deductibles) last year. – National Lightning Safety Institute
- 2007 have414,000 residential fires with an average loss of $18,227 per event. – U.S. Fire Administration
- Texas rankes #1 for frequency of tornadoes and cost of damages. - U.S. Disaster Center
What the experts say:
“A complete inventory, including photos, may be one of the most valuable investments for peace of mind anyone can make for themselves and their families,” said Dennis Kizziah, acting director for FEMA‘s Mississippi Transitional Recovery Office. “If something happens to damage homes and property, an inventory will eliminate the need to piece that information together in the aftermath.”
A Home Inventory is “one of the most important documents a consumer can put together,” says Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute.
Most of us can’t remember what we had for lunch much less what’s stashed in the hall closet. That’s why you need to take stock of what you have. In the event of a claim, insurers require you to substantiate your loss in as much detail as possible.
Gary Kaufman, President of Galveston Insurance Associates says, “those who have an accounting of their possessions move to the front of the claims line.” Galveston Insurance Associates processed more claims from Hurricane Ike than any other provider in Texas.
