Why Is Keeping a Home Inventory Essential?

Creating and maintaining a home inventory is an essential step in protecting your possessions. Like many consumers, you may believe you don’t have much of value. However, if catastrophe strikes, you’ll want to have a comprehensive list of the many tangible assets in your home. Some of the items you own may be more valuable than you think. Moreover, having a home inventory can make it much easier to see an insurance claim through to a successful end. Following are five reasons to start compiling or updating your home inventory now, brought to you by the experts at Altra Insurance Services, a leading provider of home insurance San Diego residents rely on for high-quality service and affordable coverage.

Get a Good Idea of What You Actually Have

When creating an inventory, you should go through your home room by room to identify your items, assess their general condition, and take note of any pieces that are frequently overlooked. Make sure to record information about all collectibles, works of art, jewelry, and inherited assets. This catalog should include items stashed in closets, basements, attics, and other hidden or closed-off spaces.

Have Your Possessions Professionally Appraised When Necessary

It’s not uncommon for people to live for years with high-value items in their homes while being completely unaware of what those pieces are actually worth. Something as simple as a painting scored at a local garage sale could have tremendous value. Creating an inventory will give you the chance to finally have these items professionally assessed as needed.

Get the Information You Need to Determine Your Actual Coverage Needs

In any disaster, you don’t want to risk being underinsured. Once you have a clear idea of how much your tangible assets are worth, you can start making informed decisions about your home insurance. If you have a few antiques that turn out to be far more valuable than you imagined, you can buy scheduled personal property coverage that accurately reflects their worth.

Simplify & Streamline the Claims Process

When it comes to filing a successful claim, good documentation is essential. This is especially true for home insurance claims that include damaged or destroyed items of significant value. Inventorying your goods and creating a comprehensive record of their condition and value will make it far easier for you to recoup your losses after the unexpected has happened. Not only can you include professional third-party valuations, but you can also take photographs and videos of your belongings and create digital records of what you have. These records can help you substantiate your losses when applying for financial assistance, tax breaks, and other forms of monetary aid.

Get Long-Lasting Benefits from Investing a Small Amount of Time

Taking an inventory of everything you own can be daunting. However, with an organized approach, this is something many people are able to complete within a few hours. More importantly, should you ever need to rely on this report for claims purposes or other forms of post-disaster assistance, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of your labor for quite some time. 

One of the most important ways to protect yourself against losses in case of disaster is to have the right kind of homeowners insurance coverage. For reliable, affordable home insurance, San Diego homeowners know they can trust Altra Insurance Services. We also provide renters, commercial, motorcycle, and auto insurance Chula Vista. Request a free quote by calling one of our friendly agents today at 619-474-6666.