A Lifetime of Belongings on a Spreadsheet (Contents Inventory)

Not many things are more overwhelming to an insured than being handed a piece of paper after a fire, flood, or other catastrophe and asked to list all of the contents of their home. While it is easy to list the large items like furniture and electronics, it’s the drawers, cabinets and closets that will get you. The culture within the insurance industry is turning the claim from one with promised-service to a self-service policy where the insured takes on the tedious task of remembering what all was destroyed.

You have lost everything you own, are emotionally drained, and now you are expected to put together an inventory of your entire house (including the cost and where and when you purchased it). That task gets even more difficult when the insurance adjuster then asks for photos and/or receipts for all of the items you have inventoried. (Depending on the situation, those too may have been destroyed during the event.)

The average household contains 1,000 – 2,000 items including furnishing, pots and pans, clothing, etc. It can take up to 5 minutes per item to inventory and detail the contents – make, model, serial number, pricing, age, and condition. So what’s the value in hiring a professional? Time, money and emotion! Depending on the severity of the loss, you do the math.

While it took a lifetime to accumulate a home full of belongings, the insurance company places a time limit on replacing these items if you want to collect the depreciation. You didn’t just go on a shopping spree to furnish your home or fill your closet – it took years to accumulate all of the things that make your house a home.

There are claim professionals at Claimside.com who are experienced in the overwhelming task of contents inventory and other aspects of your complicated claim. Hire a professional today.