Spring To-Do List: Home Inventory
As you dust, polish, and spruce during your annual spring cleaning, add one more task to your to-do list: creating a home inventory list.
“Inventories are one of the very best ways our customers can protect themselves,” says Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agency Manager Travis Askew, who is located in Hood County. “They are an invaluable resource for anyone making a claim.”
Adds Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute:
“Put aside a little time now to document all of your personal belongings. It will cost nothing but a little time to do, but without an up-to-date home inventory you risk not spending your insurance dollars wisely—and nobody wants to waste money.” Translation: a home inventory can tell you whether you have enough, or too much, coverage for your possessions.
At its most basic, a home inventory consists simply of a list of your stuff (clothing, furniture, jewelry, bedding, etc.) along with info about its value. Take a spiral notebook, go room-to-room jotting notes and tuck any relevant receipts inside the back cover. For an easier approach, print and complete this comprehensive home-inventory form; then, share a copy with your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent.
Looking for a higher-tech alternative? Shoot video of each room and closet with your camera phone, narrating as you go. Email it to yourself for safekeeping.
