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It happens. Sometimes we are in situations where we have to lend our vehicle to other people. Maybe you are not fit to drive and give the keys to someone who can. Maybe your family member needs to use it when moving items around. Regardless of the reason, you probably are a little cautious before letting someone else drive your car. After all, there are major consequences that can arise if something bad were to happen. Take a look at what you should be aware of the next time someone asks to borrow your car, even if it is for a minute or two.

Make Sure You Trust the Driver

While this is common sense, we still highly encourage drivers not to lend their keys to someone they do not know. Even if they are a good friend, make sure they don’t have a history of getting into wrecks. Because the second they get behind the wheel and take your car on a joy ride that ends unfavorably, you are going to be the one at fault.

Their Insurance Does Not Matter

Regardless of the fact that the person driving your car has insurance, it is not going to be their agency that covers the wreck. It will be yours since your car is covered through your agency. While the driver’s insurance may cover things like personal injury or medical expenses, you will still have the majority of the bill to take care of.

What to Do If You Have a Regular Driver

If it turns out that someone borrows your car more than occasionally, especially someone that you employ, get in touch with your agency to add them onto your policy.

Don’t Panic

While it is true that there are major consequences that can occur, this is really just for worst case scenarios. More than likely, you will be covered if you give someone verbal consent to drive your car. If you are nervous, feel free to give your agency a call to make sure all your bases are covered. They will be more than happy to guide you through the do’s and don’ts of lending your vehicle.

If you ever have any questions about your auto policy, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our agency. We are always here to help make life (and insurance) a little less complicated.

When running a business is already expensive, one of the last things you may want to do is add on expenses for insurance. Every business owner hopes they won’t need it because hopefully nothing would ever go wrong. However, there are several reasons why having business insurance is helpful as well as reasons why not having insurance can hurt you. Check out these risks you run below when you try to put off having your business insured.

Breaking Laws

Most of the country has laws stating that businesses must have certain types of insurance or a certain amount of coverage. If you have at least one employee, you must have at least general liability insurance for your business. You may even be required to have additional protection for things such as workers compensation, property insurance if you are located in an area prone to natural disasters, or even coverage against lawsuits.

Not Protecting Your Employees

You shouldn’t have insurance for your workers just because you are required to. Workers compensation coverage helps both you and your employees by taking care of them if an accident happens and making sure you are able to afford any medical bills they have from the incident. If you don’t have a workers compensation policy in place, you could be liable for a lawsuit and be out a lot of money. In addition to workers compensation, you will also need unemployment insurance for if your employees are unable to continue work for a while.

Business Interruptions

If anything were to happen to your uninsured business such as a fire or flood, you won’t have any means to recover and you will be left with the financial consequences of repairs and interrupted business operations. So while you won’t be making any profit, you’ll also be losing money if you plan to reopen your business. Insurance can help protect you by covering any losses as well as any lost income during the period that your business will be paused.

Property Loss

Buying property insurance for your business helps you hold onto your most important asset in the event of a disaster: the property you exist on. Without that insurance, you will end up losing possession of your property and be unable to continue operation if anything were to happen to your building.

The risks you take of not having adequate insurance coverage for your business just isn’t worth taking. Call one of our agents today to make sure your business is protected against the unexpected.

Owning and running your own business is an extraordinary achievement. The last thing you want is for that business to undergo any sort of harm, including burglaries. Break-ins can be expensive, stressful, and traumatic. They can even result in some businesses closing due to such high costs on top of the loss of whatever merchandise was stolen. There are various steps your business can take in order to prevent burglaries as best you can. By installing lights outside, keeping your exterior neat, reinforcing doors, installing alarm and video surveillance, and establishing a community watch, you can feel confident that your business is protected as much as possible.

Install Adequate Lighting

Adequate and secure lighting will deter many burglars away from your business. To ensure your business has preventative lighting, install lights in areas that are not in plain view. Often enough, this is where burglars will gain access to the inside of the building. Be sure to use durable, well-examined lighting so that your lights are both reliable and will stand the test of time. It’s also best to install these lights inside bulb cages that can prevent them from being easily broken, whether by a burglar or the elements. Finally, be sure you’re maintaining your lights and replacing them when they come out. Installing protective lights won’t do you any good if burnt bulbs aren’t replaced.

Exterior Maintenance

On top of ensuring your exterior is well lit, there are other preventative steps to take in order to impede burglars. Although you most likely already do this, shrubbery and trees should stay trimmed and neat — especially those in close proximity to the building — because they can provide excellent cover for someone attempting to break in. Your windows are also an easily accessible entrance into your building. Burglar resistant glaze can be purchased from various security companies. This glaze is built to hold against burglars attempting to break in, and is a wise investment as broken glass can ruin merchandise and is expensive to replace. This brings us to the next point, which is not to place valuable merchandise in your business’s windows. Unfortunately, paying customers are not the only kind of person this will attract, so it’s best to avoid the strategy altogether.

Burglar Proofing Your Door

Doors are another important factor in preventing break-ins. Having a sturdy, protective door will prevent many burglars from causing any harm to your business. Generally speaking, solid-core wood or reinforced steel will do the trick. In addition to this, installing deadbolt locks with heavy duty strike plates (the attachment to the door in which the lock itself goes into) will increase the security of any entrances very well. Of course, also be sure that the door hinges are located on the inside of the building so that they cannot be removed from the outside by potential burglars.

Purchase an Alarm System

An alarm and video monitoring system is the fail-safe plan to ensure that damage is minimized in the event of a burglary or break-in. With technology becoming more affordable every day, there is no reason why your business shouldn’t be reinforced with both types of security. Alarms are also versatile in use. They can be used to protect the perimeter or area of your business, where alarms are placed around the building and generally cover the outside surface of it. Area alarms will protect the inside of the building and are usually motion detectors of some kind. There are also object alarms which can help to protect against specific, valuable items like a safe. If any of these alarms go off, they will alert trained professionals who will contact the owner of the business and local authorities immediately to prevent as much damage as possible.

Video Surveillance and Monitoring

Another aspect mentioned above is video monitoring. These services used to be fairly expensive, but prices have dropped significantly as new technology is developing. For a perfectly reasonable investment, business owners can install surveillance on the inside and outside of their building. You can even go back and review the footage as often as you want, because these systems can store massive amounts of footage. Some are even saved directly to cloud databases, in which unlimited amounts of video can be stored digitally. This isn’t just great for preventing burglaries, it can also help you and your staff feel safer throughout the day. Anytime handling money is involved, robberies are a possibility both during working hours and at night.

Community Watch

Just like developing a good relationship with your neighbors at home, business owners should get to know those working in nearby buildings. By doing this, local businesses can keep an eye out for suspicious activity in the area. Much like a neighborhood watch program, this is a community system that has mutual benefits for anyone involved. Any time you get the opportunity to keep your community safe, do so! These tips are geared towards small business owners, but they’re also applicable to homes and anywhere else susceptible to burglary. Families can take similar steps to keep themselves safe from burglars. By doing so, they can feel secure in their own homes as well as their small businesses.

Big life events like burglaries are stressful, and having financial strain on top of emotional distress can be disastrous. It could mean the difference in whether or not your company stays afloat. Make sure you have the right coverage in place so you don’t have to worry about that if the time comes. Our risk managers are trained in these areas and can help you when assessing what kind of coverage will fit your needs. Take the time and think about what’s important to you. Give us a call today and let us help you in any way we can.

Most of us don’t like to think about what happens when we die, it’s important to prepare ourselves and our loved ones whether we like it or not. Having life insurance on your side can only help for when the time comes, but there are some myths and fears about the plan that may deter people away from it. To clear up any confusion, we have debunked some of the most common myths about life insurance. The truth might surprise you!

Myth 1: It Costs Too Much

It is very understandable that when looking into investing in insurance, you don’t want it to cost you an arm and leg. While the coverage is important to have, you want it to fit comfortably into your budget. One of the main reasons people turn down life insurance is this belief that it’s too expensive, but that is not necessarily the case. According to a study performed by Life Happens, approximately 80% of people misjudge how costly life insurance truly is. In fact, plans such as term life insurance are more affordable than you might think. Plus, you can always change or add coverages to your plan over time. If you’re on a budget, give your agent a call to see what plan works best for you.

Myth 2: It’s Unnecessary If You Are Young and Healthy

There are many factors that go into how much your life insurance will cost, including your age and health. While many think that being young and healthy means you don’t need life insurance, it’s actually not true. Chances are you will need life insurance down the road when you are older and your health has changed. If you wait until then, your life insurance premium will be higher than when you were young and healthy. It’s best to go ahead and purchase life insurance so you don’t have to worry about major expenses later on. Take advantage of this part of your life so if you are not in good condition later, you don’t have to pay for it.

Myth 3: It’s Not Available to Those Who Have Health Problems

As stated before, your health does influence the cost of life insurance. While you may be paying more on life insurance for serious health problems, this does not mean it’s not available at all. However, it is true that if you have a terminal illness, some coverages may not be available. In any case, it would be wise to speak with your agent about your options when your health changes so you receive the best coverage for the right price.

Myth 4: It’s Not Available for Older People Either

While it’s true that health typically declines as you get older, this still does not mean life insurance isn’t available for the elderly. In fact, there are important coverages available such as final expense which can help with funeral and burial costs. While we may not like to think about this stage of life, it cannot be ignored. Therefore, the elderly are able to have life insurance available even in their final moments to help after they are gone.

Myth 5: Single People Don’t Need It

While it is true that life insurance is beneficial to those who have others depending on them, such as children or their spouse, that doesn’t mean single people don’t need life insurance at all. In the event that you are single and pass away, you can still be left with debt from loans that were previously drawn out. The expenses will be transferred to co-signers or immediate family to take care of which is the last thing that needs to happen after losing a loved one. However with life insurance, you don’t have to worry about anyone taking on your debt after you are gone. Life insurance will also handle any burial and funeral expenses so the family can properly grieve. Also, keep in mind that plans change throughout time. So while you may be single now, that doesn’t mean it is a permanent deal. In the event that you may have children in the future or get married, having life insurance now can benefit you later.

Myth 6: All You Need is Your Work’s Life Insurance Plan

While it is great to accept life insurance through your work, keep in mind that it is not transferable when or if you leave for another job. If you have your own life insurance account not through your work, you don’t have to worry about the possibility of not being insured when something changes.

If you have any questions about how life insurance works or what plan works best for you, get in touch with one of our agents!

The odorless poison, carbon monoxide, is a preventable but deadly gas that results in more than 400 deaths each year. Although most families are aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide, they may not be aware of what needs to be done to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) from building up in their households. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with a compiled list of what you need to look out for and avoid so you and your family are not harmed by the deadly gas. That way you are your family can continue making lasting memories in your home.

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

CO is a natural gas, but is also produced through many different appliances found in most households. If you or a family member starts to feel flu-like symptoms, it could be CO poisoning. If so, make sure to evacuate the house immediately and alert the authorities of the gas buildup.

Where Do CO Buildups Come From?

Various gas appliances like furnaces, fireplaces, oil heaters, and any engine powered by gasoline can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide in your home. This is also true of generators. During power outages or any time a generator is necessary, let it run outside. If being used inside, be sure that it is within 20 feet of a window or door so that the CO can disperse. This is a great rule of thumb when running any sort of equipment that could result in a CO leak. If you suspect you need to, open a window and ventilate your house to allow the CO to circulate.

Symptoms of CO Poisoning

With all of this being said, there are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning once your CO levels are higher than 10% in the bloodstream. These symptoms, often compared to symptoms of the flu, include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Because these symptoms are so similar to the flu, be aware of other members of the family having these same symptoms showing up around the same time. Also, take notice of your pets acting strange. Although animals can get sick, animals do not get the human flu, so if you notice your dog is exhibiting flu-like symptoms, these could be due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  By taking notice of these warning signs, it could save the lives of the entire family — pets included! Fortunately, CO poisoning does not become fatal until the CO levels in the blood reach 20%, so there should be noticeable symptoms before that becomes a reality.

Action Plan for CO Poisoning

So, what should you do if you think you or a family member is experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning? That answer is pretty simple; leave the house. The first thing you should do if you feel you have symptoms of CO poisoning is alert someone else in the house and evacuate immediately. Although not quite as time sensitive as a house fire (in the sense that you need to make a break for the nearest exit) you should get everyone out of the house immediately. Next, call the police and alert the fire department, as carbon monoxide incidents need to be reported. If anyone feels their symptoms require medical attention, do so immediately. Carbon monoxide results in more than 20,000 emergency room visits, and around 4,000 hospitalizations per year. CO poisoning should be taken seriously, even if there are no visible symptoms, because around 400 deaths occur each year due to it.

CO Poisoning in Your Vehicle

Carbon monoxide buildup isn’t limited to just your home either, they can also happen inside your vehicle. As with most other engines, simple maintenance checkups are the best way to prevent CO buildup within your car. Your vehicle’s exhaust system should be checked yearly, as small leaks can result in a buildup of CO. Also, just like with generators or any other gas powered engine, you should never run your vehicle inside a closed garage, whether attached to your house or not. It’s important to keep your garage door open whenever a vehicle is running. It can be tempting to start your car a few minutes early to let the engine warm up. However, the rule still applies in this case, and you should not let the car run inside a closed garage because vehicles create an enormous amount of carbon monoxide.

Preventing CO Buildups

Now that you’re aware of what can cause carbon monoxide buildup, and what the symptoms are, how can you prevent it from happening altogether? Be sure to have all of the previously listed appliances serviced by a qualified contractor once a year or so to ensure that there are no malfunctions that could cause a CO buildup. This should be done at the start of the colder months, when you will most likely be using appliances to keep your house warm. Another simple and preventative measure to take when dealing with CO buildup is simply opening a window. Ventilating your house is a surefire way to disperse poisonous carbon monoxide and keep your family safe. Have CO detectors installed near any areas that may be susceptible to carbon monoxide buildup, as well as in common sleeping areas. Detectors are another preventative step to take in avoiding CO poisoning, and are not reliable by themselves. Make sure you’re taking other steps to prevent carbon monoxide leaks as well!

What is most important here is making sure you and your family are safe and covered in case of all emergencies. Anytime a loved one requires medical care, it could be costly. Make sure your family has the right coverage in place so that you can focus on what’s important during life events such as this one. Having financial stability during periods of high emotional stress is just another thing you don’t have to worry about.

Give our office a call so that we can make sure your family is covered properly. We have plenty of options for all households and would love to show you how we can best protect you. Our agents specialize in risk management, and can help your family find coverage that’s right for you. By taking advantage of this, you can rest easy knowing that we are taking care of everything on our end, so you don’t have to.

While it is true that life insurance is very beneficial for married couples and those with kids, that does not mean life insurance can’t be for singles too. Regardless of the fact that nobody is dependent on a single person’s income, there are still instances when life insurance is necessary for singles. Take a look at our top reasons that you may not have thought about at first.

It Will Help Cover Your Debts

Take a moment to consider all of your expenses. Are you paying off any loans or debts from college or a mortgage? Despite what some may think, if anything were to happen to you, that debt doesn’t disappear if you have a cosigner. Instead, the debt will go to them, whether it be your parents, your roommate, or your significant other. In some cases, the loaner (usually the bank) asks for the debt to be paid in full after a death. For the cosigner, this can be very difficult to take in, especially after losing a loved one. Nobody should pay off a debt that they may not have the expenses for while grieving. However, when you invest in life insurance, all lingering debts will be paid off rather than have the burden be handed to your grieving loved one.

It Helps Pay for Funeral Expenses

Although nobody wants to think about what happens when you die, your funeral service has to be paid for by somebody. Regardless of how big the funeral ceremony is, it will still be costly and not something your loved ones should have to worry about. In some places, small ceremonies are a large expense costing more than $7,000. Thankfully, your life insurance policy will cover the cost so your parents, partner, or family members can grieve in peace.

It Helps if Your Health Changes

There are two major factors that determine how much your life insurance will be: your health and age. You may be young and healthy now, but if your family has a history of serious health problems, you should look into purchasing life insurance before it becomes too expensive. If you wait too long, you may not be insurable at all which is why it is good to talk to an agent today rather than later.

Having It Now Will Help Down the Road

Although sometimes we don’t want to think about the future, for life insurance purposes, it would be wise. If you know that down the road you may have kids or you will take care of family members, save yourself the hassle by purchasing life insurance today. That way you know you will have the right support before it gets too expensive.

You May Not Be Single Forever

As we all know, not everything in life stays the same. Although you may decide that you are going to stay single, not everything goes to plan. There may be a point in your life when someone will depend on your income whether you want it to happen or not. That is why having life insurance now can only help you for any stage in life.

When you are looking into insurance policies, having the right insurance agent on your side can make all the difference. Let our expert team help you determine your best policy by giving us a call today. We can help you find the right coverage for any stage in life.

The last thing you want to focus on when starting or running your business is what could go wrong. While you aren’t necessarily going to face struggles right away, if you aren’t covered with a good insurance policy, you’ll likely experience some issues down the road. Since running a business is risky, you should plan on being prepared to handle anything that comes up with the proper business insurance policy. But how do you avoid spending too much? Here are some tips that could save you some money on your insurance plan.

Know What You Need

Not every business needs the same amount of coverage. It all depends on what your business does and the risks involved. At the minimum, most businesses are required by law to have policies for workers’ compensation, unemployment, and disability insurance. But that’s just the minimum. When looking at how much coverage you need, you can start by looking at general liability insurance which will cover your business for any third-party damages, legal defense costs, and reputation damage from libel, slander, or copyright infringement. In addition, also consider a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) to cover your business’s property and typically cover more for less money that a general liability policy. Other coverages will depend on the nature of your business, which your insurance agent can discuss with you your options in more detail related to your situation.

Increase Your Deductible

For most insurance policies, not just business insurance, you can lower your premium by increasing your deductible. Paying a higher deductible means less money the insurance company will have to pay after you make a claim on your policy. Because of this, insurance companies are willing to offer coverage at a lower price. Your agent will be able to discuss with you whether or not this would be a favorable decision for your business and the pros and cons of each choice.

Bundle Your Policies

Bundling your policies means that instead of buying separate policies for every type of coverage you need, you can purchase a package that will offer the same coverage for a lower price. Think of it like going to a restaurant. If you order an entree, side, and drink separately, you’ll end up paying a bit more than if you had ordered the combo that includes those items at a lesser cost. Bundled policies are the “restaurant combos” of insurance.

Be Safety-Minded

The higher the risk of injury at your business, the higher your insurance premiums will be.The safer your work environment is, the better deal you’ll get with your insurance. To get a better price, follow all safety recommendations from your insurance company such as enforcing safety precautions to avoid having your premiums raised to cover the extra risk.

Review and Update Your Coverage Every Year

As your business changes, so will your coverage needs, which means you should review your policies each year around the time of renewal to see if there are better options for either coverage or price. Also, by reviewing your policy with your agent, they will be able to make sure you aren’t paying for any policies that you may have needed for the previous year but not the upcoming year.

Consult with Your Independent Agent

Remember when you are reviewing your policies or looking at what kind of coverage to get for your business, consult with your insurance agent to help you shop for the best deals. They know insurance policies inside and out and will be able to guide you through making the best decisions for your business. If you have any questions or think you could be spending less on insurance for your business, give us a call today.

Buying a home isn’t as exciting of a process as it may look like on HGTV. It involves a lot of paperwork and finances to bring you to that happy closing day. But if you haven’t purchased home insurance yet, you’d better start shopping around. For most homeowners, lenders are required to help them obtain the home of their dreams, unless you happen to have enough cash to purchase the home in full. However, if you are like most people, here’s what you need to know about buying home insurance before closing.

Do I Have to Buy Home Insurance Before Closing?

Just in case you are still thinking you can get out of home insurance, yes, you do have to purchase it for at least a year in order to close on your home. In order to protect their investment (your new house), lenders will require you to cover your home against disasters. Until you have paid off your mortgage, your lender as the stakeholder has the right to hold possession of your property to protect what is technically their property. Home insurance is designed to protect both you and the lender, which is why lenders typically will not agree to lend you the money for your home until they know it will be protected. Plus, keep in mind that there are some advantages to paying homeowners insurance up front at closing, as you can sometimes exclude that premium from your closing costs.

How Much Coverage Do I Need?

Home insurance policies can protect your physical house, your belongings on the inside, and the cost of medical expenses for a person injured on your property. The amount of coverage you need typically depends on your lender. However, the general rule is that you need enough to cover the cost of rebuilding your home from the ground up in case of disaster.

A standard home insurance policy will protect you against:

• Damage from the weight of ice or snow
• Explosions
• Falling objects, such as tree branches
• Fire
• Frozen plumbing, heating, AC, or other household systems
• Hail, windstorms, and lightning
• Smoke
• Theft and vandalism
• Vehicles

By having homeowners insurance, you and the lender are protected in the event that the house is damaged or destroyed. Additional coverage can also be added such as flood or earthquake insurance, depending on your situation.

Types of Homeowners Insurance

Replacement-cost policy–  This type of policy covers the current cost to replace your home. For example, if you were to buy an older home that has unique features, the cost to restore it may be higher. A replacement-cost policy runs about 10 percent more than a cash-value policy but will cover the cost of rebuilding.

Cash-value policy– This type of policy costs less than a replacement-cost policy and covers the market value cost of your home and its contents. So rather than reimburse you the amount you paid for something, you will only get back its depreciated value amount.

While some types of insurance may be optional, homeowners insurance is a must if you want to own a home. You do always have the option of finding ways to reduce your premium such as by adding security systems, storm shutters, or deadbolts.

We’ll shop around for you to find the best policy with the right coverage and price. Let us know how we can help you by giving us a call today.

No matter what sort of business you run, accidents can always happen. Even in a “safe” office environment, an employee could be badly burned from a pot of coffee or slip on a wet floor. Since an accident could happen at any time, you’ll want to already have a worker’s compensation plan in place before rather than after an incident. To make sure you have all your bases covered, here are the steps you should take when an employee gets injured at the workplace.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Regardless of if you think the injury is minor or not, medical attention must be provided to the employee to assess the damage. Remember that safety always comes first and the faster you get professional help, the more likely your employee is to recover faster from their injury.

Keep a Record of the Accident

Accidents usually happen so fast that no one remembers the story right, but the second the craziness dies down, talk to everyone who witnessed it. Even if a coworker wasn’t watching the injured employee specifically, they may remember some detail that will be of use later. You will need to write down their statements of what happened, from the accident to the aftermath, as well as take pictures of the scene that caused the accident to happen. File these records away in case the employee ever tries to come back and sue you over the incident.

File the Workers Comp Report

If the injury is bad enough, your employee will likely claim workers compensation for the doctor bills. If they choose to file, as is their right, you are legally required to provide them with a form and report their claim to your insurance agent. This claim is the most important reason your business should have workers comp in place, because it will save you financially from any fees and costs that come from the injury claim.

Stay On Top of the Claim

Once your employee files for workers comp, your insurance agent will request some documentation and evidence of the accident (this is where your record-taking and pictures of the scene will come in handy). During this time, you should be open with your agency about all the details of the situation as well as check in on your employee to make sure they are recovering well.

Prevent Future Accidents

If an accident happened once, it will likely happen again. Prevent a repeat incident by looking at what caused the first injury and making adjustments. If the building was responsible, preventative measures may include a simple repair. If the injury was a result of lack of training, a company-wide education class may be in order. You could also take this time to ask your employees about other possible dangers around the workplace. For instance, maybe they need better equipment or more safety items such as gloves or masks. By taking proper precautions, you can eliminate future workers comp claims and injuries, thereby making your workplace a happier environment for your employees.

Welcome Back Your Employee

Once your employee has recovered from their work-related injury, you are legally required to allow them to return to work at your business, regardless of whether their claim was successful or not. The injury was likely not their fault and they shouldn’t be punished for something they couldn’t control.

By having workers compensation in place, you can protect both your employees and your business. And since your employees are essential for your business to keep running smoothly, you should want to protect them as best as you can. If your business is operating without workers comp or you need help deciding which policy to choose, give your insurance agent a call today and they will discuss the best options for your industry and amount of employees.

Most people have heard that they should keep inventory of the things they own in their home, but very few actually do. And those that do, rarely have one that is kept up-to-date. The good news is that putting together an inventory isn’t hard. It’s just very time consuming to make a list of everything you own and document what it is worth. However, if anything were to ever happen to your home, you’ll be glad you spent a few hours documenting so you get reimbursed for everything at their worth.

Why You Need to Take a Home Inventory

Take a few minutes to try to make a list of your belongings without looking around your house. Would you be willing to bet that you can remember everything in the event of a disaster or burglary? Odds are, you’re going to forget a few things and not get reimbursed for them. If anything were to happen to your home or possessions, a home inventory can help you be fairly compensated for your lost items. In most cases, you can just tell the insurance company that you lost certain things, but if they don’t have a specific model number of the item, you’ll be reimbursed for the cheapest version. A home inventory can also help you decide how much coverage you need. If you find that you don’t have many expensive items, you wouldn’t need as much coverage as you would if you collected a lot of valuable things.

How to Create Your Home Inventory

The key to putting together a good inventory of your home is to document thoroughly. It starts with a list. Move from room to room throughout your home to take note of everything you own, including items in your attic, basement, garage, and shed. You can either take pictures of each item, or even better, take video for proof of ownership. While recording the video or taking pictures, just make sure that any serial numbers are visible and that you also record any receipts you still have for the item.

Aside from the visual inventory, you should also gather other documentation to help the claims process such as:
● Receipts
● Credit card statements
● Other transaction documents
● Appraisals (include the appraiser’s name and address)

If you have a receipt to show proof of purchase, you will often be reimbursed for the amount you paid for the item. Also take advantage of apps such as Sortly that you can download to help make taking inventory a little easier. If you want to avoid such technology, you can create your own system by using a spreadsheet to document the item, description of the item, cost, serial/model number, and anything else you think useful. Whichever method you choose, just make sure you scan your receipts in just so you have a backup. Otherwise, if your house catches on fire or other catastrophe happens, those receipts won’t be there when you need them.

What You Should Keep Track Of

It would be unreasonable for you to document literally everything you owned down to your toothbrush. That’s why you should start with your most prized and expensive items. Carefully document items such as TVs, DVD players, cameras, furniture, and jewelry. The best way to do this besides taking pictures is by taking video. Start at one end of the house and video everything of importance in detail (make sure model numbers and any receipts you may have are visible) and do a broad video scan of areas such as your cabinets and closet for a general idea of lower priced items you own.

Once you’ve created your home inventory, make sure to update it as you acquire or get rid of items over time. An outdated inventory won’t be very useful to you if you buy several big-priced items right before disaster strikes your home. The most important thing to remember is that once you make your home inventory, make sure that it is stored or backed up somewhere besides your home, preferably somewhere that can never be destroyed. If you have any questions about what is covered under your insurance policy, give your agent and they’ll be glad to help you out.