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Hurricane Season Is Here! Time to Update or Create A Home Inventory List.

The more detail you provide your insurance company after a hurricane, the more you stand to recover from your insurance claim.

The more detail you can provide to your insurance company’s adjuster after a natural disaster or accident, the more you stand to recover from your insurance claim. That’s where a home inventory list can make all the difference. To illustrate this point let me ask you a question: without looking at it, what size, make, model and serial number is the TV in your living room?

You can probably guess where I’m going here…it’s hard to remember details just from memory alone. Heck, it can be hard to recall what you had for dinner last night.

Image your home has been significantly damaged by a hurricane, fire, burglary or some other incident. Now imagine your insurance company telling you that in order to reimburse you, they’ll need a list of your destroyed and/or missing possessions, including dates of purchase, cost, serial number and/or model number. Of course, the more details you can provide to your insurance company, the more you are likely to recover. How easy will it be for you to generate that list?

A Cautionary Tale

A client of mine, I will call her Mary, had her Boynton Beach home damaged in a hurricane. The property damage was extensive and included roof and an interior wall damage. As a result, water leaked into her home and she lost many personal items including furniture, clothing, knickknacks and more. Unfortunately, in an effort to start the cleanup, restoration and repairs, many of her damaged possessions were inadvertently thrown away. With no household inventory list and no receipts, photos or videos, there was no documentation or proof of her personal items. Since Mary was working with a restoration company, she thought they might be able to help her file a claim with her insurance company. Unfortunately, her insurance claim was denied. Next, she hired a public adjuster, he too, was unsuccessful.

Although we were successful in helping Mary get the money she needed and deserved, had she had a home inventory list, she may have avoided being denied on her first insurance claim.

Tips for creating your home inventory list:

1. Update your home inventory list yearly – June 1st marks the start of hurricane season in Florida. Use this annual date to revise your list.

2. Take pictures or video – Each year update your home inventory list with a video of each room (open drawers and closets and take pictures of the contents). Don’t forget to include the garage, storage unit and exterior of your home. Take individual pictures of keepsakes and valuables. Rather than store receipts folder, take a picture of your receipt. REMEMBER: Backup all images and videos.

3. Keep a printable home inventory list – you can download our printable home inventory list here. Be sure your list includes the purchase date, value, serial number, and brand name of each item. It’s a good idea to store your list online or someplace safe and away from your home.

4. Review your insurance policy annually – Personal property coverage is the part of your insurance policy which pays when the items in your house (such as furniture, clothing, jewelry and appliances) are damaged, destroyed or stolen. Does your insurance policy include personal property coverage? Is the personal property coverage to low? Sometimes, it can be a challenge to answer those questions without the assistance of a professional.

5. We offer a free no-obligation insurance coverage consultation so you can be sure you have the right insurance coverage for your home and personal property. Contact us today!

We’ve helped homeowners and renters just like yours get the money they need to rebuild, replace or repair what’s been damaged by fire, theft or a natural disaster.

The information provided here is intended for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice.

 About Desir Law Firm

Attorney Leonard Desir is the founder of Desir Law Firm, a boutique insurance law office representing only insurance policyholders. We work with homeowners, renters, homeowner associations (HOAs), condominium associations, small and mid-sized businesses, and commercial property investors throughout the State of Florida.

When damage happens to your home or business, you have enough to worry about without having to worry about whether your insurance company will act in your best interests. Learn how Desir Law Firm can help you with your insurance damage claim. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Florida law allows for the recovery of attorney’s fees and costs from your insurance company, if you prevail in a lawsuit. At Desir Law Firm, even if we do not prevail, you will not owe money to an attorney since our cases are taken on a contingency basis. It is truly a win-win situation to hire an insurance attorney to dispute a partial or complete insurance denial or partial payments.