The Joys Of Videotape

Home Inventory Video Suggestions: Meha Ahmad writes for Insurance Agents.com, and a recent entry of hers suggested that all of us complete a home inventory video of our belongings. Most of the claims adjusters that I know would like to tell Meha that they don't really want to watch home videos and that you will have to do that for yourself, but that's a topic for another day. Obviously, I believe a video is a poor substitute for a detailed home inventory provided by a qualified home inventory professional such as Farley Home Services, but it's sure better than nothing, and it's in that spirit that I provide the above link. This topic is so important (and neglected!) that any discussion of it is worthwhile in my humble opinion.

Your home insurance claim process will run more smoothly if you get shots of every room, but more importantly, of every item in every room. Leave nothing undocumented. Open all the drawers, closets, storage units, cabinets. Slowly pan over every storage space so your insurance provider will have a better idea of what your home insurance claim includes.

Listen, I'm passionate about this topic since it's how I earn my living, but the fact remains that a home inventory report that you create could be the most important document that you will ever hold in your hands next to a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or a will. Home inventory turns the worst year of your life into no something manageable and bearable. It means the difference between surviving and thriving, and in complicated days like these isn't it nice to have a little piece of mind?

Family Time: We are enjoying a nice visit with my Mom this week. It's been a while since we have seen her, so this is a nice reunion don't you know.

A. J. Farley gets worked up about things behind his desk at Farley Home Services, your premier home inventory provider. Please visit EverySingleItem.com for details.

Home Inventory On TV!

It's On The Television, So It Has To Be True: Tallahassee's WCTV has a recent story about the start of hurricane season that includes, you guessed it, the need for you to complete a home inventory.

Keep Me In The Loop: I found an article from a paper called the (Suburban Chicago) Daily Herald that spurred my thinking about home improvements and insurance. In my experience, people have been sometimes reluctant to let their insurer know about home improvements, because they felt that the insurer was just wanted to raise their rates. Not true my friends! Your agent wants to make sure you are getting the best coverage for your money. You should never intenionally put yourself in a postition of being under-insured, and improving your home by X dollars without increasing your coverage at least a corresponding amount does just that and frankly isn't very smart. Look at this excerpt:

To illustrate, say you obtained $200,000 in coverage several years ago but the remodeling job you completed in '07 and the work that you're planning now would add another $75,000 to the cost of rebuilding the house if it was destroyed. The insurer would likely be obligated to pay a maximum of $200,000, less any deductible the policy includes: You would then have to pay the rest of the reconstruction costs from your own pocket.

Why would you do that? Call your agent, raise your policy amount, and quit your whining! (Of course I'm joking about the whining part.) The other place where people are most likely under-insured is personal property (contents) coverage. In order to know that you are adequately insured there, you need a home inventory, and we can help!

A. J. Farley runs Farley Home Services (www.EverySingleItem.com). Farley Home Services produces home inventory documentation for cheapskates and big-spenders alike. You can reach A. J. at information@farleyhomeservices.com. Thanks!