Did you know, in the US ...

- A burglary occurs every 8 seconds?

- A fire occurs every 60 seconds?

- 77% of all catastrophic losses are caused by hurricanes, tornados, wind, flood and
fire?

Given the risks that we face each and every day, it's always a good time to complete a home inventory! Most people know it's something that they should do, but few actually ever get to it. In fact, only 40% of people have an inventory of their belongings. So, when faced with a disaster resulting in some kind of claim, they are not prepared to provide the information required by the insurance company to process their claim quickly and completely. The truth is that insurance companies want to pay their clients for incurred losses. But they cannot pay them for items that they cannot prove that they had!

Like anything else, getting started is the most difficult part of the process. To conduct your inventory, walk from room to room, systematically recording the make, model, serial number, when/where purchased, purchase price and condition of each item. Take a photo of each item and gather any receipts you have as well. Store this information in a safe place. A safe deposit box or a relative who lives in a far away state will do.

If you're less adventurous, you can hire a professional home inventory specialist to complete the process for you. An added benefit of using a third party is that your inventory is completed by an objective professional so that there is never any question as to its validity or completeness, should you need the information to substantiate ownership for an insurance claim after suffering a loss.

Take a few hours and complete your home inventory today. Or contact a home inventory professional to do it for you. Don't wait until it's too late!