When you turn on the news in the morning chances are the headlines will include the breaking news of an overnight fire.  You find yourself watching the TV thinking of how awful it is for that family.  Do you ever consider what you would do if you were in their shoes?  Where do you begin?...how do you get back all that you have lost?

One of the most difficult parts of the claim process is piecing together your personal property lost in the fire.  There are things you can do to be prepared.  Household inventories are a great tool to record your personal belongings room-by-room.  The reality is that they take a lot of time and need to be updated periodically.  

I recommend using video to capture the contents of your home.  It's simple, doesn't take a long time, and it's easy to update.  All you need is a video camera or cell phone.  Start recording at your front door and walk through all rooms in the home or apartment.  Open closet doors and kitchen cabinets.   Here is the most important thing.....don't keep the video at your home where it can get lost in the fire.  Keep a copy at work, with a family member, or along with your music in your cloud.

You hope you'll never need it, but I can tell you it will be an incredibly helpful tool if you do.  Take the time to be prepared.  It's worth it.

Regards,

Edward P. Hackett, CIC CRM

Vice-President