Content protection of items in my home in case of large loss or theft?
Asked by
kgoneil (
4
)
January 2nd, 2013
I recieved a letter in the mail today from a company wanting help us in case of an insurance large such as fire, flood, theft or wind/tornado damage to my home. What they do is charge a fee and come into your home and take photos of all your content such as tv, funiture, guns, all jewlery etc… They will also make note of any seriel numbers that may be on a certain product, such as dishwashers and hvac units. They will keep this on file and you will have access to add to this is if you buy new items or change items. The reason they do this is because insurance companies will only pay what you can prove if you have a large loss. I know these losses are few and far between but if something did happen I think I would not to be protected. The fees range from $250—$600 and lot of it depends on how much stuff you really have in your home. They will also charge a yearly fee of only $9.95 a year. I thinks this is a great idea because a lot of us say we are going to do this and store in a safty deposit box but we never do. Does this seem like a good idea to any of you? And do the prices seem reseasonble? The also will give us claim advise in case of a loss
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6 Answers
Welcome to Fluther.
I’m not a homeowner, but this kind of sounds like a waste of money to me. If you have a way to record video or take photos, you can do all of this recording yourself, and then keep the data (memory card, etc.) in a safe deposit box at a bank. I know this is what my parents did when we moved to a new place. If you took this company’s offer, you’d be paying for convenience.
I would do the work myself and keep the info in a safe deposit box or in another person’s safe.
I do not want strangers coming into my home and looking through all my possessions. I don’t trust them. Nor do I trust their employees or the friends of employees. Sorry.
It is 2013. You have a digital camera or have access to one. Use it and save the pictures and info online at gmail or yahoo.
Congratulations for being so forward thinking. Now you need to follow through.
While you’re at it, make a will.
You could do it yourself for a lot less.
A ‘cold call’ letter from an unknown company? Not only no, but hell no. It could very well be a scam to get into your home for surveillance. Call your insurance agent, ask them about inventorying your belongings, and proceed from there.
Policies vary. My home was burgled, and the insurance company was more than reasonable about replacing everything that was stolen, based solely on the list that I provided for the police report.
Now that you have the wake-up-call, keep a folder or loose leaf binder of purchases, receipts, description, etc.
For years I took polaroids, but that is now a lost art. I have photographed every room in my house from several angles so that all the furniture, paintings, rugs and appliances are visible and have had real prints made.
I have laid out my jewelry and taken pix. I have taken pix of my sterling silver flatwear also.
I am a homeowner, and the thought of doing this myself is really quite daunting. If they do all that they say they will do for the price they say, it sounds like a steal, to me. But I would beware and check their reputation. They could also be thieves casing the joint looking for valuable stuff that they could hire out to burglars later on.
Anyway, it really comes down to the value of your time. If you are retired, then you might do it yourself. But if you are working and have kids, it sounds like a great deal to me.
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