Do You Have a Home Inventory?

As the holiday season nears, there are many things to be done in preparation. As a prudent homeowner, you should do more than just dig out the holiday decorations and make travel arrangements. Many areas experience an increased amount of break-ins from November through January, so it is vital you fit home security tasks into your schedule. One vital duty is creating an inventory of your belongings to help increase the odds of the authorities recovering any items that are stolen. Having a home inventory is also a good idea for insurance purposes. It can help ensure you have sufficient coverage for any expensive items, and can help make the claims process smoother in the event of a loss.

•    To begin your inventory, create a detailed list of all your belongings that could potentially be stolen, such as your electronics and jewelry. It may be helpful to include in your inventory the size, color, and serial number of each item, along with the original purchase date and receipt.

•    Take photos of each item, including ones of the serial numbers and identifying marks.

•    You may also want to purchase an engraving pen to add a personal symbol to each of your items. This could help police to quickly identify your missing items during their search.

Having the right insurance policy in place could be helpful financially should the authorities be unable to recover your items after a theft – the payout from your insurance provider may cover the cost of replacements.

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