A good time to take inventory

Published 9:25 pm Thursday, December 22, 2005

By Staff
The end of the year is a good time to look at your possessions, those you have treasured through the years, and new items you may have received during the holidays.
Those living in the devastated areas in the Gulf Coast and Florida who were hit with hurricanes this year learned the hard way how important an inventory can be when faced with presenting a list to insurance companies.
Even though we are not in an area which may be destroyed by a hurricane, our lives could be changed if our home were destroyed by fire or another disaster.
A home inventory should include a list of your possessions and their estimated value. It would also be good if you still have copies of model numbers and the amount paid for the items.
Digital photographs or a video are also good ways to keep track of your possessions.
Having an up-to-date inventory will aid your insurance company and also get claims settled faster.
Don't underestimate the value of your possessions. Should the need come to replace them, you would be surprised at the amount of money it would cost to replace everything.
After you have made the list with photos, be sure a copy or a CD is stored in a safe place, possibly away from your home.