Every homeowner should have as complete an inventory of the contents of their home as possible. This inventory list should be provided to your homeowners' insurance agent. In the event of a burglary or disaster, a complete inventory will save valuable time and stress.
A camera is probably the most useful tool in taking inventory of your home. Follow these guidelines when taking a photographic inventory:
- Use a camera with a flash, or a video camera.
- Use color film (either slide, disk or print).
- Make sure pictures, slides, and videotapes are dated.
- To get the overall picture, take wide-angle shots of the whole room, then several close-ups to capture detail. Start in one corner of the room and work your way around.
- Focus your flash away from mirrors and other reflective surfaces by standing at a 45-degree angle to the shiny surface.
- When using a flash, try not to get closer than the recommended focus range.
- Open glass doors to prevent reflection.
- A family member in the picture helps substantiate ownership.
- Open closet doors to indicate quantity of clothing.
- Remember to take pictures of the insides of drawers with the contents fanned out.
- Use a dark, non-reflective cloth as a background for silver, china, and jewelry.
- Take a picture of the pattern name or manufacturer's signature of your china, along with a picture of the pattern.
- Angle the flash when photographing jewelry to avoid glare.
- When photographing or recording collections in albums, make sure the picture includes the entire page, along with close-up shots of the most valuable items.
- Photograph your power tools, including detailed photos of the inside of your toolbox.
- Photograph the contents of any outside storage sheds/rooms as well.
Keep your inventory up to date. As you add new items to your household, remember to photograph them immediately. Keep receipts for major purchase items to help establish value. What about those items of sentimental value? There will always be possessions in your home that you can not put a dollar value on. These will include baby books, family photographs, those first school papers brought home by your children, a pressed rose in a book, a special card or announcement, souvenirs from a special vacation. Only you can determine how you would feel if those items were destroyed. Some suggestions: a fireproof safe in your home, a bank lock-box, get duplicate prints of photographs and distribute them among family members. Remember to keep these types of valuable items in mind when listing your inventory.
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Fast Facts & Tips
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Power of Attorney is a legal document authorizing one person to act on behalf of another. |
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