Bright Insurance Blog

New year, new valuables, new inventory! Now that the holidays are over, it is time to get back in the groove of things at home. Chances are, you have received new valuables and gifts from the holidays, or even throughout 2011 in general. A change in home inventory will obviously mean a change in your pre-existing home inventory list and your Massachusetts homeowners insurance policy.

For those without a list, we strongly encourage starting one. Here are a few tips when you go to start or update:

•    Make this task as manageable as possible for yourself. Start with one room at a time and if possible, have a friend come and help!

•    Start by documenting the most valuable items in each room and making them a priority.

•    Document everything you can, including a physical description, color, model, make, serial number, price, and place of purchase if possible. If you have a receipt, even better.

•    Take pictures to go along with your items or walk through with a video recorder.

•    Use a computer to document this information in a spreadsheet, but make sure you back it up properly! The last thing you want is your computer to crash and to lose all of your hard work.

Once you have a home inventory list started, it will be much easier to add and subtract as the years go on.  

So why is a list so important? When you go to file a Massachusetts homeowners insurance claim, this list will be able to aid you once the adjuster comes over to look at the damages and decide on a price. Without a list, you may be shortchanged. This list will not only make it easier on your wallet but the adjuster as well. Yes, you can say that this list is almost as important as coverage!

While you are in inventory mode, now is also a good time to make sure your coverage is up to date for the new year. Whether you have recently remodeled or even moved, your coverage will be affected. Be sure to speak with us at Bright Insurance to find out what changes may have affected your policies!