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How to prepare for a hurricane Taking inventory of your property |
Have proof of insurance coverageBy JUDY STARK, Times Homes Editor Your insurance policy can be your lifeline to recovery, but "some people don't even know which company insures them or who their agent is," said Nayda Torres of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Florida. "You have to have proof you did have insurance." You may be on a first-name basis with your local agent, but she or he may not be around when you seek help after a hurricane. You may be dealing with claims adjusters from out of town who don't know you and may not have your records at hand. So one good piece of advice is to have your agent's name, the company name, and the phone number handy.
Your written documentation -- on paper, or on a computer disk -- should include a brief description of each item, when you acquired it, a model number where applicable, and what you paid for it. Keep the inventory, along with receipts and appraisal documentations, in a safe deposit box or other secure location so they are accessible when it's time to file an insurance claim. Keep a duplicate at home if you wish. Annual rental fees for safe deposit boxes range from $25 for a box 3 by 5 by 21 inches to $175 for a box 14 by 14 by 21 inches, area banks say. The time to do all this planning and organizing, of course, is now, while it's on your mind and while you've got time. Spend a few hours now and then working on one room at a time. You can sort through your paperwork and make copies of items you need occasionally at home and place the others in your safe deposit box or other secure location. © Copyright 1998 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved. |
The best way to document your claims is to do a home inventory: a master list of everything you own. You can prepare a written list; you can supplement it with photographs taken with a Polaroid or an instant camera; or you can create a video inventory.