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Some good insurance advice.
This week’s horrendous fires brings home how vulnerable we are in the event of a disaster.
To be prepared in the event of a loss of our home or assets, an insurance loss adjuster gave me some tips today on how to expedite a full claim, it necessary, as well as answer many questions that you will be asked by bankers, government and other bureaucracies.
Some of the tips are:
· Scan all your personal documents such as:
o Insurance policies
o Registration papers – vehicle
o Drivers licences
o Property titles
o Valuation certificates
o Marriage licence
o House plans
o Building permits
o Prepare a list of account numbers – utilities, banks etc. And a separate list of PIN numbers
o List of names/addresses/ contact numbers for family/ friends
· Prepare a detailed inventory of all items in your home – room by room – don’t forget garage and garden sheds
· List collections piece by piece e.g. CD’s – list each title of all CD’s
· Clothing- count everything and list e.g. 20 pairs of socks
· List all of garden features and valuable plants/ features
· Take photos of all collection pieces.
· Take photos of the property from different angles – including garden and outdoor features
· Include aerial photos – Google earth is helpful.
Once you have all of these details, burn a CD or put on a memory stick and then keep in a safe place.- remember where it is.
Update this information at least annually or when you have made a substantial addition to assets etc.
This will assist in returning life back to a bit of normality in very stressful and trying times.
Let us all hope that we never need to refer to this list.