One of the most horrible experiences a home owner can go through is being burglarized and have things stolen out of your home. The threat of being robbed is chiefly the main reason homeowners install security systems in Jacksonville, but replacing stolen items isn’t as easy as it sounds. For instance, do you keep receipts of all your expensive items and gifts you have received over the years. Have you reviewed your insurance policy coverage to see how much you are covered for and the process of actually proving you had the items to begin with. Do you collect anything of value like works of art or possess a stamp collection. Do you have enough homeowners insurance coverage to replace these articles if stolen, damaged or lost due to fire or water damage. Security systems only go so far in protecting your valuables and if you purchased a system from a big box store like Walmart or Home Depot you might be in for a shock at how easily those security systems are to breach or penetrated.
ESI’s Advice: Invest in a commercial grade home or office security system and at the same time review your dwellings insurance policy and what documentation you need to provide, when filing a claim for lost or stolen items.
Insurance Policy and Documentation Tips
Most homeowners have to carry a certain level of insurance to protect their dwelling in case of fire or distruction to cover outstanding mortgage debt. Many renters are forced to carry insurance also to relieve property companies of the liability if the property is damages or items stolen as a result of a burglary. Unfortunately, most purchasers of insurance only consider the cost of the insurance, not what the insurance actually protects. Many insurers don’t look at the fine print and most coverages aren’t tailored to specific individual needs.
ESI’s Advice: Review your insurance coverage and see if it covers all of the valuables you are trying to protect. At the same time, review the security measures you have in place and see if you have invested enough to protect your valuables so they aren’t at risk of being stolen.
ESI’s 4 Insurance Tips Every Homeowner Should Know About
ESI’s Home Insurance Tip #1: Have Enough Personal Belonging Coverage
The basic idea of having insurance in the first place is to provide the replacement value of your home and its valuables in the event of a fire or a burglary occurring. It’s easy to estimate the actually value of a house, but calculating the value of its contents is much more difficult.
Consider all of your possessions, like laptops, desktop computers, electric games, appliances, any collectables, jewelry etc. when calculating the replacement value. What did they cost and what will it cost to replace. Always error on the side that more coverage is better than less.
ESI’s Home Insurance Tip #2: Make a Valuable-Item Inventory
Make an inventory of your most valuable items in a word document so you can catalog them for future reference. Consider anything of value that you purchased or acquired. If it is a gem, have the item appraised and keep it with these records. All electronic devices should be included with serial numbers represented and the price paid. If you do not have the original receipts, start keeping them. Also see if you have the original manuals and secure them along with the cataloged list. This will not only give you a point of reference if lost, but if items are stolen you will be able to identify which items were lost and provide valuable information to law enforcement for their recovery. Place the documentation is a secured place or safety deposit box.
You will want to include really valuable items in a separate rider on the insurance policy itself.
ESI’s Home Insurance Tip #3: “Proof” of Purchase – Photos
If you ever have to file an insurance claim you will be asked to list all of the items you are “claiming” for remittance. Insurance companies do not like to pay out of pocket expenses if they can help it so they will want proof you had position of the items in the first place. The list of items you are buying insurance coverage to protect should be on hand and listed as covered by the insurance underwriter. Now all you have to do is file a claim that they have been damaged lost or stolen to receive payment for their replacement. It is recommended that you not only catalog each individual item but that you include photos so those items can be documented and show their condition. What does a car actually looked like before the accident can go a long way in establishing its true worth.
ESI’s Home Insurance Tip #4: Other Ways to Find Proof of Purchase
What happens to an insurance claim when you don’t have the physical proof you had the lost items to begin with? In the event, you haven’t taken the necessary precautions of documenting items and keeping receipts, not all is lost. Checking accounts, credit card companies and even stores keep tract of purchases even if you didn’t. Additionally, if you purchased any items on the internet chances are there is an email record of the purchase, tracking of the package or some other record. PayPal is a wonderful means of identifying items bought, since they keep in-depth records of the item, payment and ship dates. Also, many times stores process a product warrantee with the manufacturer so try and identify any warranties you might have. Our last suggestion is that you might have documentation of a product simply by having a picture of a loved one or event like Christmas with the package unwrapped or hanging on the wall behind a photographed child or other person. That can be overwhelming proof that you possessed the item and might even identify it for appraisal value based on make and model.
Jacksonville Security Systems Company
Having the right amount of insurance coverage is important, but equally as important is implementing the right security measures to protect you and your family to begin with. Having a commercial grade security system installed reduces your chance that your insurance policy will ever be put to the test.
There are many security companies in North and North Central Florida to choose from, but there is only one with the experience, proven track record and state-of-the-art products protecting businesses and homeowners since 1979. ESI, Emergency Systems Inc is a locally owned and operated security provider, serving 1000’s of satisfied customers, from Orlando to Fernandina Beach. Our commitment is to provide the most cost effective, wireless security applications: from Oceanfront condos to Industrial Warehouses. We secure what matters most to you, your business, assets and your family. Have one of our professional security specialists give you a free, no obligation security review. Call us today at 904 388 3975.. Visit us on the web at Getesi.com for a complete list of the products and services we carry.