One of the most daunting tasks required in the claim process after losing your home to a fire is properly documenting your personal property to ensure you’re compensated fully for what you’ve lost. Completing a total loss inventory list is a high-stress task, and it must be done correctly so as not to leave settlement dollars on the table. Know going in that it will be messy, time-consuming, and require a lot of patience as you meticulously document the many possessions you’ve accumulated over a lifetime.
Before entering your fire-damaged home, get explicit permission from the fire department that it’s safe to enter. Wear protective gear, like a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, rugged close-toed shoes or boots, work gloves, a hard hat, safety glasses or goggles, and a certified face mask or respirator (marked NIOSH, N95, or P100) to prevent inhaling ash, soot, and other toxic materials.
Creating a total loss inventory requires going through your entire home/buildings, room by room, taking multiple photos/videos, and then creating a list of your items, noting the age, condition, and replacement cost value for each of your possessions.
Another helpful idea is to visit a department store website and use its wedding registry tool to recreate a list of items you lost in the fire. If the specific item you lost is not available, list the most similar ones. You can also download a price-scanning app, and scan the items that were damaged to create a list of new items and prices.
As there are literally thousands of personal property items to be replaced, you need to be meticulous and organized as you create your total loss inventory list. Some policies provide Replacement Cost Value (RCV) coverage for damaged personal property, but carriers make their insureds jump through some hoops to get fully reimbursed. While confusing to many policyholders, the process ensures your items are replaced in a way that protects the insurance company from overpaying.
As you conduct your inventory, go into as much detail as you can, providing receipts and photos whenever possible, and assigning a replacement cost value to each item. Note that the insurance company's adjuster will depreciate each item based on age, condition, and wear & tear, reducing everything to an Actual Cash Value (ACV) amount (which is negotiable). Your carrier will withhold the depreciated amount until you prove you replaced a given item.
S ave all invoices and receipts, so you can submit them for reimbursement.
Creating a total loss inventory is a lot to handle and can be overwhelming. Miller Public Adjusters has extensive experience inventorying damaged/destroyed personal property that will save you time, hassle, and best of all, be done correctly to make sure your assets are fully valued. We will be your advocate, guide through the aftermath of your house fire, and ensure you get every penny you’re entitled to under the terms of your homeowners insurance policy.
Thank you for visiting us. My name is David Miller, and I know what it means to have to fight with your insurance carrier just to get fair payment for your property damage claim. My family suffered a total loss house fire that took nearly two very stressful years to settle. Since, I combined my experience in construction with my expertise in contract language to create Miller Public Adjusters. We work exclusively for policyholders. Please feel free to comment, ask questions, and let us know how we can help.
