Many homeowners buy Homeowners insurance to protect their home and the things inside it, but most don't think about that insurance again until something bad happens, like a fire, hurricane damage, or theft.
Many homeowners like to think that they live in safe neighbourhoods that will never be affected by crime. However, it is hard to say for sure that their home will never be broken into. Because of this, it's important to think about the things inside and outside your home that are likely to be stolen. This way, you can make sure those things are properly insured, properly listed, and properly cared for.
Almost all good Homeowners insurance companies will tell you to take a careful inventory of your home's belongings and update that list at least once a year to make sure that your insurance covers everything.
This will also help make sure you get the full cost of replacing the things that were broken or stolen. Also, some Homeowners insurance companies will want to group items into those that are likely to be stolen and those that are not. Many people who own their own homes have never thought about this. What in the house is likely to be stolen?
Electronics are one of the first things that an insurance company will look for in a home that is likely to be broken into. Unfortunately, a lot of thieves know that electronics are easy to pawn or sell because they are in high demand almost everywhere. A TV, a DVD player, a personal computer or laptop, an IPOD, or a CD player stereo system are all examples of electronics.
It's important to tell insurance agents about any large or very expensive pieces of electronics in the home. It's also important to take pictures and write down the date, place, and model number of each piece in case it gets stolen. Manufacturers and model numbers can also help find items that have been stolen.
Another big group of things that are often stolen is jewellery and furs. Some Homeowners insurance policies will cover the theft of jewellery or furs, but many will require you to have a separate policy or a separate clause on the policy that will cost extra money because jewellery and furs are special items.
You can get an insurance policy that covers all of your jewellery at once, but this usually means that you will only get a certain amount, like $2,500, for each piece. If you have jewellery that costs more than this, like an engagement ring or a diamond necklace, you may want to get a separate policy for each piece.
Note that an appraiser will need to describe the item and figure out how much it will cost. Don't forget to take pictures of the jewellery and furs so that an insurance company can look at the pictures to figure out how much it would cost to replace them.
Many homeowners don't even think about collector's items as something that could be stolen, but thieves will pay attention to a valuable collection. Some examples of collector's items are artwork, baseball cards, antiques, and even figurines. Unfortunately, home invasions are a very common way to get collector's items.
With the rise of online services like EBay, thieves can easily sell your prized possessions to other collectors and make money off of them. It is important to make a list of these things and take pictures of them. You should also tell your insurance company about them.
Remember that thieves may want to take things from the outside of your home that you might not think they would. During the day or early evening, especially in the summer, when families are outside doing things like mowing the lawn and walking the dog, they often leave the garage door open, making it easy for thieves to break in.
Valuable things that might be in the garage include tool sets, large power tools, sports gear like scuba gear, summer or winter skis, or even bicycles, exercise equipment, a grill for the summer, and electronics. Don't forget to include things in the garage that are still covered by your Homeowners insurance policy when making an inventory of your home or talking to an insurance agent.
