Nobody thinks their house is going to be damaged in a fire, flood or tornado but the sad truth is there is no guarantee it won't happen to you. Of course, we hope nothing like this ever happens, and we want to give you the tools you need to help make sure you're protected, no matter what.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) there was an average of 366,600 home structure fires each year during 2007-2011. These fires caused an estimated $7.2 billion in direct property damage.
If the unexpected happens, one of the best ways to expedite the claim process is to have a detailed record of your assets, in other words, a home inventory.
Completing a full home inventory can take some time, but luckily technology can help. There are a number of apps available for your smart phone or tablet that make documenting your assets as easy as pushing a few buttons.
Here is a quick rundown of the most popular home inventory apps available:
- Allstate Digital Locker - This free app from Allstate lets you keep a personal property inventory on your smart phone or any computer that is connected to the Internet. A secure login keeps your data safe and lets you organize your inventory by room, or category. You can add photos and sync your data.
- Nest Egg - This app cost $2.99 and is available for the iPhone. It allows you to sort your inventory by room or category as well as add photos. In addition a bar code scanner allows you to simply scan an item which populates the fields and in some cases pops in a photo. This app gets great reviews on iTunes.
- MyStuff2- Another great home inventory app, this one costs $4.99. It has editable categories as well as a bar code scanner. It also incorporates Amazon integration, quick copy, auto fill and bulk editing.
You can click one of the app name links above to download the app or to get more information about it.
Maintaining a room-by-room inventory of your assets and belongings can be a huge time saver if you have the misfortune to be struck by a catastrophe. When you do complete your home inventory, consider stopping by the office or giving us a call for a quick policy review. It's important that we make sure you are fully covered for the unexpected, just in case.