After a catastrophic loss, property owners already experiencing "post-traumatic loss anguish" face an even more harrowing ordeal, passing the "Burden of Proof" test for an insurance claim. The burden of proof lies with the property owner, NOT the insurance company. Regardless of your age or socio-economic status, an accurate photographic inventory of your home and business property, updated annually, can literally save you thousands of dollars in potentially unrecoverable net wealth. Under-reimbursement creates a financial setback not only for individuals and businesses, but negatively impacts the local economy. During a period of severe psychological trauma, property owners without an inventory are faced with the arduous task of completing an Insurance Claim Form from memory. Ask yourself this important question: "Would I be able to list from memory the major items in my house including: brand and model (not manufacturer), size, quantity, purchase date, and capital outlay?" If your answer is no, you need to accomplish a home and business inventory. To prepare for an inventory: List Specific Categories: e.g. Collections: Coin, Stamp, Baseball Cards
Video Structure: Interior & Exterior, including cabinet, drawer, and closet contents.
Video landscape improvements and "defensible space."
Photograph: Individual High-Dollar items, including high resolution macro shots of serial #'s, series #'s, and signatures. Scan: Important documents, appraisals, receipts, provenances, and treasured photographs/memorabilia.
Develop a Database linking all the information into a concise accessible format.
Store an original, date-stamped copy off-site
Update Annually
It is not until a disaster strikes that many home and business owners realize that they have failed to update their insurance coverage. An asset inventory provides you and your insurance provider with documentation of your property, thereby enabling a recommendation for the best type of coverage to meet your individual needs. While a Photographic Insurance Inventory cannot replace lost property, it does provide "Peace of Mind" that your lifestyle will be restored; thereby alleviating a distressing claims process.
Visit www.photoassetarchival.com for more information on creating your own asset archive.

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