If you fall victim to burglary or theft, how do you file an insurance claim? This may be one of the questions most homeowners fail to ask their insurance provider. Perhaps it is because nobody expects their home to become a victim of such a crime. With the security system that they have installed, they could only hope nothing like it will happen to them. But in the case of thieves decide to get into your house and steal your valuables, what can you expect from your insurance provider?
Be prepared for the unexpected.
Buying home insurance is a good first step to prepare yourself for the unexpected. The next step is to keep all the receipts of the valuable items that you bought. You can use these receipts when you make an insurance claim for the stolen items from your house.
Conduct an inventory of the items in the house.
To start your inventory, it is best to make a checklist of all the valuables that you own. Put them into certain categories based on value, the part of the house where they are kept and many others. If it were possible, it is best to maintain the receipts of these items, especially when you are considering filing for a replacement of such items or another item with the same value.
Take pictures of the valuable items that you have.
These images will serve their purpose in the future. They are not for your social media accounts so that you could boast of them. Rather, the pictures will help you through the inventory you aim to make. Making a video of the items that you own may also be a good option. Make sure that you find a safe spot, whether in your online repository account or an external hard drive or perhaps a fire-proof safety box. The goal is to keep a record of the items that you own that the insurance can readily replace when you file a claim.
How do you file a theft claim? Here is the step by step process:
Step 1: Take an inventory of the property that you think you lost.
Step 2: Call the police so that a formal police report can be made.
Step 3: Call your insurance provider and inform them of what happened to your property.
Step 4: Submit photos or videos of the personal items that you think you lost.
Step 5: Closely coordinate with your insurance representative to make a review of the homeowner’s insurance policy as well as the police report.
Filing for a theft claim may be a bit tedious, but it will all be worth it, especially when you get your replacement items back without spending a cent.