Expert advice to create a home inventory in case of disaster

InvestigateTV - An estimated 350,000 homes experience a structural fire each year, resulting in more than $7 billion in direct property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

After a catastrophe, it can be difficult to remember what was lost, much less actually account for all your valuables.

Ken Aaron, creator of Virtual Home Inventory, said insurers will challenge everything your put in your claim.

“They will determine if it’s in good condition or not, and they will depreciate that amount,” Aaron explained. “If you don’t have the proof of possession, quality and condition, what you’ll get is either a heavily depreciated actual cash value or nothing.”

Aaron said it’s important to document your belongings, even if you do it yourself by simply walking around your house with your phone’s camera.

“Take your phone, do a video of your entire house,” he recommended. “You can walk through the house slowly, take a video. Don’t just stand in the middle of the room and spin in a circle. Walk around the house. Recorded individual items, open closets. But a big piece of that is narrate, talk about what you’re looking at.”

Aaron also recommended storing your videos and images online so you can still access them if you lose your phone in a fire.

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