One of the typical requirements of homeownership is a Homeowner's Insurance Policy.

Homeowner’s Insurance provides coverage if your home is damaged or destroyed. It also covers your family's possessions and provides you with compensation for liability claims.

But purchasing a policy is just the first step of your protection. Buying a generic policy and filing it away is the last thing you should do.

Your policy needs to be custom tailored to fit your property and possessions, or you may find out, after the fact, that you're underinsured. Many items in your home may fall under special categories such as collections, jewelry, art, etc. These special items will need special coverage riders, or they may not be fully covered.

The only way to accurately customize your policy is with a complete home inventory.

Documentation and an inventory are absolutely vital to a quick and complete settlement of a claim against your Homeowner’s Policy, but many homeowners are unaware of the necessity of documentation and a home inventory.

Every time an insurance claim is opened, one of the first requirements will be documentation for each and every item listed on the declaration of loss. Additionally, in a time of high stress after a burglary or catastrophic fire, a homeowner will have a very difficult time trying to remember the hundreds of items in their home. Without an inventory, they will most likely forget a good percentage of the items in their home.

Every item not claimed is money that the owner will not recover. Once you have your inventory, set an appointment with your insurance agent. Review the policy and have your agent customize your policy to fit your needs. We also recommend a yearly review with your agent to make sure that any changes in your property or possessions are covered.