What records should I be keeping in case I ever have to make a claim?

rebeccak

I've read a number of stories of people having to provide a lot of evidence and information when making insurance claims. Fortunately, I haven't had to claim on my home insurance (touch wood) but what should I be doing to ensure that I have the necessary information and evidence should the worst happen?

For example, should I be keeping inventories of everything I own (or those I think are most likely to be taken in the event of a burglary)? Do I need proof of ownership and does that mean having to find the receipts or photos of those possessions? If my policy covers CDs/DVDs etc do I need to know exactly how many I have? Would I need a list of all their titles - or proof of buying them all?

Although I don't have *loads* of possessions (I only have a one-bedroom flat!), when you add it all up, I suppose it's a lot of stuff and, in a stressful situation, it would be easy to forget things and not know how to prove what has been lost. Is there anything else I can be doing now?

InsideInsurance

You need to be able to quantify and substanciate your loss in the event of any claim. The level of proof you will require does vary between insurers and based on the size of your claim. You have a break-in and claim you've lost 20 run of the mill CDs & DVDs plus your 10 year old 28" CRT TV then they most likely wont be overly fussed for proofs. If instead you claim to have lost 20,000 CDs & DVDs which were all signed by the artists/ actors plus your 65" plasma 3D TV you bought last weekend then they're going to be wanting to see more evidence.

CrucianCarp

When you make a claim your insurance company will ask you for proof of ownership / proof of purchase.

Therefore, I always retain all reciepts, manuals, bank statemants etc.

As previousily advised it depends on the insurance company. They dont expect you to prove you owned every single item you claim for but it is definately worth retaining as much as possible incase the event ever happens.

Just_Some_Guy

Keep receipts for big things and draw up an inventory. Go through every room and write down anything you'd miss if your house was hit by a meteorite tomorrow with an estimated replacement value. Take photos of anything unusually valuable or unusually unusual. Put it all in a spreadsheet and store it on Google Docs so you can print it off from a web cafe when your house is a smouldering ruin.

You will be surprised at how much stuff you have. When me and my wife did this a few years ago we had tens of thousands of pounds worth of stuff (electronics, clothes, CDs, and musical instruments were the biggest ones).

Katzwhiskers

Having just had the horrible experience of a burglary, I'd very much support the idea of keeping a detailed inventory of items together with receipts where you have them .

In addition, when purchasing items, scan the receipt and save it in the same place as your inventory as till receipts are designed to fade after time (the type of ink used).

For items such as jewellery, get good clear photos and again, save them in the same place as your inventory.

If you have a largeish book or music collection, as well as the inventory, take some photos of where you store them to give an idea of the size of the collection at a glance.

My issue was with jewellery items stolen together with one of the boxes they were stored in. Items date back to my christening bangle some 50 yrs ago (burglary was day after 50th birthday) and it was so hard, both in real terms and emotionally, to recall what was in a box that was no longer there that i probably hadn't opened in the last 3 or 4 yrs. Nothing of any great value individually and most owned for greater than 15 yrs, so no receipts and very few images other than wedding and holiday snaps.

Oh, and be prepared for the emotional shock when they try to tell you they can 'replace' your stolen items and just do not hear when you tell them that a modern christening bangle simply is not a replacement - yes I know you are not covered for sentimental value, but that really is not the point. If I can't have the original back I'd rather not have one at all. But I do feel I should get the full replacement value and not something after deduction of a 'suppliers discount' that is not specifically mentioned in the policy wording.

Sorry if I'm prattling on a bit but have not long got off the phone to them and currently feel like I've been burgled all over again. I will start the complaints process tomorrow when i've calmed down.

gazza975526570

Katzwhiskers wrote: »

Having just had the horrible experience of a burglary, I'd very much support the idea of keeping a detailed inventory of items together with receipts where you have them .

In addition, when purchasing items, scan the receipt and save it in the same place as your inventory as till receipts are designed to fade after time (the type of ink used).

For items such as jewellery, get good clear photos and again, save them in the same place as your inventory.

If you have a largeish book or music collection, as well as the inventory, take some photos of where you store them to give an idea of the size of the collection at a glance.

My issue was with jewellery items stolen together with one of the boxes they were stored in. Items date back to my christening bangle some 50 yrs ago (burglary was day after 50th birthday) and it was so hard, both in real terms and emotionally, to recall what was in a box that was no longer there that i probably hadn't opened in the last 3 or 4 yrs. Nothing of any great value individually and most owned for greater than 15 yrs, so no receipts and very few images other than wedding and holiday snaps.

Oh, and be prepared for the emotional shock when they try to tell you they can 'replace' your stolen items and just do not hear when you tell them that a modern christening bangle simply is not a replacement - yes I know you are not covered for sentimental value, but that really is not the point. If I can't have the original back I'd rather not have one at all. But I do feel I should get the full replacement value and not something after deduction of a 'suppliers discount' that is not specifically mentioned in the policy wording.

Sorry if I'm prattling on a bit but have not long got off the phone to them and currently feel like I've been burgled all over again. I will start the complaints process tomorrow when i've calmed down.

Im sorry you have been broken into.

Why though should the insurance company have to pay more than they can to replace the item with a similar product just because you no longer want one?

Insurance is to put you back in the position you where in before the incident.

*Scarlett

I'd agree - if you have an inventory any insurance claim for theft is going to be much easier.

You would need to have proof of ownership for expensive items. You could take photos, record serial numbers and take a video around your home noting any special items - TVs, laptops, jewellery, etc.

So if there is a burglary and you have photos / video of your 5000 (exaggeration!) piece DVD collection the claim is more likely to be accepted. I don't think there is any need to record every DVD title on a list as such.

Make sure you keep the records securely on line or in a fireproof box.