Proof of Purchase

Back in the day when I was the Highlands Ranch area coordinator for neighborhood watch with Douglas County Sheriff (I think I stopped when Highlands Ranch got to 10,000 homes), this was one of the biggest issues for people recovering their goods. You need to be ready and it is pretty simple, but read this first:

People who experience a property loss are usually asked by their insurance company for proof of purchase which can come in the form of a receipt or current inventory of their personal belongings.

Even the most organized people might find it challenging to find receipts for all the valuables in their home. If the inventory isn’t up-to-date, a homeowner might forget to add some items to the claim and may not recognize the omission for long after the claim is settled.

The inventory can serve as a guide to make sure a homeowner gets compensated for all the loss.

Photographs and videos can be adequate proof that the items belonged to the insured. A series of pictures of the different rooms, closets, cabinets and drawers are helpful. When video is used, consider commenting as it is shot and be sure to go slow enough and close enough to things becoming recorded.

For your convenience, download a Home Inventory, complete it, and save a copy off premise. Good places for your inventory could be a safety deposit box or digitally, in the cloud if you have server-based storage available like Dropbox.

Take out your camera phone and walk the house and note the special things on the video.Then save it to a safe place, and delete it from the phone...don't give the bad guys a shopping list! If you want a printed blank inventory, just reach out to pete@DenverRelocation.com and I will get one to you. If you want to be part of Neighborhood Watch or want to start one, call your local law enforcement agency and ask for the community relations officer.