A disturbing trend has occurred in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. Crime is on the rise and doesn’t appear to be going down anytime soon. The increase in crime, paired with police officer shortages, means that increased crime rates are a new reality in our daily lives. While we are an insurance company and don’t think it is appropriate to explore the sociological reasons why, the new reality has a direct impact on you and your insurance.
Home burglary rates have soared since 2020. According to official data, the notable increase is primarily in urban areas but extends to suburban areas like Central Georgia as well. While the bad guys aren’t usually there to physically harm anyone, they are well-equipped to steal any item of value from your home.
If a home burglary occurs, it is extremely important to have an inventory list of the valuable items stolen. This includes jewelry, laptops, phones, watches, tablets, family heirlooms, or anything else of physical value. But that’s not all.
Your insurance company looking to replace your item will want to know details you may have not considered, such as.
Item description including the brand name, model, and serial number
What room it’s located in
Original cost of the item
Year you purchased the item
Quantity
Where the items were purchased
While a spreadsheet may be the simplest way of doing this, consider taking a picture or video of each of the most valuable items. Since new items of value are added periodically throughout the year, the most effective way to stay current is to do an annual inventory and clean up your list of valuables.
Home burglaries are traumatizing enough. Being prepared with a list of valuables is an easy way to stay prepared in case the worst-case scenario occurs. It also provides your insurance company with the right tools they need to expedite your claim to ensure you are compensated in the quickest way possible.
At Roland, Abbott, & DeZoort, our team works with families just like yours to make sure they have the right homeowners insurance that ensures they are properly protected. If you are not a customer of ours, give us a call and experience the difference at Roland, Abbott, & DeZoort Insurance.