In a note from Sean Scott, author of the Red Guide on Recovery, he describes a new tool he created. And it available at no cost to likely users.
When a home is destroyed by a disaster, it can be extremely difficult for a homeowner to remember the details of the fixtures, finishes, and features that existed inside their home. For insurance claim purposes, an adjuster needs to know specific details of how the home was constructed, the type and quality of materials used, and the replacement costs in order to create an accurate estimate of replacement values. Without this information, a homeowner may not get compensated for the like-kind and quality of the elements that the home once had.
In an effort to help homeowners expedite the insurance claim process and maximize their recovery, a tool is now available called the Dwelling Inventory of Features and Fixtures.
This is why it is so important for a homeowner who has suffered a property loss to provide this level of detail to their adjuster so they can maximize their insurance recovery to avoid getting short-changed. If the adjuster doesn’t have the time or experience to create a thorough and accurate estimate, the homeowner stands to potentially lose thousands of dollars in replacement value and/or possibly not be able to rebuild. This is one example of how a disaster survivor can become a disaster victim if they don’t know what to do or how to get the full benefits of their insurance policy.
Thanks Tom. I have forwarded your comment to Sean.
The list Sean has created in an xls doc is so vast, not insurance adjuster would use it. Estimates are not as detailed as he suggests. Time would not allow such scrutiny.