Your Homeowner’s Insurance Checklist for Buying a New House
Congratulations on your new home! As you prepare to relocate, you’ll have dozens of tasks on your plate, such as changing your address with the post office and scheduling movers. It’s understandable that your homeowners insurance may not be the first thing on your mind
At Avner Gat Inc., we want to ensure that your transition is as seamless as possible. In order to do that, it’s important for you to take careful inventory of your possessions throughout the moving process. Moving presents a convenient opportunity to appraise and record the value of your belongings, as well as any appliances or furniture you might purchase for your new home. Creating this inventory can also give you peace of mind throughout your relocation, as many renters and homeowners insurance policies will help cover losses to your property during your move as well.
Today, we’re sharing our checklist for a homeowners insurance inventory! In the event of a loss to your home, an accurately completed checklist will expedite the claims process.
Tips for Completing the Checklist:
- Start small! A comprehensive inventory is a BIG task, and you don’t have to finish it all at once. Even an incomplete checklist can be valuable in an emergency.
- Make copies of important documents and photographs. Deeds, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and wills should be carefully recorded in your inventory. Consider keeping copies of these documents in a binder with your completed checklist.
- Don’t forget about seasonal items, tools, or boxes in storage, cabinets, and the attic.
- As you compile your information, consider saving receipts and taking photos or video of high-value items. You don’t have to be a professional photographer, and you can even use your cell-phone.
- When you’ve completed your checklist, place a copy in a safety deposit box or with a relative. If you can, it’s a good idea to store a digital copy in the cloud.
- Finally – don’t forget to share your inventory with your insurance provider. We suggest sharing the list with your agent or insurance broker to ensure that your policy offers sufficient content coverage.
As our checklist is quite lengthy, please use the following download links to access the list as either a Word document or a PDF.
Download Here!
Best of luck with your move, and congratulations on your new home!
Disclaimer: We’ve based our homeowners insurance inventory checklist on materials provided by the New York Department of Financial Services. Although we have made every attempt to create a comprehensive list, we cannot guarantee coverage and may not be held liable for denied or undervalued claims. It shall be the sole responsibility of the homeowner to obtain comprehensive coverage and furnish their insurance provider with all relevant inventory documentation prior to a covered loss.
