Document What You Own
If your home were damaged in a fire, flood, or burglary tomorrow, could you produce a complete list of what you owned? Most people cannot — and that gap costs them real money when it is time to file an insurance claim. Adjusters pay claims based on documentation. Without it, the process is slower, more stressful, and often results in smaller payouts.
What to Photograph
Start with high-value items: jewelry, watches, electronics, cameras, musical instruments, power tools, collectibles, artwork, and furniture. For each item, take two or three clear photos — one from a distance that shows the whole piece, and one close-up of any serial number, model number, or identifying marking.
For jewelry, capture it laid out flat with good lighting. For electronics, photograph the serial number label, which is usually on the back or bottom of the device. For collectibles or artwork, photograph any signatures, edition numbers, or certificates of authenticity alongside the piece itself.
A photo without a serial number is helpful. A photo with a serial number is documentation an insurance adjuster can actually work with.
Where to Store the Photos
The photos need to be stored somewhere that survives a home disaster — not just on your phone or a hard drive in the same house. Upload them to a cloud account (Google Photos, iCloud, or Amazon Photos all work), copy them to a flash drive you keep at a trusted family member's home, or email them to yourself so they live in your email account.
Keep a Simple Written List Too
Alongside the photos, keep a short written log: item name, estimated value or purchase price, purchase date if you remember it, and where you bought it. Receipts help, but they are not required — photos and a written description are enough to support most claims.
Spend one hour this weekend walking through your home with your phone camera. It is the kind of task most people delay for years and then wish they had done sooner.
With care,
Mike Bridges
Founder, The O55 Report