3 On Your Side: Home Inventory Apps
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's a sad fact of summer. This is the time of year when there are more home break-ins. A new study finds most people don't have a good record of what they own, and that can cause a problem when they file an insurance claim. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan takes a look at an easy way to make sure your property is protected.
When thieves broke into Katy Caliguiri's home, they went right for the good stuff. She says, "They went into my bedroom, and they took a couple of expensive purses, and jewelry, unfortunately every single piece of jewelry that I own." A year later, Caliguri is wondering if she remembered to report everything that was stolen. She says, "The uncertainty that then comes along with walking in room by room and being like huh, what was taken from here, you know, what else happened , you know, what is next, what am I going to find , and it just adds to that extreme vulnerability."
Caliguri didn't have a detailed list of all the items in her home. In fact most homeowners don't. According to a new study, fewer than 1 in 5 Americans has a list of their belongings, and a third are unsure of the value of what they own. That's why a digital inventory can help. There a number of apps out there to log your possessions.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers a free one called MyHome Scr.app. Book. Allstate has app called Digital Locker that's offered to anyone who takes the time to create a free account. While Liberty Mutual has an app called Home Gallery. It's free to all renters and homeowners, not just Liberty Mutual customers. Cassie Turner of Liberty Mutual says, "it is very important to take an inventory of your belongings."
Most of the apps allow you to snap a photo of everything you own, and add a brief description like how much you paid, and when you bought it. Some allow you to add receipts.
Caliguiri wishes she had done a better job of documenting everything in her home. she says, "I think it would have given me a sense of safety afterwards knowing exactly what was gone, rather than the continually guessing and wondering."
For more information, visit:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myhome-scr.app.book/id414273863?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/allstate-digital-locker/id330304485?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/liberty-mutual-home-gallery/id486920804?mt=8