4 Home Security Upgrades that Can Help with Insurance Claims Later
Nobody wants to think about break-ins, storm damage, or that weird moment when something goes missing, and the stomach just drops. But those things do happen; you can boost security in your home, but it still doesn’t take away the fact that things could still happen, though. But that’s not the point here; the point is general protection. So, when something does happen, the difference between a smooth insurance claim and a total headache usually comes down to one thing: proof. Which, yes, is obvious.
Dealing with insurance is a nightmare, they’lre in the business to make money, not lose it, hence why it’s harder than pulling teeth to get claims approved. While yes, you should try and do what you can to tighten the security of your home, you also need to get into the mindset ot “what can I do to make this easier, to show what’s happened and how we tried to prevent it?”
Start with a Quick Home Inventory
Yeah, this sounds like homework, but it’s the kind that pays off. So, just having a simple home inventory is basically a record of what’s in the house, with photos and notes, so it’s not a scramble after the fact. It really is as easy as just doing a walk-through of each room and taking quick pictures, opening drawers, getting the closet shelves, grab model numbers when it’s easy. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to exist.
Be Sure to Save Receipts and Serial Numbers
While sure, receipts are annoying, it’s just one of those adult things you’re technically supposed to be keeping anyway, well, with the larger purchases at least. So, if a claim ever needs item values, purchase dates, or proof of ownership, receipts do a lot of heavy lifting. Actually, the same goes for serial numbers on electronics (usually needed in case these are stolen since they’re more trackable), bikes, and tools. Yeah, it’s not fun or anything, but it keeps things clear.
Usually, just a simple system helps, like a folder in email, a cloud drive folder, or a notes app file where photos of receipts live. There’s plenty of apps where you can take pictures of these receipts too, and they “scan” them for you.
Use Photos for Any Upgrade that Improves Security
While this might sound weird, it’s honestly really smart. So, home upgrades are easy to forget once they’re done. There’s the fun new locks, maybe it’s reinforced doors, updated exterior lighting, cameras, better fencing, upgraded windows, it all becomes the new normal. It’s a great normal too if you think about it. But you do ideally need to do before and after pictures of these in case anything happens, like a break-in.
But why? Well, think about it, it gives a clean timeline, shows what was installed, and makes it easier to prove the home had security measures in place. Like for window upgrades, for example, something like security windows for homes, businesses, schools, and more can be photographed and documented like any other improvement, with installation paperwork saved in the same place as receipts.
Make Camera Footage Actually Useful
Cameras can help, but only if they’re set up like someone actually wants to use them. Some people are guilty of having them installed, but they’re not functioning (if that makes sense). So, you need to just make sure the date and time are correct, the view covers entry points, and footage is stored in a way that can be pulled later. If footage deletes after a short period, that’s fine, but it means downloading clips quickly matters; therefore, you need space for that.
Also, it helps to place cameras so faces and license plates are more likely to be visible, not just a blurry shot of a hoodie walking away. And obviously, lighting matters here too, because dark footage isn’t doing anyone any favors. And it can be a good idea to have multiple cameras. For example, a lot of people use the Ring camera, so they have the doorbell, another by the driveway, and another in the backyard.