How to Photograph Home Items
When filing an insurance claim, it's important to have documentation. Whether you've been robbed, or have had fire or flood damage, having a photographic record of your possessions can help ensure you're adequately compensated for your loss. The pictures of your home items can help document what you owned and its condition. Taking photographs of your home items can also help you determine whether you have enough insurance. Most insurance policies include a standard percentage of the home's value for coverage of household items. If your possessions are worth more than that standard amount, you will need to add on a rider to make sure you are adequately covered.
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Instructions
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Take pictures of each room from several angles, making sure to capture all walls and surfaces. These will give you a general overview of your possessions.
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Place individual items on a white blanket or sheet so that the details show up in the photographs. Use close-ups to capture details of expensive items. If an item is particularly valuable, take pictures from several different angles to make sure you've captured as more detail as possible.
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Photograph the insides of closets and pantries, so you can defend the amount of food and other everyday items that you usually have on hand.
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Make notes about each item in a notebook as you take the pictures. Assign each picture a number, and list the date of the photograph, a description of the item, and details such as purchase date and price, if available.
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Update the inventory periodically, discarding pictures of items you no longer own, and adding pictures of new purchases.
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Tips & Warnings
Work on one room at a time; the project may take several days. Use a film camera for very expensive items, as film images are less subject to manipulation and so are less likely to be challenged by insurance adjusters.
Store copies of the prints and the negatives, or a photo CD, in a safe deposit box, along with the notebook that contains the details about the items.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
