Insurance photos

[cjac]

Hey all,

Lot of $$ coin $$ tied up in muskie gear for sure...

I had the unfortunate situation of a visitor to my vehicles that also resulted in gained access to my garage last week.

It's a really good idea to keep a photo record, along with receipts, of all the gear that you have. Case in point, had this box been swiped, at least I'd have a leg to stand on in making an insurance claim.

I posted a pic in a prior post of some "stuff" as an example, and didn't want that to be seen as boasting, which in turn led to my posting of this "Public Service Announcement".

Take the time to document your goods and keep receipts. That said, I hope this post isn't of use to anyone as a result of wrong doings by others, but if helps anyone on the unfortunate end of a raw deal...then it served it's purpose.

[Esox_Magnum]

Good point Chris, my company doesn't require photos and have yet to question the amount my gears insured for. However I may do this just for piece of mind.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dude, I hate thieves... Sorry to hear about your Loss Cjac!!! That flat out sucks..

I go a step farther than you.. I invite my insurance agent over and have him take picts.. LOL

[10,000 Casts]

Pics are always a good idea for anything when it comes to insurance. When you have 100's of baits valued between $14-$40, you have $4k+ of baits not to mention rods, reels and accessories..

Make sure you have replacement cost on your personal property not actual cash value..

Also, this is why you should have a good repitable insurance company and not a dirt cheap company that saves you $100 a year. There is a difference when it comes to claims...

Go to insurance.freeadvice.com and review your company if you want to know how they pay claims..

Also Cjac, get you agent involved right away and don't settle for less $$$ from the adjuster if you think they are worth more, the key is to have the agent talk to the adjuster before he comes up with a final amount because I can tell you from alot of experience that Adjusters do not like it when it looks like they are being strong armed... So have your $$$ ready before the adjuster gets involved and tell your agent what you expect... That way the adjuster can make an easy desecion.

Another thing is that you will want to see if you have a claims free discount currently on your policy because you will lose that and that might cost you $200+ for the next 3-5 years. And ask if your company has a claim surcharge and what the thresholds are. I see some companies are cancling people for 2 small claims in 3 years..

[MuskieJunkie]

Good point Chris, my company doesn't require photos and have yet to question the amount my gears insured for. However I may do this just for piece of mind.

They might not require them to set up the policy but in the event of a claim they will make everyone's life easier.

I did this a few years ago but I probably should do it again. When listing everything out a spreadsheet with the cost of each item the trick is don't let your wife see the TOTAL AMOUNT at the bottom.

[Esox_Magnum]

I can't hide the cost, she fishes to so knows what they cost.

[harvey lee]

I have all of my fishing gear on video. I could never even remember all the crankbaits along.

[bassmann77]

I just did this for all of my gear this winter. It took awhile, but I had my tackle box stolen from my car's trunk and it was a pain to remember what was all in there. The worst part was after putting everything down on a spreadsheet with the replacement cost was how much I have spent over the years on gear That was a real eye opener

[Fish Head]

Here is what I advise my clients- It's a good idea to take a few minutes on a weekend and go through your house and garage with a camera or camcorder and record what you have. I like the idea of a video so you can narrate.

If you want to take the time to put it on a spreadsheet... great, but personally I would never invest the time to do that.

Insurance companies are not going to require photos. Unless you're claiming that you had a Rembrandt or something of very high value that’s out of the ordinary, they won’t require photos. It sure won't hurt to have photos, but your claim won't be denied because you don't have them. However, you will need to furnish the insurance company with a list of what you lost. It's very easy to forget some of these items while you’re sitting in a hotel room because your house just burned down. If you don't list something, you don’t get paid for it. However, if you have photos or video, you can create a list fairly easily. It's to help you create a list, not to prove it to the insurance company.

Also- 10,000 casts makes a good point. Talk to your agent first and see how this will affect your rates and eligibility. A good agent will help you decide what’s best for you.

I actually have some of my fishing gear insured separately as a rider on my boat policy with only a $50 deductible. That way it doesn’t affect the rates or eligibility of my homeowner’s policy and as I mentioned, I have a very small deductible.