Personal Property Inventory List: “The Importance and how to create a Schedule of Property”

by barefootins | Dec 15, 2022 | Personal Insurance

Personal Property Inventory List: “The Importance and how to create a Schedule of Property”

Do you remember the serial number on the back of your TV? How about where and for how much money you bought your gaming computer? What about the details surrounding that magical day you asked your girlfriend to be your wife? What was the value of her engagement ring? The clarity of the diamond? Where it was purchased?

Even cherished memories of our purchases may fade. Without receipts or appraisals or perhaps even a list of your personal property, how do you track the details for your Florida Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance provider in the event of a loss?

But what happens if those beloved items are lost or damaged? When submitting a claim for personal property an insurance company can provide apps to curate a list at the time of your insurance loss, or you could go about it in your own way, pen and paper or an Excel doc as another option. There are many tools online to help you create a detailed list of personal or business property so that you aren’t left with nothing at the time of an insurance claim.

Once you’ve chosen how to log the information and create a schedule of your belongings, whether it is digitally or handwritten, you’ll want to organize it for functionality in the event of an insurance loss. From there you can further organize it into items by room, perhaps. An easy way to make sure everything is categorized in a familiar way is to determine how you’re organizing your personal property on the schedule. You can organize by value, or by type (electronics, jewelry, furniture, etc).

As you go from room to room, the details of the valuable items you will put on your list should be:

– What the item is, with its make, model, serial number and purchase price.

– Where you bought the item and what it cost. (Include receipt of copy of receipt)

– Warranty Information

– Photos of the item

What you choose to put on this list is up to you, you can be as detailed as listing everything, tables, chairs, curtains, TVs, picture frames, just list the high ticket items (Electronics, Jewelry, Art), items that are meaningful (Heirlooms) or a mixture of all the above.

If you created a digital list, print outs should exist to further back them up and they should be stored off-site, in a safety deposit box or perhaps a work filing cabinet or safe.

How about a video inventory of your belongings? That’s a very efficient way to log your personal property for your insurance company if you ever were to sustain a loss by theft or fire.

Doing walk throughs, getting close up of serial numbers and such is a great addition to your list! And of course, never forget photos of the items as well. Serial numbers and general photos to show the quality and condition of each item so that they are properly accounted for.

Once you’ve made your list you should make a copy of it, both physically and digitally, one should be store at home and then one off property in the event of a total loss: safety deposit box or a loved one’s house. It’s advised to go over and update personal property list every 6 months or, in Florida, at the onset of hurricane season on June 1st or immediately after the holidays when you’ve done some purging and purchased new belongings.

Navigating the waters of your property insurance in Florida can be a daunting task. While having a personal property inventory is one step of the process, it’s also helpful to have a trusted insurance advisor to discuss coverages, deductibles, sublimits and additional insurance products that can “fill your gaps” and make you whole in the event of an insurance loss.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to Barefoot Insurance Brokers of Titusville today for quotes and information to secure your Florida Home, your property inside and outside of your home and your Central Florida Business. Call us at 321-218-3880 or email allie@barefootins.com for more information today. Allie Horblitt is a licensed insurance agent in Florida with over 10 years of industry experience who would love to help you with your new Titusville, Mims, Cocoa, Viera, Melbourne and Cocoa Beach Homeowner’s Insurance.

Holiday Shopping & Comprehensive Insurance

by barefootins | Dec 6, 2022 | Personal Insurance

The winter holidays are here and our shopping has commenced! While gift shopping for your loved ones this winter season, your Insurance agent at Barefoot Insurance Brokers wants to make sure to take extra precautions to protect your valuables and yourself from all of the perils of the holiday season.

Some safety tips to keep in mind this holiday season are:

– Keep your shopping bags out of plain sight and in your trunk if possible. Take the “out of sight, out of mind” approach to protecting your holiday purchases and keep thieves from breaking into your car in crowded parking lots. Did you know that your comprehensive insurance on your Florida auto insurance policy doesn’t cover the cost of replacement for your side windows if broken, unless you exceed your deductible amount?

– Lock your vehicle. Locking your car can prevent unnecessary theft of your vehicle and it’s contents during the shopping rush. Many criminals will walk through rows of cars in shopping mall parking lots checking door handles to steal your belongings without forceful entry.

– Park your vehicle in well-lit areas. The more well-lit the parking lot is while shopping at night, the more you’d deter unwanted entrance in your vehicle or even people approaching you while you’re in public.

– Have your keys in hand when approaching your car. Many victims of theft aren’t paying attention to their surroundings. Your prospectus in a parking lot should be to enter your vehicle and safely pull away as quickly as possible and not to loiter around. You don’t want to attract any unnecessary attention when you exit a store alone with expensive merchandise.

When and if an incident does happen, it’s important to know that there are car insurance coverages that protect and help ease the financial burden of a loss. Comprehensive auto insurance coverage is an optional coverage on your Florida auto insurance policy that protects you against non-collision damage to your vehicle: theft, vandalism, glass (exceeding the deductible) and windshield damage, weather related damages and other acts of nature. Your comprehensive auto insurance can be included on your existing state required PIP and Property Damage Liability coverage and you likely carry this portion of physical damage coverage if you’re currently financing or leasing your vehicle. In the State of Florida when you have comprehensive insurance coverage and your windshield has a crack, your insurance will cover a replacement, unlike your side windows and rear windshield that may be subject to your deductible.

In the event of theft of your personal belongings or purchased merchandise from your vehicle, your existing renter’s insurance, Florida Condo Insurance or homeowner’s insurance could couple with the auto insurance company to provide financial relief. Comprehensive will cover components and features that are permanent in your car but not the merchandise.

Your major credit card company like Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover may also have sublimits within the user agreement that help to reimburse you for expenses or costs related to lost or stolen merchandise. If you’re a victim of a burglary related crime in Florida this holiday season, you may have several options available to recuperate the expenses related to your circumstance.

A licensed insurance broker with Barefoot Insurance Brokers of Florida can better help you understand what’s covered on your existing auto insurance as well as help you find more affordable and efficient insurance products. We recommend that you reach out to Julia Dourvetakis via call or text at 954-866-5723 this holiday season for helpful insurance insight, advice and quotes to protect you and your loved ones.

Julia Dourvetakis can service your property insurance needs across the State of Florida with a focus on the coastal regions of Central and South Florida including Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach and Indialantic Florida and an emphasis on high-risk regions in Palm Beach, Broward, Dade and Monroe Counties.

Covering You and Your Vessel from Stern to Bow

by barefootins | Apr 7, 2021 | Commercial Insurance, Marine Insurance, Personal Insurance

As the weather starts to warm up so do the outboards, inboards and all other marine watercraft propulsion units that had been winterized for our “cold” season. Florida boat owners know the drill and seek the thrill of that day the seasons begin to change and they get to put their vessel back into its natural environment, the water.

Before doing so there is always the proverbial checklist…dock lines accounted for, fenders, lifejackets, oil/fuel levels topped off, all pumps and wells in functioning order, electronics and navigational equipment turned on and inspected…and once everything is in ship shape the time has come to cast away and begin to enjoy life as a boat owner…or is it?

Ensuring that your boat is properly covered is often overlooked until the unexpected happens. Even if you carry coverage on your vessel, is it sufficient to cover your loss and protect you and your loved ones? What about all the new equipment you replaced in the “offseason” while the vessel was on the trailer or in storage…would that be covered in the event of a loss too?

These are all valid questions and concerns that many boatowners share, unfortunately. We here at Barefoot Insurance Brokers of Florida want to alleviate these worries and provide comprehensive coverage for you and your family, on or off the water. With Progressive’s Recreational Lines coverage, we can insure a vast array of vessels and personal watercraft throughout all of Florida!

With Progressive’s Boat/Personal Watercraft insurance, we can protect your vessel in the event physical damage occurs to it, other watercraft and/or other passengers as well as their resulting medical bills from more serious events. In addition to these more traditional coverages, Progressive offers a variety of additional coverages to protect your marine investments and your loved ones:

Total loss replacement: Your insurer will reimburse you or replace your boat at the original amount you bought it for — regardless of what it’s worth now.
Trailer trip interruption: Covers expenses for food, lodging, and transportation if your trailer or tow vehicle breaks down more than 100 miles from home.
Replacement for personal items: Typically covers the cost to replace fishing equipment or any other personal property lost or stolen from your boat.

Let us help take away the stress of worrying about the extent of your insurance coverage and focus on what matters most – your safety and making memories with family and friends out on the water!

Before you hook up your trailer, have your boat pulled off the rack n’ placed in the water or untie those lines at the dock, be sure to give Casey Carroll a call at 321-218-3880 or text to 321-307-7970 to quote your coverage today!

Wherever your next adventure on the water leads you, be certain that Barefoot Insurance Brokers and Progressive Insurance has you covered, from stern to bow.

Casey Carroll is a Florida Property & Casualty Insurance Broker with Barefoot Insurance Brokers located at 1011 S Hopkins Ave in Titusville, Florida. With a lifetime of experience on the water, Casey can help you insure your personal watercraft, yachts, and marine charters throughout the State of Florida. Casey can be contacted at casey@barefootins.com via email.