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Northeastern Hurricanes On The Horizon: Saturday's New York Times had a story about hurricane preparedness that I want you to see . The paper reminds you that, while it has been a long time since the Northeastern US has suffered a significant hurricane, the potential exists during every hurricane season, and the time to prepare against loss is now. Home Inventory is, of course, a part of the solution. A home inventory will help ensure that you have purchased enough insurance to replace your personal possessions. It can also speed the claims process and substantiate losses for income tax purposes. A detailed home inventory is also helpful should you need to apply for disaster aid. You may live in a place that is safe from hurricane damage. (Tennessee remains unscathed! Tornadoes are another story.) However, regardless of where you live, your risk of loss exists. It may come through natural causes like tornado, hurricane, or lightning. It could come through man-made causes l...

Support From Across The Pond: The Guardian newspaper has some tips for saving money on your insurance bills that extend to American audiences, and home inventory is a suggested method for determining your coverage need. Hear that steady drumbeat off in the distance? That's the third parties telling you that you need my service! Thump, thump, thump. Here's what the Guardian has to say about our favorite topic: Don't go for policies that offer "unlimited" contents cover - unless you have lots of expensive items at home - as you will probably pay over the odds for your insurance. It is better to get the cover you need. "It's a good idea to make an inventory of all your belongings , then add a little extra for items you may have missed," says Scott Mowbray, of Virgin Money . [emphasis added] Mississippi Recovering Slowly but Surely: The Mississippi Gulf Coast is getting back to its pre-Katrina form, but the process is a slow-go. So says the Ced...

Good Insurance News? No Way! Texas officials reviewing claims data from the two recent hurricanes says that a surprisingly small number of justifiable complaints were filed, less than one quarter of one percent! Way to go, Texas insurance industry! Claims Journal has the story . "There will always be complaints arising from any storm damage. When you are dealing with a lot of money in a catastrophic situation, it can be difficult for all of the parties to be completely satisfied with the claim settlement," said [Texas Insurance Council Chair Dorothy] Langley. "But these low numbers on complaints coming from both Ike and Dolly are remarkable considering the volume and severity of the claims. It shows the industry has worked hard and been successful in putting their policyholders back on their feet in difficult circumstances." It's refreshing to see some good insurance news for a change. The industry needs all the help it can get these days. "Deaccessio...

The Northeast Needs To Get Prepared: The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency ( MEMA ) recently published guidelines for personal disaster preparedness . As you may know, the Atlantic Hurricane Season runs June 1st to November 30th, and residents of coastal states need to spend some time attending to these tasks in anticipation of storms that will threaten New England this season. Excerpt: Make a record of your personal property. Keep an itemized list of your furniture, clothing and valuables to assist adjusters in case of a claim. Back it up with photographs or video. I know I sound like a broken record regarding home inventory . Crack, pop, hiss. No apologies made. The High Price of Dog Ownership Just Got Higher: I know, I know. Dogs are adorable and bring great joy to our lives. I know that the companionship they offer is without peer. I know that the world is a better place because of our domesticated dogs. Our dog Lucy is a lovable mutt and my family thinks the w...