The Oklahoma Insurance Department is urging people to document their homes and belongings with photos and videos before a disaster strikes. It can make a critical difference when filing an insurance claim after a loss.
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As Oklahoma braces for additional storms this spring, Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready suggests that everyone, whether they rent or own, use their smartphone cameras to create a photo and video inventory of their home and belongings.
“Everyone’s got one of these, so the best thing that you can do immediately is to document with photos,” Mulready said.
Walking through your home or apartment and recording what you have is a simple step that could prove critical if you ever need to file an insurance claim.
“And really document exactly what is in your home,” Mulready said. Not just the big-ticket items like TVs and jewelry. Create a video inventory of everything you own.
Kathy Silva said the advice was something she hadn’t previously considered.
“I wasn’t really taught much of this stuff growing up, so it’s really neat to be able to learn about this and be able to take those precautions to make sure that my stuff is covered,” Silva said.
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Once you’ve taken photos and videos, the next step is to make sure they’re stored safely: in the cloud, on a flash drive, or on other media kept in a safe deposit box or another location away from your home. That way, if your home is destroyed, your documentation survives.
“If you don’t have that documentation stored in the cloud somewhere, it’s really difficult to really think through exactly what you had,” Mulready said.
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Experts recommend taking a few minutes now, before anything bad happens, to capture the images you hope you’ll never need. And whenever you acquire something new, document it as well.
It’s a habit that could prove invaluable if you ever have to prove what you owned to be fairly compensated for its loss.
After a storm loss, Oklahoma’s Insurance Department encourages anyone affected by storms to contact OID’s Consumer Assistance Division at 800-522-0071 or by visiting oid.ok.gov and to report all damage at damage.ok.gov
It also provides post-storm tips for victims:
- Access and document your damage. Take numerous photos or videos of the damage. Don’t throw anything away unless your insurance company tells you to.
- Make the necessary repairs to prevent further damage. Cover broken windows, holes, leaking roofs, and damaged walls. Do not have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement with them on the cost of appropriate repairs. Move undamaged items to a safe location when necessary to prevent theft or additional loss.
- Have your roof inspected by a trusted roofing contractor. If the damages are below or slightly over your deductible, you will want to pay for the repairs. If they exceed your deductible, turn the claim into your insurance carrier.
- Contact your insurance company or agent after you have an estimate for repairs. Ask what forms, documents, and information you need to provide to process your claim. Remember that replacement cost policies require the work to be completed within six months of the date of loss to receive the replacement cost payments that were withheld.
- Save all receipts. If you made repairs to your property, save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs that your insurance policy might cover.
- Ask about additional living expenses. If your home is damaged to the extent that it is unlivable, ask your insurance provider if you have coverage for living expenses incurred while repairs are being made.
Remember these tips when you’re dealing with contractors to avoid fraud:
- Always get more than one bid.
- Check references and phone numbers. The Better Business Bureau [links-2.govdelivery.com] collects contractor complaint information. You can contact the Construction Industries Board [links-2.govdelivery.com] to verify that the contractor holds a valid license to do business in the state and carries liability insurance.
- Don’t pay upfront, and don’t make your final payment until the job is complete.
- Avoid contractors who offer to waive your deductible or promise a rebate (It’s against the law!).
- Never sign a contract with blank spaces; always keep a copy for your records.
If you suspect contractor fraud, contact the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit at 833-681-1895.
You can find more information about preparing for storms and reviewing your insurance coverage at oid.ok.gov/GetReady [links-2.govdelivery.com].
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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