Photos for insurance.. just watches?

[$nake eye$]

Just curious as to weather people have pictures of valuable posessions for insurance reasons? I was thinking it might be an idea to take pictures of my Tv, watches, etc (anything valuable) including some ID in the picture, perhaps a driving lisence. Does anyone else have this? Would make things easier to claim though insurance if a fire / burglary occured (the memory stick would have to be hidden/elsewhere!!)

[Seb d]

I've had this thought numerous times and made a half-hearted attempt at taking photos of my stuff but there's an awful lot of it. I have photos of my watches anyway for posting up on forums but someone suggested taking pictures with each watch on your wrist and next to your face to show that it's yours.

[phumy]

It depends on a few things, what does your policy stipulate?, does it have a maximum single item pay-out?

I have had valuations done for jewelry and watches in the house by my local jeweler and have sent all the relevant info, inc pictures (taken by the jeweler) and a valuation for each item, to the insurance company. Im sure it would help in any claim for loss or damage.

Its not cheap to get valuations done, some jewelers work on a percentage of the value, others take a fixed cost for the first item then a reduced one for all others, which works out cheap, in my case it did anyway. I think it was 40 pounds for the first item, 25 for the second then 10 for every other piece. this will include a full professional valuation including photographs. It certainly helps for piece of mind.

To actually send the insurance company a fuzzy photo of your watch or jewelery with a price tag attached means nothing to them.

[redchina]

I use a video, you can zoom in on the serial number etc if need be.
its much easier that photographing everything, and you can update every 6 months or so and store offsite very easily.

(even borrow a camera, if you dont have one)

also, claiming is easy with this method, pretty undeniable really if everything is in situ in one take.

just an alternative...

[phumy]

redchina said:

I use a video, you can zoom in on the serial number etc if need be.
its much easier that photographing everything, and you can update every 6 months or so and store offsite very easily.

(even borrow a camera, if you dont have one)

also, claiming is easy with this method, pretty undeniable really if everything is in situ in one take.

just an alternative...

Does the insurance company hold a copy of the video? I had to send copies of all my valuations to my insurance company and i keep the originals.

[redchina]

nope, they do not have a copy, i guess that you can always ask them to check.

i am in Oz so the rules may be different to the UK.

[Maxf]

I've got everything of remote value photographed and kept on a disk stored at work.

Part of the logic was to 'prove' to the insurance I owned these items if I ever had to claim (some of the claim list might appear to be slightly 'jackanory' if I ever had to claim for everything). The other part of my logic was for me to be able to document everything I have with ease incase I was ever burgled.

I've got pretty good insurance, so no need for formal valuations.