Below is an excerpt of the interview with Dave Anderson "Famous Dave" himself. It was published in the Sawyer County Record newspaper. When I read it, the light just went on that I needed to get serious about offering this critical service. The loss itself is in a league of its own to be sure, but when I think about the extra time and resources that are having to go into finding photos and remembering what may or may not have been in there, it overwhelms me. Adding insult to injury, the wait for financial reimbursement! What if you have payments due? Now imagine if this terrible loss was your personal home? Having a dated copy and full photographs of what you had would go a long way towards easing a difficult time.
 
 
 
Employees have begun working for weeks documenting the kitchen and antique inventory of the former restaurant for insurance claims. "We still have to resolve working with the insurance company and adjuster," he said. "It has been a monumental task to put a list together of all antiques that were in this restaurant because it literally was a treasure trove of antiques that, unfortunately, most can never be replaced. I spent years traveling the Northwoods trying to find things that were representative or antiques that were representative of the Northwoods life." To help with the antique inventory, an email blast went out to patrons to submit photos of the restaurant interior for documentation; several hundred have been received. "A restaurant this size is not an easy task to inventory," he said of the former 10,000 square foot restaurant.
 
 

Thank you for considering hiring me to conduct a home inventory for your valued belongings. This is an important but often overlooked organizational detail that can be very beneficial for several reasons:

  • Fire, Wind, Water
  • Theft
  • Divorce
  • Estate Planning (deceased, Hospice)
  • Tax Planning
  • Real estate transactions
  • Selling or starting a business
  • Combining households
  • Tenant/Landlord situations

 

Any one of these events can cause emotional anxiety. Insurance claims are likely to be quickly resolved once you present your insurance company with your fully detailed copy of your property contents. 

It's a very straightforward process from start to finish and will be one of the best decisions you make.

 

I had considered adding this service to my existing business for some time. I'd spent many hours thinking about the best way to set up an efficient, thorough process. Recent events, such as a devastating, fast-moving forest fire near my home which destroyed 17 homes and the November 3, 2014 fire which resulted in the total loss of the Original Famous Dave's Restaurant located here where I live prompted me to make that final decision. There are just far too many variables that can affect our material possessions and, although we cannot prevent some of these things, we can be better prepared.

 

Your homeowners insurance provides coverage for the contents of your home, up to the limit you selected with your insurance agent. In the event of a covered loss, you would be expected to provide a list of all of your personal property that was damaged or stolen, along with its estimated value and age at the time of loss.  You need to be able to substantiate ownership. 

A 2008 survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) found that 48 percent of U.S. consumers did not have a list of their possessions. It is documented by insurance carriers that without a list and photographs of your personal property, you will remember approximately 60% of what you actually own. Some insurance carriers now rely on outside companies to assist their clients in documenting what was lost. This is a lengthy process as they need to go from memory and it will significantly reduce claims processing leaving you without reimbursement in an already stressful situation. A small investment now could yield invaluable results in the future.

Who Uses a Home Inventory?

  • Insurance Companies
  • Attorneys - Estate and Divorce
  • Bankers
  • Police
  • Real estate agents