10 Surprising Things I Learned as an Inventory Contents Specialist

When I started working as an inventory contents specialist, I thought I understood how insurance claims worked. I quickly discovered I was wrong. The insurance claims process - particularly for contents - is filled with practices that shocked me and continue to surprise my clients. Here are ten things I've learned that might open your eyes to what really happens behind the scenes when you file a contents claim.

1. I think everyone is surprised to find out that when they have an insurance claim, the insurance company does not cut them a check for their contents coverage. Instead, the insured has to make a list of their items to submit and then fight tooth and nail to be paid their maximum.
2. It's also surprising to see what some insurance companies expect to be on a homeowner's home contents list. Some companies ask for things like: Where originally purchased or acquired; Was item bought new or used; Original price. None of that really matters, since the main concern is today's replacement cost! It seems like another way to break you down so you quit.
3. I was surprised to see insurance companies get "creative" with your submitted list. They reprice and even change descriptions to lower what they pay you. How is that fair?
4. And if repricing items isn't enough, insurance companies then apply depreciation. While this is somewhat understandable, there is no industry standard, and I have seen some bigger companies apply 80-90% depreciation.
5. I was surprised to see the bigger companies be the most stingy with payouts.
6. It is surprising to see how terribly insurance companies treat THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS!!! Most of my clients were not treated fairly by the multi-million-dollar insurance company and had to fight to get fairly compensated.
7. It's shocking that the insurance companies have the upper hand. The laws and rules are in their favor. No wonder, as they have lobbyists making sure of that. Nothing is fair.
8. I was surprised to see that when it comes to paying out claims, insurance companies seem to purposely target individuals for mistreatment. I have seen this with the elderly and with people who were not native English speakers.
9. It's shocking how unprofessional many adjusters are. Countless times I have seen adjusters not respond to PAYING CUSTOMERS' phone calls, emails, or texts for weeks or months!
10. Perhaps most surprising is how the process often doesn't make sense. In the quest to "save" money and pay less, the insurance company often ends up paying more of YOUR contents money to clean items that should have been declared non-salvage. Insurance companies face lawsuits and appraisals (from public adjusters who represent the insured) and pay legal fees all because they did not want to pay their own customers a fair amount. I don't think I have ever seen such disregard for customers in any other industry.

These ten realities are why I'm so passionate about helping people navigate the contents claim process. You've paid your premiums faithfully, and you deserve fair treatment and full compensation. Understanding how the system works - and where insurance companies cut corners - is the first step to protecting yourself and maximizing your payout. The second step is to gain an advantage by using our home inventory software Home Contents List Pro to organize your belongings into an insurance company-formatted list. Don't let the insurance company take advantage of you during one of the most difficult times in your life!