On the other hand, I am reminded of the rule with certain carriers that you never leave an inventory sheet with the insured to fill out (for obvious reasons).

It all comes down I think to aggressive v. relatively passive/reactive claims handling. Again, the latter is not necessarily a bad idea--at least not if you are representing a high-priced carrier with an emphasis on service.

But if your goal is to bring the claim payment as closely in line with the actual loss as possible, you don't want to use the "leave an inventory sheet with the insured" approach. It is like a blank check.

I will give a real-life example:

I handled a less-than-total fire loss in rural Northern California involving a small residence in which the owner (a retired widow) died in the fire. She died of heat and/or smoke inhalation, perhaps coupled with an independent medical problem (heart attack?).

I met with one of her male adult children a week or so after the fire/death.

I inventoried the loss by walking through the rooms with a tape recorder, opening bureau/closet doors, and dictating a description of the contents. I had the tape transcribed at the office. I sent a copy to the insured survivor/agent.

Subsequently, I got a number of calls from either the agent or the heirs, complaining about the tight inventory I had created. It became clear that they would have liked to go much further into the contents limits than they were able to go after I had done the taped inventory.

But they were stuck with the actual eyeball inventory and contemporaneous tape documentatation. The loss settled on the basis of my inventory.

Complaints I heard were that the adult son that accompanied me on the walk-through was still in a state of grief when he met me (suggesting that this somehow reduced his claim).

But of course his state of grief had nothing to do with, need I repeat, the actual eyeball inventory. They just couldn't overcome it.

So the insured's heirs were left to complain about the cruel unfeeling carrier adjuster, but when you thought about it, their complaint boiled down to "we weren't allowed to inflate the inventory."

E Brooks

"Now if a carrier wants a physical inventory completed by me, I will kindly do and bill accordingly. "

This is where IA and staff work tend to part ways. The staff employer who is paying a fixed salary has everything to gain (assuming overtime is not an issue), by setting "file standards" that include all sorts of heroic efforts by the adjuster on every file. This, along with a high volume of claims (determined by the carrier’s intentional understaffing), is why as a staff adjuster I never had a hour to spare.

My boss had a similar idea.  He wants to purchase a camcorder to do the same thing.  The problem is that corporate doesn't want to spend $500 even though it would likely save us $10,000 a year or more.  Go figure.

I always did my own walk thrus and also recorded the contents loss with the insured present. However, there were times when I left an inventory for unusual circumstances, like the avid book reader who had rwo rooms full of books (like my wife). But overall, I prefer to do my own inspections.

Depending on the size of the loss, I may leave inventory forms with an Insured with instructions on how to complete them ... and also with the understanding that I will return to the loss site and go over the list with them as I photo each individual item. I also make it clear that nothing is to be disposed of prior to that time. Then I can photograph the items in a systematic order and cross-reference with their list.

Kevin Hromas - JD,EGA,RPA,PLCS,WIND Umpire
Houston, TX

www.KevinHromas.com

I provide the insureds  with an excel spread sheet for contents to enter items and the necessary and required rows for area, date purchased, where purchased and replacement or repair cost.

William S Cook Public Adjuster Licensed PA in several states

Digitory ... (My name is Kevin Hromas ... not lkhromas ... and I sign every post I make.)

Kevin Hromas - JD,EGA,RPA,PLCS,WIND Umpire
Houston, TX

www.KevinHromas.com