Whether you live in an area that is prone to flooding or natural disasters such as tornadoes or even in an area that seems to be safe, recording the contents of your home on video is an important thing to do for insurance purposes. Having your home and belongings on video allows you to be able to show an insurance company exactly what was lost. If you are ever burglarized, it is a good tool for the police to view as they are looking for the burglars and lost property.

You don't have to have a fancy video camera to do the taping. However, it is important that you have the ability to zoom in on things and that you can narrate while taping so that you can talk about what is on the tape and explain the significance of important pieces of furniture or art work.

Go from room to room in your house and video everything from furniture to accessories to wall hangings. Open closets and video things that you have stored away. You want to make sure that all of your belongings are caught on tape as some insurance companies may not cover any items that are not documented.

Once you have taken a video of your home inside and out, make copies of the video. It is a good idea to store them in a safety deposit box at the bank and in a fireproof safe in your home. It is also good to send a copy of the tape to a family member or friend that lives in another city. This way if your whole town is affected by a hurricane the video of your home and belongings is kept safe.

In addition to documenting on video, it is a good idea to keep a written record complete with receipts for your more valuable items. If you own a lot of expensive jewelry, you might want to consider having a rider put on your insurance to recover the full worth of any lost jewelry. Check with your insurance company about other riders that would be beneficial to you.

It only takes a couple of hours to do a thorough video of your home and its contents, yet many people put it off until it is too late. Don't hesitate. Document your possessions now so that if you ever are faced with the loss of your home or belongings you will be able to present it to your insurance agency to help your claims go smoother.