Will this little piggy stay home?

Eric Deckers, who writes a blog of fun and funny posts that make you smile, shake your head in disbelief and even laugh out loud, tells the story of a man arrested for having an ornamental stone pig in his yard. Seems the person objecting was his next door neighbor who is a police officer.

I wonder if he has the pig listed on an inventory, because I'm guessing that if this dispute isn't settled amicably, it will disappear soon. If he'll pay for the travel costs, we'll be happy to fly to England and document the pig, all of his other lawn ornaments and even the contents of his house as well - just in case it - and anything else that offends others - comes up missing.

You don't see value or a need to document a pig? You work hard to "bring home the bacon" so everything you own has value - and will cost you when/if you need to replace it.

Are you serious? Ten of billions of dollars?

Tens of billions of dollars ... I'll be that got your attention! Do you have an inventory of the contents of your home and/or business? If you suffered a fire, theft, tornado or other disaster, what would you do? Could you remember all your belongings?

Insurance companies require a list and often proof before they will settle your claim. A recent article from P&C National Underwriter discussed the issue of insurance fraud. In part, the article states "... fraud losses continue costing property-casualty insurers tens of billions of dollars each year. By any measure, this price tag is an unacceptable drain on insurer profits and stockholder value. The sad fact is that the fraudsters are making more profits off insurance than insurers do. Even in their best years, the combined profit of the industry is less than the estimated annual price tag of insurance fraud."

What does that tell you? It tells me that insurance companies are going to be more serious, as these numbers grow, about requiring proof of ownership when people claim a loss. It makes sense to me, because this fraud hurts all of us.

Consider what you own. Consider the potential loss. Having this information is as important as having insurance, and the investment to ensure a maximized claim is pennies on the dollar!

How about you? Do you have an inventory? If not, why?

Too many losses

I met someone who found me on the Internet when she was searching for insurance information. Her story is this: She suffered the loss of both parents last year within a couple months of each other. Living on the East Coast, she traveled to California often during the year due to their illnesses and of course the funerals. When beginning to work on settling their estate, she arrived in California to find that her parents' empty home had been burglarized.

As with any other loss, the insurance company requested an itemized list of everything stolen, date purchased and cost. Of course, she struggled since she didn't live there and now had little-to-nothing to trigger her memory of items that were missing. Doing the best she could, she submitted her insurance claim a few months later. The next conversation included the word "proof" that each of the items listed were, indeed, owned by her parents.

Yes, you guessed it, they didn't have an inventory of their belongings. My new friend had to accept - in her words - an unacceptable settlement. Her loss was in the high 10s of thousands of dollars!

The loss of her parents was devastating enough. But to go through the emotional process of finding she would face a financial loss, too - very sad considering an inventory would have made this much easier and result in a higher insurance settlement. Her words to me at the end of our first of many telephone conversations: "Where were you a couple years ago when I could have learned about needing an inventory? No one ever told me I'd need one. People need to know this before it's too late!"

I agree, and I'm doing my best to let each of you know. Hopefully you'll decide now to create your own inventory or purchase a professional service to do it for you.

Wish I had been one

This is Work At Home Mom's Week. I think back over the years when my sons were home, and wish I had been a work at home mom. Back then (over 30 years ago), there was rarely - if ever - a mom who worked at home.

Of course, we all worked at home, but didn't get paid for the cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc. The women today have so many opportunities my generation did not have. Heck, for many years, you weren't even supposed to work at all (you know, the barefoot and pregnant thing). I'm happy to see the changes that have happened since then.

I'm also happy to be a part of that change. When Mike and I started our inventory service business, we wanted it to be home-based. And now, by creating our turnkey package, we are providing an opportunity for others to start and grow a flexible, work-at-home (mom or dad) business.

I wonder how many had an inventory of their belongings

Destroyed homes, evacuated residents, damaged homes, injured firefighters and acres and acres destroyed! That's a summary of the Santa Barbara wildfire. Though it hasn't been front page news recently, those in California are certainly aware it has still been going on. An article in the Insurance Journal gives the final statistics.

I wonder how many of those homeowners had an inventory of their belongings. I wonder if they realize that the cost of an inventory service is typically less than what you'd pay for a TV or a set of golf clubs. I wonder, after this awful loss, how many people will now create an inventory of their belongings.

I wonder ... Who woulda thought that a spark from a power tool could create such destruction?

Janis Joplin had it wrong

Freedom is a word used often in our daily life. And we are hearing it more as we we approach Memorial Day. When I think of the freedoms I have as an American citizen, it points out very strongly how wrong – totally wrong – the words in the song “Me and Bobby McGee” are. For those of you a little younger than me, the song states … Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.

Freedom represents everything we have to GAIN. Freedom is what our dedicated heroes who have served over the years have given to each one of us. Freedom is what each of the men and women currently in every branch of the service are giving us. It's a precious gift. If we don’t keep it, we’ve lost the backbone, the foundation, the core of our country. In honor to each of you, present and past, I say THANK YOU!

Striking statistics

Can you imagine watching your house or business burn as a result of a summer storm? We have 4 customers who purchased our inventory service after a lightning strike because they were lucky and only lost electronics. But it was enough to show the reality of what could have been.

Though we are still in tornado season here in the Midwest, 'lightning season' is from June through August.

According to a U.S. Fire Administration report:

• there are 17,400 fires annually caused by lightning
• the result is $138 million in property damage
• 51% cause damage to the outdoors
• 41% cause damage to structures

This video from Wish TV8 discusses the large increase in the number of house fires due to lightning strikes here in the Indianapolis area.

Take the time to document the contents of your business and/or your home (don't forget the garage and any out buildings on your property). If you don't have the time or just don't want to bother doing it yourself, consider that a professionally documented report will most likely cost less than your television - and that cost can help you recover tens of thousands of dollars!

If it happens again, I'll be ready

As we look forward to Memorial Day later this month, we want to take this opportunity to thank all the men and women who are serving or who have served our country. It's an honor to introduce you to one of our customers. Jim served as a United States Marine from 2000-2004, being stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, and Quantico, Virginia. He was honorably discharged after attaining the rank of Sergeant. Here is Jim's story...

After a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with family, my fiancé and I returned home to prepare for the return to work. Nothing was unusual as we unpacked and started making to-do lists for the upcoming week. I stayed up a little later than she did that night, but finally let my head hit the pillow about 2 a.m.

3.5 hours later… it happened. My fiancé quietly woke me up saying, “Jim, there’s someone in the house.” I assured her it was just the wind, as I had heard it while I was still up. She replied, “No, I heard their cell phone go off.” Again, I told her I had left mine in the office, and it had to be mine. At that point she got upset with me and said, “NO! There is someone in the house!”

Not having a weapon of any kind, not even a baseball bat for protection, I shut the bedroom door and called 911. Fortunately they were VERY responsive and arrived with minutes. Unfortunately, I had waited too long to call, and the robbers had already made off with some of our possessions. The police tried to take finger prints, but nothing came of it. They found the point of entry and the tools used to gain access, but there was no chance of catching the guys who stole our most valuable asset… peace of mind.

While I knew that all of the material possessions they took could be replaced, the fact that someone was in my house, while I was in bed, just doesn’t sit well with me. After the initial shock waned, it was time to account for what was missing.

Telling the insurance company what was stolen wasn’t that hard, but proving it was another issue! If it were to happen again, and let’s hope it doesn’t, I’ll be ready. Equipped with a home security system as well as a home inventory from Hartman Inventory, I can prove ownership of all possessions and make the recovery effort much easier!

Thank you so much Mike and Cindy! You’re amazing!

Bleach, a quilt and an ulcer

Many people hear about families fighting over items that they want after the death of a mother or father and the estate is being settled. An executor who is a customer of our home inventory service lives out of state and was traveling to Indianapolis every weekend for quite some time.

That in itself was wearing on him, let alone handling all of the issues that face an executor. When it was time to record everything in the home, he decided he wanted some help.


We had conversations over the few weeks following our completion of the task. One phone call started like this. "I'm about to 'accidentally' spill bleach on that quilt - it's giving me an ulcer. All this for $8!"

Seems his sisters were fighting over this item, continually calling him pleading their case. Tough call, but he didn't have the nerve to do what he wished he could. Goes to show how important it is to have an inventory and mark next to items who you'd like to receive them upon your death.

We've seen families torn apart for items of this small value many times. What value can you place on your executor's health - physical and emotional? What value can you place on your family and the turmoil an inventory can prevent?

The clock is ticking

What can
you do in
60 seconds?

• Sing "Happy Birthday"
• Tie your shoes
• Recite the Pledge of Allegiance
• Brush your teeth

OR
Lose everything you own due to a disaster!

Congratulations to the classes of 2009

Four or more years of partying (oops! I mean studying) have come to an end. You are now ready to head out "on your own" to conquer the world. One of the necessities you will face immediately is the need to purchase insurance. I'll focus on Homeowners Insurance, since that's the area related to home inventory services.

Home Insurance.com is a great site to learn what you'll need. While you were in college your parent’s homeowners policy most likely offered coverage for your belongings if you were living on campus. But you now need your own coverage.

Renter’s insurance will provide you with coverage for your possessions in the event they are ruined in a covered peril (theft, fire, wind, hail, etc).

If buying a house, a homeowners insurance policy will cover your possessions and also the structure of your home and loss of use coverage. (Read a full description of homeowners insurance coverage).

So, it appears that studying and learning doesn't end with the graduation ceremony. Talk to your insurance agent so you understand what is covered under your various policies and what is not. Only then can you make a wise decision about the coverage that best suits your needs.

One more piece of advice (I know, you've gotten tons of that from so many people already). Whether renting or buying, create an inventory of your belongings. As you are starting out, it will be easier and quicker - then you can add items as they are purchased. This record of your belongings is essential to help you remember and prove ownership of your TV, audio system, CDs, DVDs, Wii, video games, laptop, etc., if you have a fire, burglary or natural disaster. Though you'll have insurance, you'll still need this list to file a thorough claim. Those who don't have an inventory will tell you that this a lesson learned the hard way!

And one more thing - congratulations!

Passion and guts and a certificate for patriotic civilian service

Yesterday the Department of the Army presented a Certificate of Appreciation for Patriotic Civilian Service to me. Wow! Sounds impressive! All I did was give a few hours of my time to the employees in the Human Resources Command at Fort Benjamin Harrison. They are facing job losses or transfers and the Indianapolis Career Enhancement Symposium was created to help the employees through this transition.

What I did wasn't a big deal, really. I shared with them the struggles, doubt, learning curve and the ups and downs associated with being an entrepreneur. They learned about the need for PASSION and GUTS - a passion for what you do and the guts to start and carry it out.

Not a big deal? Come to think of it, it was a big deal. As the certificate says, I "provided employees a fresh perspective on their future". During the break-out session, employees told me that I gave them an awareness of opportunities and the permission to dream...I gave them the challenge and even 'permission' to move forward in any direction they choose!

Not bad for a morning's work.

The "it" assumption lives on

The talk and news coverage has started to subside now that the California wildfires aren't front page news any more. Though I hate the continuing pounding of bad news, this is important to keep top of mind. This is why, as an inventory service provider, we talk about these disasters, thefts, fires, etc. So many people lost their homes and it wasn't necessary. My friend Eric Deckers explains why.

This brings me to the "it won't happen to me" assumption. When people say that, the "it" is a loss to their personal property. When asked why they don't have an inventory of the contents of their home or business, many say "it won't happen to me" or "I don't think about it" or a similar remark. Ask a person who endured a major theft, hurricane, tornado - or the people in California who lost everything - if they now wish they had an inventory.

But no matter who is deemed responsible or at fault for what happened, the bottom line is that it's up to each and every one of us to be responsible for our own property. Then, no matter what happens, you'll be covered (proper insurance) and able to remember and prove ownership (inventory). Sure, this won't take the damage and loss away, but this information will certainly help you recover faster. And with a maximized claim settlement. And with less emotional devastation.

Are you willing to take the risk that "it" won't happen to you?

Please inventory your belongings. You just never know...

AP Photo/Santa Barbara News-Press, Mike Eliason

The personal touch

It wasn't a big thing. Actually, it was just a few seconds. But they were BIG seconds. We attended a wedding reception at the Mavris Arts and Event Center Friday evening. The staff was efficient, friendly and helpful. The food was delicious. The venue spectacular! This in itself was a welcome experience. But what really made a difference was the welcome we received upon arrival.

Each person received a "hello" or "thank you for coming" or similar greeting. My granddaughter Olivia was in front of me, and received a "welcome, young lady" with a warm smile. As he said, "Good evening" to me, I responded "Where's the 'young lady' part?" My tone of voice and laughter let him know I was not serious, to which he replied - without skipping a beat - "My previous remark was intended for you." We both laughed and the interaction was over.

What this told me is that he was not a robot repeating greetings over and over. He was truly engaged in each remark, intent on making sure each person felt truly welcome.

That in itself was amazing. There's one more thing I must point out. The greeter was the owner, John Mavris. I've told a lot of people already about the great venue and the wonderful people there. And now I'm telling all of you.

Do people do the same for your business or service?

Santa Barbara wildfire started by power tool

One of the points of a fire that we frequently make is that you are often not the person who has caused it. There is arson, faulty wiring, a neighbor's house that catches fire and it spreads to your house. And now, we find that power tools are a danger when used at the wrong time and in the wrong place. As stated in the Insurance Journal, the fire consumed more than 13 square miles of land, destroying and damaging many homes. None of those homeowners was the owner or operator of the brush-clearing power tool.

This article is full of pertinent information, from what to do to help prevent fires, what to do next if you were affected, including safety tips from fire professionals. They recomment that you call your insurance agent immediately to determine what coverage you have. There is also a list of insurance companies' claims departments as well as the Department of Insurance, which is 800-927-HELP.

I do. I will. I promise. But first, call the police.

We attended a wedding this past weekend. Brian and Jill (our son and daughter-in-law) were members of the wedding party. Our 10 and 8 year old grandchildren Olivia and Tyler served as greeters and presented the programs to the guests for Uncle John and his absolutely stunning bride Erica. It was a wonderful event filled with fun, music, food, dancing and tears of joy.

Something that made this night especially amazing was that just last summer we joined John's friends and family in a celebration of life as he reached his one-year remission from cancer. And now, almost a year later, we celebrate the beginning of a new life!

Obviously, John has had more than his share of challenges for such a young age. Unfortunately Thursday night he had another. During the rehearsal dinner, his car window was smashed and all the gifts for the bridal party, a laptop and other items were stolen. I hope he read a previous post about the identity and document information laptops contain. Sure, this is a minor issue compared to what he's been through, but certainly something to know.

Back to the wedding ... love, happiness and a lifetime of more ups than downs (holding a glass in the air) ... to John and Erica!

All hell broke loose

Consider these statistics associated with the California wildfire: 30,000 evacuated - 2,300 firefighters - 246 engines - 14 air tankers - 15 helicopters - and 1 DC-10 jumbo jet tanker capable of dumping huge loads of retardant.

"Literally last night, all hell broke loose," Santa Barbara Fire Chief Andrew DiMizio said, recounting firefighter's efforts, reported The Kansas City Star. 23,000 others have been notified to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

Safely in an evacuation center, Oscar Funez remarked that this is his family's fourth fire. "We know we have to have everything - paperwork, clothes, everything - ready to go," Oscar Funez said.

Eleven firefighters have been injured. I am amazed at their bravery and have the deepest admiration and respect for them. Saying 'thank you' seems hardly enough. Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured and also with those continuing to fight this devastating fire.

An actuary, a lawyer and an accountant...

A change in marital status is a time that having an inventory can be of great assistance, whether creating an pre-nuptial agreement or preparing for a divorce. Swap Meet Dave provides some humor when relaying why the husband in this joke should have the written documentation and photographs provided by Hartman Inventory.

An actuary, a lawyer and an accountant are discussing the merits of having a mistress or a wife. The lawyer reckons it is better having a mistress, because the wife can take everything if you should come to a divorce. The accountant reckons it is definitely better having a wife, from a taxation perspective. The actuary reckons it is better having both, because when you are not with the wife, she thinks you are with the mistress, and when you are not with the mistress, the mistress thinks you are with the wife, and that way, you can spend more time at the office.

An inventory service can eliminate a lot of questions and provide a 'disinterested 3rd party' listing of assets.

Wondering where all that stuff came from

We always enjoy the conversations with our customers while documenting their personal property. Recently we inventoried an old farm house and listened while they talked about their beautiful furniture that was handed down from generation to generation. They also talked about the other antiques (toys and collectibles) and glassware that was given to them by relatives who traveled extensively.

At one point, the homeowner stated "I didn't realize we owned so many antiques and valuable items! I guess we just accumulated them over the years." This is normal. So often pieces of art, furniture, collectibles and even every-day items are purchased or received as gifts over a period of time. And all too often, people don't realize how much the value of their belongings increase.


How about you? Have you taken an inventory of the contents of your home recently? If you had to file an insurance claim, could you remember everything in your home so you could receive a fair settlement?

The key is to never give up

There are days I feel exhausted. Being a business owner is hard work. And in these economic times, it's even harder. Customers (or I should say prospects) for an inventory service say things like ... wait until I straighten up my garage ... wait until we finish painting ... wait until the economy gets better ... THEN we'll have an inventory.

I believe them and past experience proves they will. But it gets you down some times. Hearing "no" or "wait" can really take its toll. And when I find I'm having one of those days, I think of Payton, our 7-year-old granddaughter (so small that Mike has called her 'peanut' since the day she was born, weighing less than 3 pounds). She is still tiny, but now a 38-pound powerhouse - full of energy, loving life and oh - so - VERY - LOUD!

Her stick-to-it-till-it's-right attitude when learning a new song on the piano is inspiring. Her little fingers can hardly spread far enough apart to touch all the keys and her feet dangle because she can't reach the floor (we wonder if she'll ever be able to push the pedals). But she practices, practices and practices until she has it right. She doesn't give up even when it seems she'll just never learn it! Frustration and disappointment envelope her. After a short break she's back at it again, energy and determination renewed.

Last weekend was her recital. She did great, and all because she kept trying. All because she knew the rewards of her efforts would be there for her. All because she believed in herself.

At the conclusion of her recital, she received a rousing applause. Next time I make a follow-up phone call and I hear "I'm ready to schedule my inventory" instead of "Wait until ...", I will stand up, take a bow, and listen to the applause! Because I didn't give up - and I worked hard to be here!

Ta-da!

Where is that computer listed on your personal property tax return?

Judd D. Lawrie, CPA, CVA provides us with some timely and easy-to-understand information regarding personal property taxes. He owns and manages Lawrie CPA Group – a tax and accounting firm that specializes in tax return preparation and tax consulting for closely held businesses and individuals. Deadline is May 15. Need help with your returns? Call (317) 886-7456 or Email Judd.

Indiana uses multiple tax mechanisms to generate revenue. Most of us are familiar with the income taxes for state, county and sales tax, but this article is about the state’s property tax system. Property tax is a state tax that is administered locally, for the local benefit. Last year, Marion County’s property tax revenue was almost $1.5 billion.

Business personal property taxes make up 35% of the property taxes collected. Personal property taxes are levied against equipment used in the production of income or held as an investment. Personal property values are assessed March 1 of every year and are self reported by property owners to assessors using prescribed state forms. The completed personal property return must be filed with the assessors no later than May 15. Taxes on the reported values are due in two installments - May 10 and November 10 - the following year.

A complete list of assets used in the production of income is necessary to file complete and accurate returns. Normally a fixed asset depreciation schedule works, but businesses should use care. Many companies have capitalization limits where anything under a certain amount is expensed. If an asset is fully depreciated, or expensed, it may not show up on fixed asset schedules.

I have had clients where a property tax auditor walks through their facility and asks “where is that computer,” or “where is that desk on this return?” The assets were not included because they had been expensed. The auditor had to change the client’s return and increase the tax liability. Fixed asset inventories are a good way to accumulate the data required for a complete return. Having a complete list of the company's income-producing assets will not only assist in preparing the property tax return, but it will provide evidence for taxing authorities if they want to challenge you, or for insurance purposes.

The state property tax system is a self reporting system where we, as taxpayers, report the proper amount of taxable personally property. By filing accurately and timely, it allows our localities to appropriately spread the tax burden and adequately budget their expenses.

Ma'am, did you notice anything out of the ordinary today?

Our guest today is Carissa Goff, one of our customers. She is an account manager with Automated Business Solutions, Inc., one of the only few locally-owned and operated dealerships in Indianapolis. They specialize in print cost reduction and managed print services. For those in the market for new office equipment, they have that covered too. For a free Quick View of your office environment ... cgoff@askabs.com ~ 317-257-9062

You know the line. You see it on shows all the time. A cop knocks on the door; someone answers, looking scared and guilty even though they did NOTHING wrong. “Ma’am, did you notice anything out of the ordinary today?”

It just so happens that the “someone” who opened the door was me. Our next door neighbors in my apartment building – the people we share a wall with – came home at 5:00 on a Friday evening to a completely cleaned out apartment! A burglary just a week before Christmas!! Could you imagine!?!

All sorts of thoughts started running through my head. The main one – “Thank God Cindy helped me understand how important it was to have an inventory!” This could have so easily been our apartment! What would we have done? How would we be able to remember everything we have? Chances are – we wouldn’t. No matter what happens, be it fire, flood, burglary – I can sleep at night knowing the Hartman’s have a copy of everything we own!

These boots are made for walking

"It's a blow to your ego to have somebody say, 'We don't need you any more.' " That is a quote of mine from an interview with the Indianapolis Star when talking about how it feels to lose a job. Similar words are being heard on a daily basis. Whether you're booted out or you choose to walk out on your own, the result is the same - a new career path. Often this path is the choice to do your own thing.

One of the blogs I read daily is by Joel Libava, The Franchise King. Though we (Hartman Inventory Systems) aren't a franchise, our turnkey package is quite similar. So, it makes sense to stay up with the franchise industry. And Joel is tops in knowledge, experience and (important to me) being frank and straight forward about business ownership. His recent post titled "Are you a budding entrepreneur?" was right on target. He talks about what type of people are seeking this path, and why. In Joel's words, "Could it be corporate resentment? Is anyone angry at the executives who make millions of dollars a year in bonuses, while their companies are entering a deep and dark abyss? Is this contributing to the spike in entrepreneurial interest? {There has been a spike}"

Job loss has created a lot of bruised egos and upset people. But it has also created a new direction, new joy and a freedom many have only dreamed about.

Sometimes a boot out the door can be the best thing that can happen to you! It was for me.

How about you?

All the pain, suffering and loss

Headlines in my morning reading went like this:

Kansas storms kill 5; more on the way ... Gulf Coast officials start hurricane planning ... Hurricane mitigation process begins in Mississippi ... Monitoring of San Andreas fault increases ... Insurers expect $25 million in claims from South Carolina wild fires ... Arson suspect pleads guilty.

Now, that is enough to totally depress anyone, so I'm not going to give you the details. In fact, the headlines just about says it all! I'm not trying to scare or depress you. Just wanted to make the point that disasters happen daily - everywhere - both natural and man-made. Please take the time to document your belongings. And, of course, if you don't have the time to do it, we do. And I guarantee you'll be happy you spent either your time or your money to have this information 'at the ready'.

Especially the next time you hear a tornado warning or fire truck sirens.

Fishing for ways to rip off insurance companies

Disasters and estates are two main topics I talk about. Serious stuff. But, that doesn't mean we are serious people (except when working). Here's a joke, thanks to Swap Meet Dave, that we thought would lighten up our blog - and give you a smile.

A lawyer and an engineer were fishing in the Caribbean. The lawyer said, "I'm here because my house burned down, and everything I owned was destroyed by the fire. The insurance company paid for everything."

That's quite a coincidence," said the engineer. "I'm here because my house and all my belongings were destroyed by a flood, and my insurance company also paid for everything."

The lawyer thought for a moment, but was puzzled. Finally he asked the engineer, "How do you start a flood?"

Do you want to be satisfied with your insurance claim settlement? An inventory service will help ensure that you maximize your claim.