RAETEX Home Inventory Service

Estate Planning

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:40:27 +0000

Estate planning in not a task that people want to accomplish, but imagine the relief of knowing you have removed this burden from your loved ones. You may do this alone or in the presence of your loved ones. You can include a description of how the article was acquired or some story about the item. You then designate a beneficiary from your contact list and proceed to the next item.

After your passing, the task of dividing your estate is well planned and complete. Your choices and wishes have been made known and documented. Your survivors will be grateful that they will not have to decide, with emotions running high, how you would have wanted to divide your estate.

RAETEX Home Inventory Service is located in northwest Harris County, Houston TX. We will assist you in inventorying your possessions, both personal and business, developing emergency plans and initializing your letter of instruction. Visit RAETEX Home Inventory Service , telephone (281) 684-7554 or email Robert@raetex.com to schedule an inventory or for additional information.

My purse (wallet) has been stolen!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:09:02 +0000

Your purse or wallet has just been stolen!!! What are you going to do??? After your nerves calm down because someone has invaded your personal space, you will begin to think rationally. You will notify the local law enforcement authority and report the crime. The responding officer will ask if you were harmed and then he will ask for a list of contents in your purse or wallet. You mention driver license, credit cards, money, cell phone, etc.. The Officer then asks for the credit card number. Panic sets in again. You then realize you can dig the information up at home. You return home and begin digging thru monthly statements to obtain the credit card number for the law enforcement authority.

If you had a complete home inventory by RAETEX Home Inventory Service, the credit card number, expiration date and number to call to cancel would be in one place, ready for you to print-out. This would provide the law enforcement officer the needed information in a timely manner that might allow the apprehension of the robbers. Your notification to the credit card company or issuing authority would be much quicker also.

Emergency Planning

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:09:03 +0000

When you leave your children with a babysitter, does the baby sitter know where to go or who to contact in the event of an emergency? What if you and your spouse are involved in an incident and cannot communicate with the babysitter. Does the babysitter know who to contact to provide for the safety of your children?

What about your elderly parents for which you provide care? During an emergency, they may be confused. If they have a printed emergency plan, this will help overcome their fears. Or they can provide the plan to a first responder who will be able to provide assistance.

MyiCEPlan allows you to create, save and print an emergency plan for your family. NOW is the time to plan for an emergency, not during or after the emergency. Sit down in the comfort of your home and discuss the emergency plan with your family. Ensure they understand the plan and know their role. Ensure your children understand the plan and know how it should be used.

Sure, it will take time and effort to refine and complete the emergency plan. But, you have the time now to create the emergency plan. After an emergency, your time and effort will be spent in other areas, not creating an emergency plan.

Five Reasons Not to Have a Home Inventory

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:00:19 +0000

“I have enough money to replace the lost items.” Congratulations my new-found cousin. Please share some of the wealth.
“Nothing will happen to me or my possessions.” Not according to insurance companies or police agencies.
“My insurance company will treat me fairly.” Yes they will but they will not pay without documentation. They will treat you fairly according to the terms of your insurance contract.
“We will enjoy the family time after a diaster trying to determine what we lost.” Believe what you want.
“The police on TV never ask for an inventory and always return the stolen items within one hour.” Yes and everything you read on the Internet is true.

As you can see, these are not five reasons not to have a home inventory. They are five excuses that you will have to live with in the event of a loss of your possessions. You may not have time to complete an inventory, but the first thing you need to do is START. Contact RAETEX today to begin your home inventory.

My child is at college. Would an inventory help?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:36:43 +0000

If your child is like most, they took everything but the kitchen sink to college. An inventory would be beneficial to prove what your child has with them. KRPC, Channel 2 – Houston, http://www.click2houston.com/news/Thefts-reported-at-UH-dorms/-/1735978/8273510/-/101d11z/-/index.html is reporting thefts in a local university dorm. If your child can not prove the stolen items belong to them, the police can not prosecute the case. Your insurance company will also want documentation, other than your word, concerning the stolen items.

A university dorm room could be listed as a room in your inventory and your child will be the owner. By completing your inventory in this manner, you have documentation about your possessions and those of your child. Do not delay in getting the inventory completed. Contact RAETEX Home Inventory Service for assistance.

What is a home inventory?

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:18:08 +0000

A home inventory is documentation of you your possessions. This includes your residence, property, photographs or documents, where you live, where the item is stored, at your vacation home or away at college with your child. The home inventory includes descriptive information (make, model, serial number, etc.) as well as purchase information (date, store and cost). The data collection is conducted when you are at ease and have time, not after an emergency or loss, when you have other matters with which to concern yourself or your time is in demand.

You will probably remember the high-dollar items you own, but what about the everyday items such as dishes, towels, clothes, food in the pantry, or items stored in attic? You may not inventory each individual item, but as a group this is a substantial amount of money you have invested. Can you afford to lose the investment? Speaking about the high-dollar item, can you prove you owned a 42-inch plasma television and not a 19-inch portable?

Did you loan an item to your friend Bob? Or, are you borrowing an item from Bob? Both of these should be maintained in your inventory because you are responsible for both items.

RAETEX Home Inventory Service uses software developed by TRIER software which is called My I.C.E. Plan (In Case of Emergency). We searched the Internet and to us this is the best software to be found. The software is detailed but yet easy to use. Only seven (7) fields are required to enter data for an item, but over thirty (30) fields are available for data entry. (Try that with pen and paper). Once the data is entered, your next problem is how you want the data out-put to look. My I.C.E. Plan software has over forty (40) types of reports, from one line summaries to a complete printout of your inventory. Do you want to include the photographs? This is your option. (Future blogs will cover the software in more detail.)

Your home inventory is complete. Now what? Make copies of the files and keep the copies in safe locations that are accessible. There is no need to use printed copies, because the software can be run from any Windows computer. Review you insurance policy to determine if your insurance is adequate. Do you need a rider for some items?

I have insurance. Isn’t that enough?

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:58:40 +0000

No. The insurance company will want some form of documentation or proof that you actually owned an item. The insurance company will probably agree you own a television, but is it a 42 inch plasma or a 19 inch portable? If you show them a photograph, taken in your residence, with documentation that includes the make, model, serial number and copy of the receipt, the insurance company will have a hard time disputing your ownership. What about your clothes? Again the insurance company will agree you have clothes, but how much and what types. Was it 10 pair of slacks or 1 pair of custom made slacks? Do you have 15 shirts or 25 shirts? You might not document each piece of clothing; unless valuable or one-of-a-kind, but a photograph of your closet with the number of garments you have will help prove your case.

Why are evacuations plans important?

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:43:47 +0000

The software used by RAETEX Home Inventory Service allows you to create evacuation plans. Why is this important? Does your family know of an alternate meeting place in case they can not return home? Does your family have a communication protcol? (How to call and the number?)

What does RAETEX Home Inventory Service provide?

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:00:44 +0000

RAETEX Home Inventory Service provides you with one less thing with which to concern yourself. This is accomplished by software that allows you to create emergency evacuation plans, complete a home inventory and begin a letter of instruction.

The evacuation plan allows you to provide your family / friends with:

emergency meeting locations
medical information
contact numbers / maps
one less thing to worry about

The home inventory allows you to:

assimilate data concerning your possesions in one location
prove ownership or disposition of property
define a beneficary for each item
determine if your insurance policy is adequate

The letter of instruction:

provides you with the opportunity to express your final wishes
provides your survivors with needed information in one location
helps you prepare instead of forcing your survivors to prepare