When my house burned down, I was unprepared for the painstaking process of filing an insurance claim. One of the most challenging aspects was completing the property loss inventory. I quickly realized how beneficial iGUIDE technology would have been if I had used it to document my home before the disaster.
iGUIDE provides homeowners with highly accurate 3D walkthroughs and floor plans, offering precise room measurements and square footage calculations. These detailed visual records would have saved me countless hours during the claims process by providing my insurance adjuster with exact information about my home's layout, features, and contents. Additionally, iGUIDE integrates seamlessly with tools like Xactimate, which many insurance companies use to create repair estimates. This direct compatibility would have helped me get faster, more accurate quotes for my losses.
The Cost of Protection
iGUIDE's pricing structure is based on the size of your property, and for a 5,000-square-foot home, you can expect a cost of $500 (at $0.10 per square foot). While this may seem like an investment, consider the time and effort it saves you in the event of a disaster. Remembering every item in your home from memory can only be possible with thorough documentation. Even if you have a good memory, you'll likely need to remember many items that could impact your claim.
iGUIDE Deliverables
iGUIDE's packages provide more than just essential documentation. They include high-quality 3D tours, detailed floor plans, room measurements, and square footage calculations, which offer a clear view of your home's layout and contents. Additional services, such as premium editing and visual enhancements, are also available depending on the package you choose. Having these deliverables ready can significantly streamline the claims process and give adjusters all the information they need to generate accurate estimates.
Why iGUIDE Matters Before Disaster Strikes
The most significant advantage of using iGUIDE is proactive home documentation. Many homeowners only consider documenting their property once it's too late, relying instead on incomplete records or memory when disaster strikes. iGUIDE's 3D mapping technology ensures you have a complete visual inventory of your home, so you're prepared before any loss occurs. This kind of documentation ensures that all the necessary details are available immediately when filing a claim.
Storing your iGUIDE documentation in the cloud (e.g., Google Drive) guarantees that even if physical records are lost or destroyed in a fire or flood, you can access them from any device. A paid cloud service also provides additional storage and advanced collaboration tools, ensuring your files are safe and easy to share with adjusters or contractors.
The Process is Simple
Finding an iGUIDE-certified technician to document your home is straightforward. Visit the iGUIDE Operator Directory and search for a local technician. Once they create your property's 3D walkthrough and floor plans, you'll receive digital files for safekeeping to upload to cloud storage.
Final Thoughts
Disasters are never predictable, but being prepared can make all the difference. I wish I had iGUIDE documentation before my house burned down—it would have made the insurance claim process far more accessible and less stressful. The investment of documenting your home with iGUIDE is small compared to the peace of mind and the time it saves when disaster strikes. Protect yourself by documenting your home with iGUIDE before it's too late.