National Association of Home Inventory Professionals Offers Theft Protection Tips

Hebron, Connecticut (PRWEB) September 8, 2009

Homeowners who become victims of theft are likely to experience a great deal of stress as they struggle to remember the items in their home for purposes of filing a police report or insurance claim. In addition, "most homeowners simply don't have the proof required to maximize their insurance claim" according to Fred Knapp, Director of The National Association of Home Inventory Professionals (NAHIP), a highly dedicated group of professionals working to ensure the protection of home and small business owners by providing property documentation services. http://www.NAHIP.com

NAHIP suggests the following simple tips to ensure a homeowner's property and valuables are protected:

(1) Think like a burglar. Walk around your home and make a list of places that would be easy access into your home. Secure any vulnerable locations with additional locks or wireless alarms.

(2) Reinforce patio doors. If you have a metal or wooden reinforcement in the door tracking, it will be impossible for the thief to open the door from the outside or lift it off its track.

(3) Trim your shrubs. Tall or overgrown shrubs act as hiding places for thieves, providing cover while waiting to break in through a door or window.

(4) Cover first floor windows with shades or curtains. A burglar is not likely to break into a house that they can't look into ahead of time.

(5) Add a second layer of protection to windows. Window bars, for example, are nearly impossible to get past and can enhance, rather than detract from the appearance of a home.

(6) Use low-voltage perimeter lighting as a cost-effective means of deterring thieves from prowling around your house. Thieves thrive under the cover of darkness; additional lighting greatly decreases the chances of your home being targeted.

(7) Keep your security system enabled when you're at home. Some people make the mistake of turning the system off when they're home, leaving them defenseless in the event of a break-in.

(8) Never indicate on your home phone's voicemail system that you'll be out of town. Instead, leave a generic message since anyone who needs to know you're away can be told ahead of time.

(9) Use multiple layers to secure doors. In addition to a standard lock, add deadbolts and chains. These additional layers make it very difficult for an intruder to force their way into your home.

(10) Complete a comprehensive home inventory. The documentation from a home inventory can be in an invaluable tool to provide information to police and your insurance company in the event of a theft. The documentation helps maximize and simplify insurance claims and also reduces the stress associated with trying to remember the many items contained within a home.

The National Association of Home Inventory Professionals can help homeowners quickly complete a comprehensive home inventory. Homeowners can easily search the online member directory available on the NAHIP website at http://www.NAHIP.com to find a qualified service provider. Most homeowners simply don't have the time or patience to conduct a home inventory on their own which makes using a service provider a great option to get this tedious task accomplished. Individuals who want to perform an inventory on their own can use a popular and inexpensive software product such as The Complete Home Journal which greatly simplifies the task and creates the necessary documentation. Visit the Complete Home Journal product website at: http://www.thehomejournal.com for further details.

NAHIP encourages those interested in the documentation services profession to get involved. It is an exciting industry with tremendous growth potential which needs additional service professionals to meet the growing demand. The home inventory services profession offers great pay, flexible hours and the ability to work from a home office. NAHIP recommends the leading home inventory business startup kit, Home Journal Business for those interested in starting their own business either part of full time. The home inventory business startup kit includes a full set of materials to easily start a new business and includes the leading home inventory business software. Please visit the home inventory business startup kit website at: http://www.HomeJournalBusiness.com for complete details.

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