Protecting Your Home & Assets: How to Stay Ahead Before Disaster Strikes | Jimmy Bisharat

Protecting Your Home & Assets: How to Stay Ahead Before Disaster Strikes

By: Jimmy Bisharat

When Disaster Hits Home

Living and working in California, our team at Gerber Kawasaki has seen firsthand the devastating impact of disasters like the fires throughout Los Angeles. It is our community, our neighbors, and our clients who have faced the difficult reality of losing their homes and possessions. Watching the aftermath of such events reinforces one key lesson: being prepared and planning is crucial.

Homeowners insurance can definitely provide peace of mind, but way too often, people realize their coverage isn’t as strong as they thought after the damage is already done. By taking a few proactive steps today, you can add confidence that you and your family are fully protected if unexpected trouble comes your way.

Document Your Valuables Before You Need To

When disaster strikes, the last thing you want to do is scramble to remember everything you’ve lost. Insurance claims rely on proof, and without documentation, it’s much harder to get the full value of your belongings. Taking time to create an inventory of your most valuable possessions can make all the difference. Make sure to include electronics, jewelry, furniture, art, and even high-end clothing. Keep records of serial numbers, purchase dates, and receipts whenever possible. By keeping an updated list, you ensure a smoother claims process when you need it most.

Walk Through Your Home with a Camera Each Year

A single video can be your strongest piece of evidence in proving what you owned before a loss. Yet, most people don’t think about recording their home until it’s too late. Once each year, grab your phone and record a full walkthrough of your home. Open drawers and closets, narrate key details, and upload the video to the cloud so it’s safe no matter what happens. If you ever need to file a claim, this time stamped record will serve as invaluable proof of what you had.

Ensure Your Policy Covers Rebuilding Costs

Many homeowners don’t realize that their insurance may only cover a fraction of what it would actually cost to rebuild their home today. In areas like Santa Monica and the Pacific Palisades, rising construction costs mean that rebuilding a home from scratch could be far more expensive than what’s covered under an outdated policy. Reviewing your coverage to ensure it accounts for current material and labor costs, rising permit and construction fees, and extended replacement coverage options is critical. A simple conversation with your insurance provider can help ensure you’re not left underinsured when you need it most.

Digitally Secure Your Most Important Documents

When a disaster destroys a home, it’s not just the structure that’s lost— it’s also critical documents. Losing physical copies of your insurance policy, home deed, or purchase records can create unnecessary stress during an already difficult time. Save digital copies of these essential documents, including your homeowners insurance policy, home inventory list, major purchase receipts, and mortgage documents. Upload them to a secure cloud service or store them on an encrypted external hard drive. Having immediate access to these records can make all the difference when navigating a claim.

Review Your Coverage & Consider Additional Protection

Standard homeowner policies don’t always cover everything, and many people don’t realize this until it’s too late. Reviewing your policy for gaps in disaster coverage, such as wildfires, earthquakes, or floods, is crucial. These often require separate policies. Additionally, valuable personal property limits should be checked to see if items like jewelry, art, and collectibles need separate riders for full coverage. It’s also important to verify if your policy provides adequate loss of use coverage, which covers temporary living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable. A quick conversation with an insurance professional or financial advisor can help ensure your coverage is tailored to your specific needs.

Proactive Planning Brings Peace of Mind

At Gerber Kawasaki, our insurance specialists and financial advisors are deeply committed to helping our clients prepare and protect what matters most. We encourage everyone to take a proactive approach when it comes to proper insurance, because the best time to ensure you're covered is before you need it. If you have questions about how your insurance coverage fits into your financial plan, reach out to our team. Taking small steps today can make an enormous difference in protecting your home, your assets, and your future. Because when unexpected events happen, it’s already too late.?

Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management is an investment advisor located in California. Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration of an investment advisor does not imply any specific level of skill or training and does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission. Gerber Kawasaki only transacts business in states in which it is properly registered or is excluded or exempted from registration. A copy of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management 's current written disclosure brochure filed with the SEC which discusses, among other things, Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management's business practices, services and fees, is available through the SEC's website at: https://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov .?

Jimmy Bisharat? is a Financial Advisor of Santa Monica, California-based Gerber Kawasaki Inc., an SEC-registered investment firm with approximately ~$3.16B billion in assets under management as of 9/30/24.? The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which course of action may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. Readers shouldn't buy any investment without doing their research to determine if the investments are suitable for their situation. “All investments involve risk and one should consult a financial advisor before making any investments. Past performance is not indicative of future results."?