Tool Inventory

[TheToolMan]

Has anybody ever had to inventory theit tools? I brought up a question to our H.R. deparyment at work, ''What if someone broke in and stole my tool box? would i be covered under the companys insurance policy?'' Bascially they were suprised to find out no i was not. Well they are adding coverage for all the techs but the ins. company wants an inventory list of everything, price, make, model serial # and when you bought it. This is a real pain in the *** but i HAVE to do it to so im covered. Anybody else ever have to do this? I think it is going to take me a few whole days to do this.

 

[davestlouis]

When I worked in the body shop, the company had the body men inventory their tools. The range was HUGE, from less than $10K worth of tools and boxes, to almost $130K replacement cost for the guy with the world's biggest tool box, who also owns every tool known to man.

 

[nissan_crawler]

With pretty much every single thing I own.

Take digital pictures of each drawer, then put a number in the corner of each picture. Then make a list of what's in each picture by number, including part number and price if possible.

burn a cd to give them, one for yourself, and one that somebody else has. I have a copy of mine in the fire file, my paretns have one in their fire file, the insurance agent has one.

 

[garfunkle24]

With pretty much every single thing I own.

Take digital pictures of each drawer, then put a number in the corner of each picture. Then make a list of what's in each picture by number, including part number and price if possible.

burn a cd to give them, one for yourself, and one that somebody else has. I have a copy of mine in the fire file, my paretns have one in their fire file, the insurance agent has one.

Pretty much exactly what I do too.

 

[dps]

Easier might be to have a friend video you opening each drawer as you point and describe each item in enough detail to be useful if it's needed later. You can talk pretty quickly as you describe a set of sockets/wrenches, etc. and slow down for items with a serial # or that have unusual qualities you want to note.

This is also what one is supposed to do at home with your entire household full of stuff including things that would be worthless to anyone else (like clothes that would still have to be replaced at new retail) and even including a quick rundown of titles of books/movies/music you would also want to replace in the event of loss.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Has anybody ever had to inventory theit tools? I brought up a question to our H.R. deparyment at work, ''What if someone broke in and stole my tool box? would i be covered under the companys insurance policy?'' Bascially they were suprised to find out no i was not. Well they are adding coverage for all the techs but the ins. company wants an inventory list of everything, price, make, model serial # and when you bought it. This is a real pain in the *** but i HAVE to do it to so im covered. Anybody else ever have to do this? I think it is going to take me a few whole days to do this.

When I started buying tools I started keeping a spreadsheet in Exel format. I record model numbers with with MSRP replacement value for insurance purposes in case they are ever stolen...

 

[jgwood]

I had to due this recently for my buisnes inshurance im selfemployed contractor it had to be writen drescription and a phot with some sort of sign identifying it as mine a buis card a sign a lisence plate .Belive me it sucked as all tools i own are coverd and have been collecting tools for about 25 yrs or so
Gregg

 

[Bolster]

Bummer red tape procedure...I just open the drawers and take digital photographs.

Who knows if my insurance agent will honor these photos if the tools are stolen. Seems there is always "mouse print" somewhere that gets the insurance co. off the hook...

And now a short story: Only one time in my (long) life have I ever filed a claim with my insurance company (State Farm has been my insurance company since forever). I had a bicycle stolen from me. The insurance company paid for a replacement and told me, "If this happens again, we will drop you."

Let's see, tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime going to State Farm. One payment of $400 for a bicycle, and they'll drop me if there's another.

Seems fair.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I tried doing a piece by piece inventory years ago and found I really did not have the extra time to get the job done. I video taped and photographed everything, but without an accurate inventory by each piece I figure I would play heck ever getting near the amount back to replace all of it.

 

[eighthd]

It took me about 4 or 5 Saturdays to get a complete inventory of my tool box. I wrote everything down and took pictures. Now when I buy something new I take a pic first and write down the brand and part number. Then I add it to my inventory list on my computer. andadd the pic to the folder with just my tool pics. I have my old camera in my tool box so it makes it easy to take a pic before I use the tool.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Never.Probably never will.I just hope it doesn't happen to me.

 

[Northstar9126]

Some S.O.B. got into my garage a couple of years ago. I was in the garage several times but didn't realize that anything was missing until I went to grab some tackle I had bought to take on a fishing trip. Later that day it dawned on me that my golf clubs were gone. The sheriff came out, took a statement and told me not to get my hopes up. As the list of missing items continued to grow I called my insurance agent who told me that I had "replacement coverage". I had to come up with a list of what was missing and a cost to buy all of the stuff new, came to something like $13,000, dropped the list off with the adjuster who called me in a couple of days later. I almost fell out of the chair when he cut me a check for everything I had listed less $100 for my deductible. To this day I don't think that there is any way I could have included everything that was stolen. I have tried to keep an inventory of all of the stuff that I have, including pictures, since then but I can't seem to keep up. My new plan is to go through once a year with a video camera to at least have some sort of record.

 

[rsanter]

at minimum you want to have pictures of the contents
better to have an inventory of avarything

bob

 

[oldgoat]

I have a inventory program from a insurance company that I used to document the tools I have when I moved my stuff from my little garage to the new one. It allows you to have a picture, model and serial number, where you bought it, manf and price. Makes it easy to delete and add as tools or household stuff changes.

 

[eschoendorff]

Bummer red tape procedure...I just open the drawers and take digital photographs.

Who knows if my insurance agent will honor these photos if the tools are stolen. Seems there is always "mouse print" somewhere that gets the insurance co. off the hook...

And now a short story: Only one time in my (long) life have I ever filed a claim with my insurance company (State Farm has been my insurance company since forever). I had a bicycle stolen from me. The insurance company paid for a replacement and told me, "If this happens again, we will drop you."

Let's see, tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime going to State Farm. One payment of $400 for a bicycle, and they'll drop me if there's another.

Seems fair.

So you are still with State Farm??? Seems like you need a better insurance company!

 

[Uncle Buck]

So you are still with State Farm??? Seems like you need a better insurance company!

Amen to that, if the A holes told me that I would save them the trouble and cut their sorry asses loose!

 

[nissan_crawler]

Agreed. I'm on my third insurance company, finally found one that new what customer service was. The first one ended with me getting the state attorney general involved.