Shooting Insurance Video at DVinfo.net

Edward Phillips · November 10th, 2008, 04:27 PM

I am shooting a house and the contents therein for insurance purposes. This isn't my normal type of work so I wonder if anyone has any tips. I plan on shooting wide pans of rooms and then working my way in for close-ups of valuable items. Should I say into the microphone what the item is? Should Certificates of Authenticity/serial numbers be in the shots?

Dave Blackhurst · November 10th, 2008, 06:14 PM

I've considered doing this - I'd say you SHOULD have serial #s, if for no other reason than potential theft recovery. The better documented the inventory is, the easier it will be in the event of an insurance claim - it the homeowner has a written inventory of some sort, might want to work from that as well, so the two support each other.

I'd be sure to have some additional light, plenty of batteries and stock to record on, depending on the size of the premises.

Tripp Woelfel · November 10th, 2008, 06:57 PM

In noodling through the business case for this, it seems that video is not enough. A vertically integrated solution with supporting bits would be more useful to the customer, and consequently, more valuable to them.

In a perfect world, here's what I'd do:
- Provide a spreadsheet with the complete itemized inventory
- Shoot each item with an on-screen slate or chyron with the item number
- Include the DVD's timecode within the details for each item

Videos aren't natively easily referenceable because if their linear nature. Anything you can do for the client to speed information access would be a boon.

As an aside, I don't the advantage of video over still photos for this application. But then, I'm old.

Phil Hoppes · November 11th, 2008, 06:24 AM

Having had to file a claim on a robbery of my own home, pictures/videos are not enough, at least for my insurance company. While they like a picture or video, they would prefer that the owner be visible in each shot for proof of ownership. This way someone is simply not making claims using pictures/videos they downloaded off the net.

An inventory sheet with serial numbers would also be quite valuable and will be required for making any claims of loss.

Tim Ribich · November 11th, 2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Phillips

I am shooting a house and the contents therein for insurance purposes. This isn't my normal type of work so I wonder if anyone has any tips. I plan on shooting wide pans of rooms and then working my way in for close-ups of valuable items. Should I say into the microphone what the item is? Should Certificates of Authenticity/serial numbers be in the shots?

I'd do some research and consider getting a capable inventory software program to coordinate your efforts. Such programs do a good job of recording the additional kind of info insurance companies would want to see as well as such features as running reports by any number of criteria e.g.

Personally I've always thought such inventories would be more suited to still photography since you'd be able to cull out single images more easily as well as make iindividual prints. Easier for the end user to scan through a proof book of cataloged prints too than search a video I'd think...

November 10th, 2008, 04:27 PM	#1
Edward Phillips Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 118	Shooting Insurance Video I am shooting a house and the contents therein for insurance purposes. This isn't my normal type of work so I wonder if anyone has any tips. I plan on shooting wide pans of rooms and then working my way in for close-ups of valuable items. Should I say into the microphone what the item is? Should Certificates of Authenticity/serial numbers be in the shots?

November 10th, 2008, 06:14 PM	#2
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	I've considered doing this - I'd say you SHOULD have serial #s, if for no other reason than potential theft recovery. The better documented the inventory is, the easier it will be in the event of an insurance claim - it the homeowner has a written inventory of some sort, might want to work from that as well, so the two support each other. I'd be sure to have some additional light, plenty of batteries and stock to record on, depending on the size of the premises.

November 10th, 2008, 06:57 PM	#3
Tripp Woelfel Trustee Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Conway, NH Posts: 1,745	In noodling through the business case for this, it seems that video is not enough. A vertically integrated solution with supporting bits would be more useful to the customer, and consequently, more valuable to them. In a perfect world, here's what I'd do: - Provide a spreadsheet with the complete itemized inventory - Shoot each item with an on-screen slate or chyron with the item number - Include the DVD's timecode within the details for each item Videos aren't natively easily referenceable because if their linear nature. Anything you can do for the client to speed information access would be a boon. As an aside, I don't the advantage of video over still photos for this application. But then, I'm old.

November 11th, 2008, 06:24 AM	#4
Phil Hoppes Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Phoenix Arizona Posts: 47	Having had to file a claim on a robbery of my own home, pictures/videos are not enough, at least for my insurance company. While they like a picture or video, they would prefer that the owner be visible in each shot for proof of ownership. This way someone is simply not making claims using pictures/videos they downloaded off the net. An inventory sheet with serial numbers would also be quite valuable and will be required for making any claims of loss.