Free Inventory, Accident Smartphone Apps Available
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio insurance consumers can turn to their iPhones and Android devices with new apps from the Ohio Department of Insurance. The free myHome Inventory and WreckCheck smartphone apps were developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, in which the Ohio Department of Insurance is a member.
“Documenting possessions with a home inventory is the most important step homeowners and renters can take to make sure they have enough coverage to fully protect and replace their valuables if something happens,” said Mary Taylor, state lieutenant governor and insurance department director. “For those involved in an automobile accident, drivers should only share names and vehicle insurance information. Sharing additional personal information, such as driver’s license numbers and home addresses can put consumers, their property and their safety at risk.”
Recent surveys conducted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners revealed that half of all Americans do not have a home inventory, and many also are unclear about what information to share at a crash site, such as when to call the police or what personal information to exchange with the other driver. The average claim payment for damage to or loss of home contents in Ohio was $6,417 in 2010, while identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The myHOME Scr.APP.book app lets users quickly photograph and capture images, descriptions, bar codes and serial numbers, and then stores them electronically for safekeeping. The app organizes information room by room, and even creates a back-up file for email sharing.
The WreckCheck mobile application can help eliminate the risk of sharing too much personal information. It outlines what to do immediately after an auto accident and helps users create their own report. The app makes it easy to capture photos and document the necessary information to file an insurance claim, and lets users email a completed report directly to themselves and their insurance agents.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.