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The items in our homes are full of sentimental value, they’re so much more than a dollar value. We are emotionally attached to them and it’s these items that truly make a house a home. It’s only when our things are lost, damaged or stolen that we think about the time, energy and importance of them. You can avoid this stress and plan for the unexpected. Minimise the heartbreak and inconvenience of replacing your possessions by using these ideas to help you get started so you never have to go back to square one.
Don’t put irreplaceable memories in the wrong place:
There are some items that are one of a kind. Pieces of family history like those love letters between your grandparents or childhood masterpieces. An easy way to protect these memories forever is as simple as knowing where to store them. Never keep anything of irreplaceable value in your garage or shed. Both of these sections of your home are highly susceptible to temperature changes, leaks and other pesky home invaders that may like to snack on your documents. You can also invest in fireproof keep boxes or safe. A great place to store valuable jewellery or photos so they won’t be lost in the event of an emergency. Plan ahead and take time to organise your sentimental items before anything happens. It’s also a great way to spend a weekend taking a walk down memory lane!
Digitise your memories:
With every moment only a selfie snap away, most of our memories now live on our camera roll rather than film roll. That said, we’ve all got a box or two of photos from family holidays, birthday parties and awkward year 10 formals ready to be cracked out at the next family get together. For those moments of nostalgia, portable photo scanners are readily available and inexpensive for protecting those memories. Keep your memories safe by getting a scanner. You can scan multiple images at a time and the result is high-res copies of all your favourite snaps. Make sure you dust the pictures off first, always scan in colour even if your pictures are black and white, and also protect your scans by saving them on a hard drive and in the cloud too. So next time the photos are out, get scanning, or rope in a younger family member looking for some extra pocket money.
What to do with your family treasures:
While not all memories can be scanned and hashtagged, they can most definitely be documented. Family treasures, like your grandma’s engagement ring or Uncle Billy’s watch, are all an integral part of your family history. Store these pieces separately based on material. Diamonds should be kept away from other pieces as they may scratch, silver can be kept in silver cloth bags so it won’t tarnish and you should also consider secure lock boxes for your home. In the unfortunate event that something happens, having those irreplaceable treasures documented can provide you with a number of options. For example, photos can help with insurance claims, should you have a policy. Additionally, photos can be used to create a jeweller’s replica, or even source a similar vintage version online.
Why you need insurance:
There is only so much you can do alone to protect your belongings. While some items can never truly be replaced, insurance can reduce the burden of replacing everyday items. We all insure our car, no matter how old it gets, without a second thought. Yet for many, the contents of our homes remain uninsured, despite often being worth much more. While everyone’s situation is different, it’s a good habit to continually evaluate the need for home and contents insurance. Choosing insurance that gives you flexible cover is critical.
ING offers customisable insurance policies that allow you to start with a standard policy and then build your own according to what you need on top. With ING home and contents insurance you can also choose to insure your family heirlooms even when they are outside your home, just in case you need to take them somewhere. We’ve made it simple to get an on-the-spot quote, so your property and possessions can be comprehensively covered in minutes.
Whether it be documenting your family treasures or simply investing in home and contents insurance, there’s lots of ways to protect the items, both loved and everyday, in your home. By setting yourself up now, you’ll never have to see square one again.
ING Home and Contents Insurance is issued by Auto & General Insurance Company Ltd ABN 42 111 586 353 AFSL 285571 as insurer. It is distributed by Auto & General Services Pty Ltd ABN 61 003 617 909 AFSL 241411 (AGS) and by ING Bank (Australia) Ltd ABN 24 000 893 292 as Authorised Representative 1247634 of AGS. ING is a business name of ING Bank (Australia) Ltd (ING).
ING will receive a commission from AGS for each policy purchased which is a percentage of the premium. For further details see the Financial Services Guide.
An ING Insurance policy issued does not represent a deposit with or liability of, and is not guaranteed or otherwise supported by, ING or its related bodies corporate.
ING Home & Contents Insurance is subject to AGS ‘ underwriting criteria and ING’s Customer Eligibility and Name-Screening Assessment. Home & Contents Insurance is not available in NT, North QLD or Northern WA.
This is general information only, and does not take into account your particular objectives, financial situation or needs and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you having regard to these factors before acting on it. Conditions, limits/sub-limits, waiting periods, exclusions and excesses apply. Read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement, Target Market Determination, Key Fact Sheets, Financial Services Guide and the ING Customer Eligibility and Name-Screening document and consider if an ING Home & Contents Insurance product is right for you before deciding to purchase or continue to hold the product.
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