Sample issue

Hi there,

This month's tip: video your home

Walk through every room with your phone, recording slowly. Open closets and drawers, and say out loud what things are and roughly when you bought them. Save the video somewhere outside your home, like cloud storage or a relative's computer. If you ever need to claim, it's a huge help.

More in Make a home inventory.

This month's term

Actual cash value: what an item was worth when it was damaged, after depreciation. A five-year-old TV might be worth very little. Replacement cost coverage pays what a similar new one costs. See Replacement cost vs. actual cash value.

Reader question

"Should I raise my deductible to lower my premium?" It can make sense if you could pay the higher deductible from savings tomorrow. Divide the extra deductible by the yearly saving to see how many claim-free years it takes to come out ahead. The deductible calculator does it for you.

Stay cozy,
Savings Nestle