Homeowner's Insurance

So, as of yesterday at 5pm, I am officially a homeowner again. And it feels damn good. I walked through the house last night and, well, yes, there are a few things that need to be done. Yep, it needs to be cleaned (badly), the carpet probably needs to be replaced, there are about 500 nail holes in the walls (I wish I was exaggerating), it is in dire need of a fresh coat of paint (there are EIGHT different colors of paint in the house...nope, not exaggerating) and, thanks to the former owner's two Beagles, the entire place smells like dog. (Yep, my favorite smell.)
And I've never been more excited!
As I stood there in the empty living room last night, tears flowing down my face, I was SO thrilled to BE in MY home. I can't wait to get in there, clean it all up, fix it all up and have you over for dinner. You know me. Im already planning to have a big Christmas open house!
First things first though, I have been calling insurance companies for rates on home owner's insurance. Maybe it's just me, but I find it somewhat entertaining to talk to insurance company people.
Their initial question to me is always, "What is the value of the contents of your home?"
To the first lady, I said, "Oh, I guess maybe $3,000?"
She laughed out loud on the phone! She nearly yelled, "That's impossible!"
So I hung up on her and called the next company.
When asked the same question, I figured I would adjust as to not get chastised again and answered, "$5,000."
Robert, the gentleman on the other end, said, "No, you're not understanding. You need to walk around your house and add up the value of everything you own. Furniture, electronic equipment, art, silver, EVERYthing, including (here's the good part) your jewelry and your furs."

This time I laughed out loud. And I told him I would call him back.
I grabbed a paper and pen and started walking around my one bedroom apartment--which contains every single thing I own--and began to add up the value.
My couch, purchased in March, was $499 on the clearance aisle at Living Spaces. My hope chest--purchased in 1981 for my graduation and containing all my high school memorabilia--is currently serving as my coffee table. I don't know--$100? My 'bar' was $199 at Cost Plus (LOVE that bar) and all the dishes and glassware on it came from TJ Maxx. The dining room table and chairs were $300 at a consignment store. (And I really LOVE that set!) The TV is new to me, but I got it from a friend and it was 200 bucks. The DVD player was $24 at Target. Bookshelves all came from IKEA--Allison and I put them all together---and were MAYBE a total of 300 bucks. On to the bedroom...

My bed (which I LOVE) was $159 (IKEA) and $250 for the mattress. The nightstands--which are perfect--were a combined $100 (at the same consignment store.) My 'desk' was $19 at Ikea.
Now here's the funny part. I opened my jewelry box (which belonged to my Nana)--and only one pair of earrings in there cost more than about $12. (Thank you Claire's) They were a gift on my 21st birthday and may have cost $150--in 1984. I don't wear any other jewelry. And, hard as it is to believe, I don't own any furs. No art work besides my art.com finds. And to my entire closet I gave a very generous total of $1000. It's three pair of jeans, about 20 tee shirts, lots of flip flops, a few sweaters and my Harrod's bags. My work suits are the only thing that brought up the total. Oh, and I do have that new pair of running shoes.

Even when I added in my Macbook Pro, My iPad, iPod and my BlackBerry, all of it STILL barely added up to my original $3000 estimate!

I called the guy back.

I said, "OK, Roberto,--What is the lowest amount you are going to allow me to say?"
He laughed and said, "$10,000."

Here's the deal--my life is amazing. It's EXACTLY what I want in every single way. But there's not many things in my world that have any monetary value. I have often joked that if a thief broke into my house, he'd be so disappointed, he'd turn around and leave. But the truth is...my home is full of treasures...MY treasures. My pictures, my old 45s, my Santa collection, my little plates and statues and knickknacks from all over Europe, the little clay bird that Allison made in 3rd grade and Zac's plastic Dodgers locker, my antique postcards, my tea cups, my bowling trophy, my Bobby Sherman lunchbox, my books...and all my photo albums!

My valuables are invaluable! They are the stuff that have stories...all the stuff that makes me smile with good memories...all the stuff that brings me JOY--all the stuff that make me ME.

So, of course, I took the $10,000 insurance policy.

Heck, if I have to, I'll upgrade the TV and buy a new pair of work shoes.

But all the money in the world isn't going to replace my valuables.
Nope, MY stuff is absolutely priceless.