There’s a major debate happening in California — and it should matter to every property owner in Ohio and surrounding states.

After the devastating wildfires, survivors pushed back against one of the most burdensome requirements in the insurance industry: the demand to itemize every single lost belonging before insurers will release full contents coverage. The insurance commissioner said no. Survivors said no. But many major carriers — including State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers — continue to say yes.

They refuse to waive the detailed contents inventory requirement. They insist that survivors provide “The List”: a painstaking, line-by-line inventory of every destroyed item and its value.

And here’s the truth most property owners don’t realize: Even if you live nowhere near a wildfire zone, your insurance company will demand the same thing from you.

The Burden Doesn’t End With the Fire

After a fire, flood, or other disaster, most insurers require policyholders to produce a complete contents inventory to receive full payment. For policyholders, that means reconstructing an entire household or business worth of belongings — often from memory.

Rebuilding a contents inventory is overwhelming for several reasons:

• Most property owners don’t have photos, receipts, or documentation for the majority of their belongings — yet insurers still expect it.

• You are asked to remember hundreds or thousands of items, from clothing and furniture to tools, décor, electronics, and personal keepsakes.

• You must assign an accurate replacement value to each item and then defend those valuations to the carrier.

• The process is time-consuming, emotionally taxing, and re-traumatizing — coming at a moment when you are already displaced, grieving, and overwhelmed.

The predictable outcome? Many policyholders accept drastically lower contents payouts — not because the coverage wasn’t there, but because the process of proving their losses was simply too much to handle alone.

Where a Public Adjuster Steps In

This is where a licensed public adjuster becomes invaluable.

At Cleveland Public Adjusters, we remove the burden entirely. Our team handles the contents portion of the claim from start to finish:

• We document every lost or damaged item.

• We research and apply accurate, industry-supported valuations.

• We prepare your inventory in the format insurers require.

• We negotiate directly with the carrier to ensure the settlement reflects the true scope of your loss.

Most importantly, we protect you from accepting a reduced payout simply because the process is too overwhelming to complete yourself.

You’ve already lost enough. You shouldn’t have to fight to prove it.

Don’t Leave Money on the Table

If you’ve experienced a property disaster, Cleveland Public Adjusters can take over the entire claims process — including the contents inventory — so nothing is missed and nothing is undervalued.

Contact us for a free consultation and let us help you secure the full, fair settlement you’re entitled to.