When did you last properly consider the total value of your house contents? The new curtains, or even the influx of treasures acquired through marriage or inheritance are often overlooked and the insurance company never told.

Mark Medcalf Associates recently launched the concept of Home Contents Surveys. This is a new type of valuation designed to appeal to the main middle market. Based on a buildings survey as prepared for building society / bank mortgages, it gives the average home owner a brief description together with up to date values of their entire house contents. Not only does it include individual valuations for any antiques, art or valuables worth over £1,000 and listings of antiques worth less than that figure, but it also includes an assessment of all the mundane things that make up a home.

Experience shows often considerable shortfalls in insurance settlements due to under insurance e.g.

If under-insured by 30%;

Value claimed	Actual payout	Loss
£1,500	£1,050	£450
£10,000	£7,000	£3,000

This comprehensive service is not one offered by most other Auctioneers or Valuers. The Home Contents Survey gives the home owner full confidence that in the event of a claim they are not going to be considered under insured by a loss adjuster working for the insurance company. The cost of £250 -350 includes a visit of approximately one – one and a half hours to assess the contents, preparation of the report and any comparative value analysis required; the report itself will follow in approximately 10-15 working days. The fee is to be paid at the time of valuation. It should be noted that in the case of larger properties that require full valuations due to the high value or volume of contents a fee based on total time required will be quoted.