Document belongings in case of disaster

Surely you woke up one sunny morning last month and said, "I'd better videotape all my possessions because it's going to flood next month."

You didn't? We are shocked. Shocked.

You may be shocked, too, when you see the bill for flood damage -- even after your insurance company has been brought in.

To get appropriate compensation in times of disaster -- like the floods that hit the suburbs last week -- you've got to have the right insurance policy, plus photos, video and receipts to show how good your stuff was. And you've got to keep it all in a place not likely to be affected by a foot of water.

Before the next flood or disaster strikes, prepare.

"Take a disposable camera or a video recorder, go from room to room and take a snapshot of each room," says Shaundra Turner, a spokeswoman for Allstate Insurance.

Recording images of your jewelry, expensive clothing and collectibles can help, too. And keep receipts, lest the insurer reimburse Bloomingdale's suits at Bargain Mart price points.

Lots of people had those records, but they sat in a file cabinet in the basement. You know -- the same basement that flooded. When a disaster destroys important papers, you're out of luck.

Keep the photo prints, DVDs and receipts in a safety-deposit box, a flame retardant safe or with a relative, advises Turner. Or, when the forecast calls for flooding, move them and other valuables to a higher floor.

Glen Ishikawa didn't do that, but he got lucky.

"We had about 4 inches of water in our basement, but it didn't get wet where our important papers were," says the Arlington Heights homeowner.

But you may not be so lucky. So, off to the mall with you to buy that disposable camera before the weather shifts once more.