Top ten content claims of 2010
Contents inventory, valuation and replacement services software provider Enservio recently analyzed contents claims reported by over 200 American property insurers to discover claims trends.
The Contents Claims Index (CCI) found the top contents categories compiled from claims filed with insurers in 2010. Electronics topped the list at 15.76%, followed closely by Jewelry at 15.02%. Next come Apparel (11.91%), Furniture (11.21%) and Home Goods (9.14%) – all ranked among the Top 10.
| Enservio Contents Claims Index for 2010
Top contents categories as compiled from claims filed with insurers in 2010. Ranked by dollar value as a percent of total claims. |
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| 1. Electronics | 15.76% |
| 2. Jewelry | 15.02% |
| 3. Apparel | 11.91% |
| 4. Furniture | 11.21% |
| 5. Home goods | 9.14% |
| 6. Tools | 4.36% |
| 7. Appliances | 3.72% |
| 8. Sporting goods | 3.54% |
| 9. Music and Movies | 2.66% |
| 10. Bed and Mattress | 2.50% |
A closer look at the subcategories within the Top 10 provides insights into consumer lifestyle, purchasing habits and behavior. Claims for Televisions (23.70%) and Laptop Computers (16.81%) dominated the Electronics category. Desktop Computers rank third at 7.39%. The considerable drop-off from Laptops to Desktops reveals the growing popularity of portable computing devices.
Enservio’s CCI shows a significant increase in Jewelry claims during the past two years of the recession, showing that claims for high value items tend to increase during economic downturns. Rings, Watches and Necklaces top the list of Jewelry items claimed. A closer look at watches also reveals that contents claims made by insureds may sometimes be inflated, especially during a recession.
Enservio found in apparels claims, the value of claims made for women’s and men’s shoes are almost equal, at 7.08% and 7.06% respectively. The most commonly stolen sporting good items were bicycles and golf clubs, though value-wise, many higher-end bicycles exceeded the value of scheduled jewelry.
In the kitchen, the CCI showed that refrigerators account for nearly as much value as clothes washers, dryers and ranges combined.
