GET BUTTONED UP

Homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance is a necessity; each covers you for unexpected occurrences, ranging from robberies to fires. But when it comes to assessing whether you have adequate coverage, the devil is in the details.

For example, did you know that the majority of these plans do not cover floods or earthquakes? Or that some cover fire damage but not wildfire damage?

With increasing cases of extreme natural disasters, it is important to review your coverage and be certain you have the best level of protection you can afford.

Here are five tips to get your home insurance organized.

1. Watch your claims

Did you know that if you keep making small claims, you may exhaust your insurance funds faster than you anticipated -- or even be dropped from the plan? It also may cause your premiums to significantly increase; in which case, paying for that roof repair out of pocket may be a smarter move financially. Look carefully at your plan -- or talk to your agent -- before making a claim.

2. Take inventory

Do you know exactly what is in your home? First, write down from memory everything of value in your living room, from electronics to DVDs. Now take that list to the living room. Did you remember it all? Imagine doing that for your entire home after a fire.

Everyone has valuables; they are so much more than just artwork or televisions. Think about your CDs, iPods, clothing and tableware. They are all worth something.

Go through your home and take inventory of everything room by room. Take photos, keep the proofs of purchase for anything in your home more than $200, get appraisals on all luxury items such as jewelry, and keep it all in an easy-to-grab binder that you can take with you at a moment's notice.

3. Know what is covered

Insurance packets and their corresponding Web sites are not written for the layperson and can be confusing.

Schedule an appointment with your agent and discuss the ins and outs of your coverage. To make the conversation easier, bring your valuables binder to aid you in talking about your home inventory, and discuss events that aren't covered by your current plan, such as sewage, hurricane, flood, earthquake, etc.

4. Equip and prepare

Owning insurance is one piece of the puzzle, but you also can take insurance planning into your own hands with proper emergency planning.

If you live in an area that has frequent wildfires, clear the brush around your property on a regular basis. If you live in a hurricane-prone area, do you have proper roofing reinforcements and windows installed?

Even if you don't live in an area with extreme weather, simply having an alarm system means fire departments will be quickly alerted to flames and the police to burglaries. These defenses can lower your insurance rates. 5. Have an assessor on deck

In your inventory log, keep the contact information of a trusted insurance assessor who is not affiliated with your insurance provider. If you ever need to file a claim, have that third party assess your damage immediately.

Your insurance company is going to do the same, and it will try to pay you back as little as possible. Cover your bases by having another professional document the claim and cost.

Your home is your haven, your livelihood. You should do everything you can to protect those assets by thinking ahead.

The writers are co-founders of Buttoned Up, a company dedicated to helping stressed women get organized. Send ideas and questions to .