With expensive jewelry, electronics and sports equipment on many wish lists, gift recipients should add one more item to their holiday to-do’s: A household inventory.

An accurate, up-to-date inventory is the best way to speed the recovery process after a burglary, fire or catastrophe, but many people see the process as daunting. Free software available from the Insurance Information Network of California simplifies the process.

As winter storms strike Southern California, homeowners in fire-ravaged areas are cautioned to guard their homes against the destructive power of flash floods. Recent fires have stripped hills of natural vegetation, raising the potential for catastrophic losses.

Most homeowner insurance policies protect against rain and wind damage and burst or frozen pipes, but damage caused by flooding is covered only through a flood insurance policy.

Our survey of the insurance industry has confirmed at least 22,700 claims filed from October’s Southern California fire and wind storms. The tally includes at least 2,000 insurance claims for damage stemming from the wind storms that fueled wildfires nearly a month ago.

Though the wildfires did not burn as many homes as the firestorms of 2003, they have already resulted in a greater number of insurance claims. This was likely caused by the mass evacuation of San Diego County, which resulted in increased claims for additional living expenses.

Roughly 14,000 insurance claims have been filed as a result of last week’s fire and wind storms, according to the Insurance Information Network of California.

Working in partnership with the Insurance Information Institute to review claims data, IINC and III now project that insurers may pay up to $1.6 billion for wind and fire damage to homes, farms, vehicles and businesses.

For more information, please visit our Southern California Wildfire Information page.

The Insurance Information Network of California is collecting and updating contact and claims information from insurance carriers for the Angora fire and will be updating them on its Web site at www.iinc.org throughout this crisis.