Internal Firearms Registration

GGJohnson · Mar 16, 2018

While I have no zeal for the notion of the man having a registration of all my weapons, I did just spend a vacation day cataloging all my firearms by manfacturer, model number, caliber, serial number, and attached photos for each on a spreadsheet for insurance purposes. Should the token boating accident ever become a reality, it would be nice to have the claims adjuster on my side rather than assuming any inflated claim is bubblegum. The spreadsheet allows me to sort by header for my own organization, and lives on a zip drive with hard copy backup in fire/water proof storage. The household policy has always captured the additional value of inventory, but I wanted the specifics for my own CYA policy. The photos help substantiate any improvements beyond stock configuration, and can quickly jog one's memory without a rummage around the vault. Having my service rifle SN memorized back in the day was fine, but it was time for an upgrade better than memory alone...puts the mind at ease.

IOM · Mar 16, 2018

Good to Go with that GGJohnson... I've done the same...

Good to see someone just down the road from myself now...

AMT · Mar 16, 2018

If anything horrible happens will your insurance company just take your word that you had all those firearms? The reason I ask is usually they want some sort of proof - not just "your word" that you have them. (example: give me a couple days and I can go around the internet and create a nice spreadsheet like the one you have.

)

My insurance company covers "extras" up to certain dollar amount. I think it is $10K(?). If I can show proof that I own certain things, and can prove the values (IE: some of my wife's jewelry via the receipts and documentation at the time of purchase) then we pay a little more every year for those items to be covered above and beyond what they will pay in case of an accident.

Same with the firearms. If I can show the insurance company proof that I own firearms then they will happily charge me more every year to insure them.

BUT this means that I have to give them all of the information about them. IE: A nice little spreadsheet with pictures. Now they know that I have a firearms. Makes, models, serial numbers, et al. You can bet that it is entered into a database. How secure is that database? Is it protected from law enforcement/court ordered subpoenas? How about an unscrupulous insurance agent with even more unscrupulous "friends"? (That insurance agent prints your info and sells it to a local "thug". Sometime in the not-so-distant future your house gets broken into and your firearms are stolen.)

Am I paranoid about handing people information about any of my firearms? YUP! You are absolutely correct. I am paranoid. :s0131:

God forbid your house is broken into and any of your firearms are stolen. I assume that list will be nice to hand the investigator.

I hope that you never need to pull out your spreadsheet and hand it to anyone.

:s0090:

GGJohnson · Mar 16, 2018

AMT said:
If anything horrible happens will your insurance company just take your word that you had all those firearms? The reason I ask is usually they want some sort of proof - not just "your word" that you have them. (example: give me a couple days and I can go around the internet and create a nice spreadsheet like the one you have. )

My insurance company covers "extras" up to certain dollar amount. I think it is $10K(?). If I can show proof that I own certain things, and can prove the values (IE: some of my wife's jewelry via the receipts and documentation at the time of purchase) then we pay a little more every year for those items to be covered above and beyond what they will pay in case of an accident.

Same with the firearms. If I can show the insurance company proof that I own firearms then they will happily charge me more every year to insure them.

BUT this means that I have to give them all of the information about them. IE: A nice little spreadsheet with pictures. Now they know that I have a firearms. Makes, models, serial numbers, et al. You can bet that it is entered into a database. How secure is that database? Is it protected from law enforcement/court ordered subpoenas? How about an unscrupulous insurance agent with even more unscrupulous "friends"? (That insurance agent prints your info and sells it to a local "thug". Sometime in the not-so-distant future your house gets broken into and your firearms are stolen.)

Am I paranoid about handing people information about any of my firearms? YUP! You are absolutely correct. I am paranoid.

God forbid your house is broken into and any of your firearms are stolen. I assume that list will be nice to hand the investigator.

I hope that you never need to pull out your spreadsheet and hand it to anyone.

Photos show my firearms staged with my other property on my property so as not to be assumed to be stock footage from internet, and nobody gets a copy of my file unless there's a claim. It's my CYA file that isn't shared with insurance on the front side to your point. Nobody needs that info to abuse or "lose". For now, I have a blanket value for "extras" in the policy. If those extras need to be itemized on claim day then I'm ready, but won't risk losing until they're missing...also paranoid of "cloud" database, or "friends of friends".

Mark W. · Mar 16, 2018

I have a similar list made up but will not share until I have a claim.

jvbutter · Mar 16, 2018

I have done the same. as for proof, well some i have receipts pictured, some I don't. I have a few since i was young lad with no receipts. But when i do a shot of the entire collection in my safe, I hope it helps prove my point.

Tony617 · Mar 16, 2018

I have a list of all the serial numbers of my firearms and a description of what model it is. Like a "Mossberg 20" 590A1", etc. I guess I should take pictures as well and make multiple copies of my spreadsheet and pictures and store copies off site as well.

NODEraser · Mar 16, 2018

GGJohnson said:
The spreadsheet allows me to sort by header for my own organization, and lives on a zip drive with hard copy backup in fire/water proof storage.

Zip drive? That's old school.

Koda · Mar 16, 2018

I refuse to make a registry of my guns. I dont trust myself from confiscating them...

L84Cabo · Mar 16, 2018

Good reminder to

Check your home owners policy to understand the coverage limits for firearms. Many companies only cover a couple thousand dollars in firearms. Might be time to buy an independent gun policy if you're over your limits
Copies of serial numbers, receipts, and photos can be invaluable when dealing with a loss or theft. But this doesn't just go for firearms. You should have this for ALL important assets. If nothing else, fire up the video on your phone and walk through your house shooting video. At least it's something to prove you had whatever was lost
On that thumb drive you should also have copies of your will/trust, insurance policies, deeds, pink slips, diplomas, resumes, references, professional certificates, birth certificates, passports, etc. Imagine if your house burned down and you lost everything an had to start over from scratch in a new town. Would you have everything you needed to establish a new life and launch your career? All of that should be stored electronically somewhere. If you're worried about theft you can encrypt it.
All of these things should be updated at least once a year.