If you've come home from vacation, or even a long day at work, and notice flood damage from a busted water heater or another destructive water episode, the first thing you'll do is whatever it takes to remove the water. You'll then call the damage contractors to repair any structural damage.

If you have a lot of personal items that were ruined in the flood, you'll need to find a way to obtain the proper value of the items for your insurance company so they can be replaced. A bridal registry can help, and this guide walks you through the steps to make it happen.

Make Your List

Grab a pen and paper and begin writing everything down that's sustained water damage. As an alternative, use your smart phone's note pad app to store the list of items. You can also take photos with your phone, to make the process quicker.

Sign Up For a Bridal Registry

Go to your local department stores and sign up for a bridal registry. Then take the scanner and scan the bar codes of the items you need replaced. You won't always find a perfect match, but that's okay because the goal is to get a general idea of what the items cost.

Expect to visit several stores to locate all the items, depending on the amount of personal belongings that fell victim to the rushing waters. Keep in mind that some stores might allow you to use the scanners without signing up for a bridal registry, so don't be afraid to call and ask before you go.

Document Non-Bridal Registry Items

If furniture and other big-ticket items such as major appliances were victimized by the floodwater, take the photos to the appropriate stores and ask an associate to provide you with the approximate replacement value.

Print and Turn In Your Sheets

After you are fairly certain that you have scanned all items, print out the sheet and deliver it to your insurance company. Depending on the amount of stores you visit, you may have several sheets.

Depending on the amount of water damage in your home, you can expect to spend a day or two, maybe even more, collecting the appropriate replacement value of your personal items that were damaged or ruined. Ask an insurance agent, such as Accredited Insurance Group Inc, for tips on how to move the reimbursement process along quicker, so that your life can get back to normal faster.