Two weeks ago, my neighborhood was torn up by an "unconfirmed" tornado. Roofs ripped off. Trees through homes. I got off easy, only losing power for three days and having to chuck most of the food in my fridge. But my neighbor two houses down also lost her deck, her new fence and the front of her car when a huge oak tree took them out—along with all the power lines.

Two days ago, the back of my car was torn up in a parking lot by a very contrite lady who got her brake and gas pedal mixed up. My poor old car's bumper is smashed and hanging. The liftgate is dented. And I had to secure the tailpipe with a wire hanger to keep it from dragging. Again, I got off easy; the other car has a crushed hood, fender and headlight and a jammed-shut driver's side door.

The most important thing is that nobody got hurt in either event. People are infinitely more important than "stuff." But times like these are good reminders to review the insurance policies that protect your “stuff” and ask yourself some questions.

Does your homeowner’s policy cover the current cost of rebuilding your home? If your house is a total loss, will your insurance pay for complete rebuilding or only give you a limited amount of money toward it? Find out from a local realtor or builder how much rebuilding your home would cost and make sure your insurance coverage is in line with that estimate.

How about what’s inside? Your premium will be less if you're insured for only the depreciated value of your possessions. But then you'll have to make up the difference yourself when you shop for replacements. Consider getting insured for the full replacement value of what you own and be sure to keep your home inventory up-to-date.

What about flooding? Most homeowner’s policies don’t cover it, as so many people in the Midwest and South are tragically finding out. Consider separate coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program.

How high should your car insurance deductibles be? The higher your deductible on things like collision or comprehensive coverage, the more you save on premiums, but the more you'll have to pay out of pocket for repairs before insurance kicks in. How much coverage you want to get also depends on you car’s age, condition and value.

I’m glad the lady who crashed into my car was covered. Her insurance is paying for everything, including the rental car that will be waiting for me next week at the body shop when I take my baby in for a new bumper.

What have been some of your more memorable insurance claim stories?

I’ve had so many bats in my house over the years, friends call me Batgirl. They’ve been everywhere:

• One was sound asleep on a wash cloth the morning I turned 34. Glad I switched on the light before putting it under the faucet to wet it down and soap it up. Happy birthday to me!

• When my neighbor Wally tried to help me rescue one that was scratching around inside my furnace, the little brown blur bolted out and Wally dove for the floor, hugging my ankles and screaming like a girl.

• Another once completed a perfectly synchronized, Blue Angels-style overhead maneuver with my pet cockatiel. The bird then hid in the bathroom while the bat played dead on the guest room curtains. Attempting to pull it down, I slipped off the bed, tangling myself and the bat in yards of green dotted swiss. We both screamed.

• And last week, I awoke to the sound of rustling on the floor and turned the light on to find a bat flying counterclockwise around my clockwise-rotating ceiling fan. I don't know which one of us was dizzier.

Bats squeeze inside this time of the year through cracks and holes less than a half inch in diameter. Since my first winged intruder, I've been hunting down and sealing gaps in the attic and around basement pipes and windows in my World War II-era house. After last week's bat, I filled a gap in my floor molding, where I’m guessing it got in.

A bat will usually get out if you isolate it in a room and leave a window open. But if you need to catch one, wear long sleeves and heavy gloves and wait for it to land. Slide your visitor off whatever it's hanging onto and into a lidded box so you can carry it outside safely for release.

If you've been bitten or scratched and the bat can be caught, contact your local health department or animal control center to have the bat tested for rabies. If it tests positive, you'll need to get rabies shots. Only a very small percentage of bats carry rabies, so don't panic when one gets inside, but do play it safe.

Here's some more info on bat myths, other ways to get them out of your house and ways to batproof your home to prevent future visits.

Swap stories with me. Have you ever had a bat in your home?

After spending the last few days at a consumer protection conference, I’ve returned feeling energized and determined. I am always humbled by the dedication of state and local consumer professionals. They work tirelessly against the scams and frauds that threaten consumers everyday.

I was saddened though by one particular panel discussion, the one about home mortgage foreclosures. The rate of mortgage foreclosure across the country is increasing at an alarming speed, and almost 70% of homeowners facing foreclosure don’t seek assistance. That’s something we should all work to change.

If you are unable to make a mortgage payment, you should act right away. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers tips for homeowners in trouble, and the Federal Reserve has put together a list of foreclosure prevention resources.

Don’t ignore phone calls and letters from your lender. Be honest about your financial situation, and see if you can figure out a repayment plan that works. Lenders don’t want to take your house, and they have options to help you.

If you don’t have any luck with your lender, contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. Non-profits, like HOPE NOW, can also help you.

Avoid foreclosure prevention companies. Even if they are legit businesses, they will charge you a hefty fee to help. Worse yet, they could be scam artists who will ask you to sign over the deed to your house. You’ll still be in debt, and you’ll lose your home.

Don’t be embarrassed, and don’t believe that your situation is hopeless. Counselors and consumer protection offices have helped many people keep their homes, even in the most difficult situations. If you can’t make that next mortgage payment, please ask for help.

Now is the perfect time to prepare a home inventory. It can help you when planning for replacement of furnishings and equipment, purchasing insurance, filing insurance claims, determining your net worth, planning your estate, and more.

If, like me, you’ve never created a home inventory it sounds like a pretty overwhelming task, doesn’t it? There’s good news – you’ll only have to do it once! In the future, you’ll just have to update your inventory when you purchase new and discard old possessions. If you’d rather hire someone to do an inventory for you, the National Association of Home Inventory Professionals can help you find a professional.

So, where to start?  You can take several different approaches to the inventory like going room-by-room, categorizing your possessions (electronics, furniture, appliances, etc.), newest to oldest, or most to least expensive.  Next, choose the method you’ll use to record all the information.  A simple notebook will suffice, or, you can download a worksheet, take photos, make a video, or even use a computer program.

Regardless of which method you choose, record information such as brand or manufacturer, date purchased, serial number, purchase price, and estimated replacement value.  You can also check with your insurance company to see what information they'll need about your property in the event you have to file a claim.  If you’re a receipt saver like me, now’s the time they’ll come in handy.

Record information about the following items:

• furniture, carpets, and drapes
• antiques, artwork and collectibles
• appliances
• clothing and other closet contents
• computer equipment and electronics
• musical instruments
• sports equipment
• garage, attic, and tool shed contents
• toys, books, and CDs
• silver and china
  
• jewelry and any other valuable items

Once you’ve completed the inventory, keep it in a safe place like a safety deposit box or a fireproof box.  It's a good idea to make a couple copies of the inventory and keep them in different locations. 

Post your stories about how having a home inventory (or not having one) affected your life.  They’ll help light a fire under me (and maybe others) to get one done!

When I was talking to some neighbors the other night, one of them mentioned that she composts and a light went off in my head. It sounded like a perfect solution for all our yard waste, banana peels, potato skins, apple cores and more. Composting will also give us the perfect fertilizer to put on our lawn, flowerbeds and garden in addition to reducing waste we put into the local landfill.

Composting is basically a way to turn yard and kitchen waste into a nutrient rich, organic material you can use to improve your soil.

How to get started:

1. Choose a location for a compost pile or bin.  If you choose to build or buy a bin be sure to install it 2 feet from any structure.
2. Start adding “brown and green” materials by beginning with 4 – 6 inches of brown materials like chopped up twigs or other coarse waste.  Then, add a green layer of scraps, lawn clippings, and leaves.  Alternate layers every 4 – 6 inches.  Remember that smaller pieces of material break down faster.
3. Now, its time for the bacteria and fungi to get to work.  Wait a week, and then turn your compost pile with a pitch fork or shovel.  As it breaks down the compost should have an earthy smell.  If your compost pile gets stinky something is probably off balance.  
   
4. Use your compost to fertilize flower beds, sprinkle it on your lawn or use compost “tea” to water house plants.

Materials you CAN compost (examples):

• Coffee grounds and filters
• Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
• Eggshells
• Fruits and vegetables
• Grass clippings and leaves
• Shredded newspaper
• Tea bags
• Yard trimmings

• Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt)
• Fats, grease, lard, or oils
• Meat or fish bones and scraps
• Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)
• Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides