Abstract

The return of personal property after death and disaster is all about things; things that are important to people, that represent the last link to their loved one. These items are not necessarily of any financial value, and it’s important to remember that this process is not about money or recompense or insurance (although insurers will sometimes help to pay for the process.) It might be a t-shirt, a pair of jeans, a cheap watch, one earring, a credit card, a teddy bear, a receipt or, very occasionally, a love letter.