Guides / Be ready
Make a home inventory for insurance in one afternoon
A room-by-room video and a few photos can make an insurance claim much easier.
After a fire, flood or burglary, insurers usually ask you to list what you lost. Doing that from memory is hard. An inventory made now, while everything is in place, makes a claim faster and more complete.
The quick method
- Walk through each room filming slowly, opening closets, cabinets and drawers.
- Say what things are and roughly when you bought them as you film.
- Take close-up photos of serial numbers on electronics and appliances.
- Photograph receipts for expensive items.
- Store the files somewhere outside your home, such as cloud storage.
Don't forget
- The garage, attic, basement and sheds
- Jewelry, collectibles and art (some policies limit coverage; ask about scheduling them)
- Tools and sports equipment
- Clothing and shoes
Update it
Add new big purchases as you buy them, and redo the walk-through once a year. The NAIC and many insurers offer free home inventory guides and apps.
General household organization information, not legal, tax or financial advice.