How to make a home inventory for insurance

After a fire, flood or burglary, your insurer will ask for a list of everything you lost, with what it cost and when you bought it. Very few people can remember that under stress. A home inventory, made before you need it, turns a claim from guesswork into a list you can hand over.

What to record for each item

• Photos: the whole item, plus close-ups of labels, serial numbers and any damage that was already there.
• Name, brand and model: "TV" isn't enough; "Samsung 65-inch QN90" is.
• Purchase price and date: estimates are fine for older things. Add a receipt photo if you have one.
• Current value: useful for collectibles, jewelry and anything that has gone up in value.
• Where it lives: a room or category, so you can see what one room held.
• Serial or barcode number: helps with theft reports and proving ownership.

A room-by-room plan

1. Start with what's expensive or hard to replace: electronics, jewelry, furniture, appliances, tools, instruments and collections.
2. Go one room at a time. Make each room a category and work clockwise around it.
3. Don't forget the hidden spots: closets, the garage, the basement, the attic and storage units.
4. Group small things: "Kitchen utensils, about 40 pieces" with one photo is better than nothing.
5. Keep it current. Add big purchases when you buy them, and review the whole inventory once a year.

Keep a copy somewhere other than your house

A paper list in a drawer burns with the drawer. A home inventory is only useful if you can reach it after the disaster, from any phone or computer.

How MyVaulty helps

• Snap and save: add several photos per item, with price, date, description and your own custom fields.
• Scan barcodes with your phone's camera to fill in product details.
• Your own categories, so each room or storage area can be its own section.
• Stored in the cloud, not on one device, and synced between your phone and computer.
• PDF value report (Unlimited and Pro): export the whole house, or one room, as a report to send to your insurer.
• "What's it worth?" (Pro): estimate current values from recent sales, with sources, for items whose worth has changed.

Your insurance company decides what documentation it accepts. A home inventory supports a claim but doesn't guarantee one, and high-value items may still need a professional appraisal.