Home Home insurance Home Insurance Basics How to create a home inventory list How to create a home inventory list A home inventory list can be invaluable in the event of a major home insurance claim where much or all of your personal property is damaged. Take the time to create one and update it regularly. View Carriers Please enter valid zip Compare top carriers in your area Written by Cynthia Bowman Cynthia Bowman Cynthia Paez Bowman is a personal finance writer with degrees from American University in International Business and Journalism. Her work has been featured in MSN, Brex, Bankrate, Freshome, The Simple Dollar, GOBankingRates, and more. Cynthia is based between Las Vegas and Europe. In her spare time, she travels throughout Africa and the Middle East helping women entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses. Reviewed by Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. Updated on: March 25, 2024 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. A home inventory list is an important part of advance preparation for the possibility of a disaster like a fire. It ensures that you have a comprehensive list of everything in your home to make a home insurance claim go more smoothly. Enduring a disaster and its aftermath can be difficult enough without trying to remember the details of every single item in your house. With the help of a home inventory checklist, you can account for your possessions and how much you need to be reimbursed by your homeowners insurance policy. Below, we’ll explain why an itemized list for insurance claims can be a lifesaver — and how to make one. Key Takeaways A home inventory is a list of your personal property and its general value. During a home insurance claim where a lot of personal property has been damaged, a home inventory makes the process easier. Update your home inventory whenever you make a major purchase or add significantly to the personal property in your home. Why do you need a home inventory list? Homeowners insurance covers your personal property, usually at a limit equal to between 50% and 70% o your dwelling coverage. A home inventory list, also known as a personal property inventory list, keeps track of the contents of your home, which, as you can imagine, can be extensive. If you suffer a loss such as a fire or a burglary, you need to file a home insurance claim. Your insurance company will ask you for the total value of your lost contents and a list of the items you need replaced. The more detailed the contents list for an insurance claim, the less likely you’ll forget to include something crucial — and the faster your claim will process. How to create a home inventory list Household inventory can be time-consuming, but it’s worth the trouble. You’ll need to account for furniture, decor, clothes, kitchen items, artwork, tools, sporting goods and more. The more detailed the list is, the less hassle if you need to make a claim. You’ll need: A camera Notebook or paper and pen A small accordion file or folder When creating the list, go room by room to ensure you don’t miss any important items. As you list the household inventory, try to include the original price or approximate value of the listed items and attach any receipts, along with the serial numbers for major electronics and appliances. If you have multiple receipts, you can organize them in the file folder for safekeeping. You can also create a home inventory spreadsheet that’s easier to sort and share on a laptop or computer. Take photos or videos of the items and receipts as you go. The photographs or videos of your possessions are proof if you file a home insurance claim. Don’t forget to: Make photocopies or upload digital versions of receipts for any expensive items like televisions and furniture Include basement or attic items such as holiday decorations Inventory outdoor goods such as patio furniture, sheds and more Note items of higher value, such as artwork, collectibles, diamond jewelry and watches, which may need a certified appraisal and special additional coverage due to their higher value. When done, save multiple copies of the inventory list, images and additional items and receipts to a cloud-based service, a thumb drive that can be stored outside of your home, entrusted to friends or family or in a safe deposit box. After all, if your home is destroyed, your inventory list will be gone, too. Creating an itemized list for insurance: Expert tips While a home inventory list for insurance is pretty straightforward to produce, it’s helpful to follow the advice of experts to ensure you’re prepared in case of the unexpected. Vanessa Coffeen Mcevoy, a former Farmers Insurance agent and current consultant has some tips to remember when creating a household inventory list. Here are the important things to remember. Actual cash value vs. replacement cost value There are two types of home insurance coverage for your property: actual cash value (AVC) vs. replacement cost value (RCV). The difference can be substantial in the case of a claim. On a standard policy, personal property is covered at ACV unless you upgrade your coverage. Premiums for ACV are typically cheaper. In case of a claim, actual cash value coverage works by paying the depreciated cost of your lost or damaged items. This means the appraiser will value the item based on age and condition. For example, you may only receive $300 for a five-year-old television in average condition that you originally paid $1200 for brand new. You’ll need to find a second-hand model for a similar price point, or purchase a new one, paying the difference in price out of pocket. Replacement cost coverage is higher in price but may be less of a hassle in case of a significant home insurance claim. RCV coverage will reimburse you for the price of a new and comparable model of the item, such as a TV, even if the covered television is older or no longer available. Special or high-value items Home insurance typically sets special limits on certain personal property categories. “Check your policy’s coverage limits. For example, you may find that jewelry is capped at $1,000 to $2,000 total,” Coffeen Mcevoy says. As you can imagine, a single piece of jewelry could use up your policy’s limit for jewelry. If you have electronics, guns, collectibles or other item categories with higher values, you may need to purchase additional coverage, known as scheduled personal property coverage, which is an endorsement or floater. “One customer had a large number of designer jeans, which added up to thousands of dollars. We insured the denim collection for its full value for just a few extra dollars per month. Scheduled personal property coverage could also work for designer handbags, cosmetics or other higher-value collections of items,” Coffeen Mcevoy says. Be sure that you have receipts for the higher-value items. If they’re collectibles, art or expensive jewelry, the value may be more difficult to define. Your insurance carrier may require you to have the goods professionally appraised. Be sure to save a copy of the appraisal certification in case of a claim. Share the list with your insurance agent If you’re working with a trusted insurance agent, you may want to share a copy of the home insurance list, receipts and photographs with your agent to keep on file. “In case of a claim, your agent could work with the appraiser by providing the checklist and following up on your personal property claim,” Coffeen Mcevoy says. Keep your household inventory list updated Be sure to do an annual review of your home’s contents to update your home inventory checklist and add any new purchases, as well as remove items that have been donated or discarded. If some of your items have significantly increased in value, you may want to have them reappraised and notify your insurance company.Also, keep a running tally of your personal property to ensure your coverage value is enough to cover a total loss. You may find you’re over or underinsured and need to reduce (or increase) the amount of coverage based on the total value of your personal property inventory list. Knowing how much home insurance you need could save you money in the long run when you pay for the right amount of coverage. QuickTake Does homeowners insurance cover theft? Guide to additional living expenses coverage How to switch home insurance How to find a homeowners insurance policy Home insurance inspection: How to prepare a checklist Homeowners insurance basics Title insurance: What is it and do you need it? Why you should hire a public insurance adjuster Home insurance: How to avoid being underinsured Working from home: The remote worker's guide to insurance Do I need homeowners insurance? Guide to home insurance for new construction Does home insurance cover garages? How having a roommate impacts your homeowners insurance coverage How can I get homeowners insurance after non-renewal? 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Article and date of purchase Price Living room Carpet/rugs Curtains/drapes Sofas Ottomans Chairs Coffee tables End tables and contents Television/VCR Camcorder Videotapes Video games Radio/stereo/DVD Compact discs/records/tapes Bookcases Books Musical instruments Planters/plants Mirrors Collectibles/knickknacks Other Dining room Curtains/drapes Carpet/rugs Buffet Tables Chairs China cabinet China Silverware Crystal Glassware Clocks Lamps/fixtures Serving table/cart Table linens Wall hangings Other Bathrooms Clothes hamper Curtains Wall hangings Dressing table Toilet articles Electrical appliances Scale Shower curtains Linens Rugs Other Kitchen Tables Chairs Linens Curtains Cabinets Lighting fixtures Bowls Pots/pans Utensils Cutlery Dishes Refrigerator Stove Dishwasher Disposal unit Freezer Washer Dryer Small appliances Clocks Radios Step stool Television Microwave Food/supplies Wall hangings Other Bedrooms Bookcases Books Chairs Carpet/rugs Curtains/drapes Bed frames Linens Mattresses Cedar chest Desk and contents Dressers and contents Dressing table Night tables Lamps Mirrors Clocks Radios Sewing machine Television/VCR/DVD Toilet articles Computer equipment Games Toys Collectibles/knickknacks Clothing Shoes Wall hangings Other Attic/Basement/Garage Furniture Luggage/trunks Exercise/sports equipment Toys Outdoor games Ornamental lawn items Lawn mower Shovels Spreader Sprinklers/hoses Wheelbarrow Snow blower Ladder/step stools Workbench Carpentry tools/supplies Canned goods/supplies Pet supplies Garden tools/supplies Other Patio/Porch Chairs Floor covering Outdoor cooking equipment Plants/planters Tables Umbrella Other Source: Independent Insurance Agents of America Frequently asked questions What is a home inventory? A home inventory is an organized list of all the items and possessions in your home. This list includes the item’s description, quantity, serial/model number, photos and price. It can be used to provide proof of ownership and help with insurance claims if the items are stolen or damaged. What should I include in my home inventory? When making your home inventory list, include as much as possible, such as furniture, art, jewelry, electronics, sports equipment and other collectibles that are valuable. Additionally, when writing out the list, include a description of the item, make and model (if applicable), the item’s estimated value, purchase date, receipts and serial number. How much does it cost to create a home inventory list? Creating a home inventory can be free if you do it yourself. However, if you pay a professional, you will need to pay their fee. Additionally, there are online apps that charge minimal fees for assistance. Cynthia BowmanContributing Researcher | . .Cynthia Paez Bowman is a personal finance writer with degrees from American University in International Business and Journalism. Her work has been featured in MSN, Brex, Bankrate, Freshome, The Simple Dollar, GOBankingRates, and more. Cynthia is based between Las Vegas and Europe. In her spare time, she travels throughout Africa and the Middle East helping women entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses. In case you missed it What is HO-6 condo insurance and how much does it cost? Average homeowners insurance cost by ZIP code in 2024 What is dwelling coverage and how much do you need? Personal liability insurance: What it is and why you need it Renters insurance quotes: Compare rates Hurricanes and home insurance: How hurricane insurance works How replacement cost coverage works when you file a claim How much do claims increase home insurance rates? 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By Ashlee Tilford On this page Why do you need a home inventory list?How to create a home inventory listCreating an itemized list for insurance: Expert tipsHousehold inventory list templateFrequently asked questions ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates