You never know when a disaster may strike—but you can be prepared with a home inventory.
A home inventory can help you:- Buy the amount of insurance you need
- Get your insurance claim settled faster
- Verify losses for your income tax return
- Keep track of the belongings you've accumulated over the years
Getting Started
There are many ways to create a home inventory. It may seem hard at first to record information about everything you have in your home, but don't let that dissuade you. First, decide on a way to organize your inventory that works for you. You can do it room by room, category by category (furniture, electronics, etc.), from newest items to oldest or from most expensive purchases to least expensive ones.
Taking Inventory
There are different approaches to making your list. You may write everything down in a notebook, for example. Or you may take pictures, writing information on the back of the photos or putting information on your computer. If you have a video camera, you may walk through your house filming and describing the contents at the same time. If you have a personal computer, you can download free software that makes creating and keeping a home inventory easy at www.KnowYourStuff.org.
Keep receipts when they are available and note the cost for the item, when you bought it and information about the make and model.
Expensive items like jewelry and art work may need to be insured separately. Ask your insurance agent about it.
Store a copy of your inventory in a safe place outside of your home—with a friend or in a safe deposit box. (If your inventory is electronic, store it on a disk.) This will ensure that you have something to give your insurance representative if your home is damaged. Also, whenever you make a significant purchase, remember to add the information to your inventory while the details are fresh in your mind.
Making Lists
In some cases, items on the next page are listed by the room in which they are most likely to be found. In other cases, they are grouped together by category. For many items like books, CDs, sheets or pots and pans, you can make a general estimate of how many you have and their estimated value.
You can refer to the following lists to help create your inventories:
General Appliances
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Dining Room
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Bedrooms
- Beds/Mattresses
- Bed linens
- Dressers/chests
- Dressing tables
- Night tables
Bathrooms
- Hair dryer/ other electrical appliances
- Scale
- Shower curtains
- Towels
Clothing
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Kitchen
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Home Office / Study / Den
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Garage / Basement / Attic / Shed
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Keeping Important Documents
It's also important to keep a record of legal documents, such as birth certificates and passports, and financial documents, such as bank account and insurance policies. You can also use your home inventory to record information about these papers. Note insurance policy and bank and investment account numbers along with your insurance policy contact information. With a computer, www.MyFinancialHouse.org can help you keep track of your financial records. For more tips, go to the Federal Citizen Information Center's "Consumer Focus: Preparing Your Household Records."
Household Records Lists
General
- Wills, living wills and powers of attorney
- Passports
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates/divorce decrees
- Social security cards
- Education records
- Employment records
- Church records
Financial
- Insurance records
- Tax records
- Creditor information
- Credit card information
- Bank information (account numbers, statements, etc.)
- Deeds Retirement and pension account information
- Home improvement records
- Warranties
*Content from the Insurance Information Institute
We know a Home Inventory can seem overwhelming, so if you have any questions or need additional help feel free to contact our personal lines advisors Debbie Hayes or Becky Hedgspeth today or Get a Quote Now.
