Resources / Your own affairs
Home inventory for insurance: a room-by-room checklist
If you ever file a claim after a theft, fire, or flood, an up-to-date inventory settles it faster and for more. Go room by room. Photos count as much as the list.
Living areas
- Furniture
- TVs and electronics
- Art and decor
- Rugs and lighting
Kitchen and laundry
- Large appliances
- Small appliances
- Cookware and dishware
- Washer and dryer
Bedrooms and closets
- Beds and furniture
- Clothing and shoes
- Jewelry and watches
- Handbags and accessories
Valuables and records
- Collections (coins, art, wine)
- Tools and equipment
- Serial numbers for high-value items
- Receipts, appraisals, and photos
Photos and receipts do the heavy lifting. For anything valuable, a photo plus a receipt or serial number is worth more than a written description when it is time to prove a loss.
Keep a copy off-site. An inventory that burns with the house is no help. Store a copy somewhere outside the home, so it survives the very event it is meant for.
Printed and kept where you will see it, this does its job. If you would rather it live somewhere your whole family can reach, that is what MyLifePapers is for.
Common questions
Do I really need to list everything?
No. Focus on the things that would be expensive or hard to replace, and the things a claims adjuster will question: electronics, jewelry, appliances, tools, and collections. For everything else, a photo or short video of each room is enough to jog memory and prove ownership.