{ "slug": "creating-a-home-inventory-for-insurance", "url": "https://checklists.org/c/creating-a-home-inventory-for-insurance", "markdown": "https://checklists.org/c/creating-a-home-inventory-for-insurance.md", "title": "Creating a Home Inventory for Insurance", "description": "A step-by-step checklist for documenting your belongings so you're prepared to file an accurate, complete insurance claim.", "category": "home", "tags": [ "insurance", "home-inventory", "disaster-prep" ], "version": "1.0", "updated": "2026-07-15", "sources": [ { "name": "NAIC Home Inventory", "url": "https://content.naic.org/consumer/home-inventory" }, { "name": "A home inventory: Why you need it and how to do it (Texas Dept. of Insurance)", "url": "https://www.tdi.texas.gov/tips/home-inventory.html" }, { "name": "How to create a home inventory (III)", "url": "https://www.iii.org/article/how-create-home-inventory" }, { "name": "Brochure: Home Inventory (III)", "url": "https://www.iii.org/article/brochure-home-inventory" }, { "name": "Making a Home Inventory (III)", "url": "https://www.iii.org/article/making-home-inventory" }, { "name": "Three reasons to take a home inventory (III)", "url": "https://www.iii.org/article/three-reasons-take-home-inventory" }, { "name": "How to file a homeowners claim (III)", "url": "https://www.iii.org/article/how-to-file-a-homeowners-claim" }, { "name": "Home Inventory and Contents Claim Tips (United Policyholders)", "url": "https://uphelp.org/claim-guidance-publications/home-inventory-and-contents-claim-tips/" }, { "name": "National Flood Insurance Program Claim Forms for Policyholders (FEMA)", "url": "https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance/find-form/policyholders" } ], "itemCount": 24, "essentialCount": 6, "sections": [ { "title": "Phase 1: Set Up Before You Start", "items": [ { "id": "1xe65e6", "text": "Choose a recording method", "note": "A purpose-built option is the free NAIC Home Inventory app, which makes it easy to create a record of all your belongings, including the ability to scan barcodes and upload photos of your items." }, { "id": "n2uarl", "text": "Pick a starting point rather than the whole house at once", "note": "A contained area—like your small kitchen appliance cabinet, your sporting equipment closet or your handbag shelf—is a great place to get started; it's better to have an incomplete inventory than nothing at all." }, { "id": "efm4d2", "text": "Gather receipts and paperwork for existing big-ticket purchases before you begin", "note": "So cost and purchase-date details are on hand while you work room by room." } ] }, { "title": "Phase 2: Document Every Room", "items": [ { "id": "17dcf38", "text": "Walk through and film or photograph each room, narrating contents as you go", "note": "If you have a video camera, you can walk through your house filming and describing the contents at the same time." }, { "id": "1g85e7", "text": "Open closets and drawers and record serial numbers of items like appliances and electronics", "note": "Don't forget the garage or shed to make note of tools, lawn equipment, and sporting goods." }, { "id": "1q1966k", "text": "Record make, model, and serial numbers for major appliances and electronics" }, { "id": "1hyj9oq", "text": "Describe each item you record", "note": "Note where you bought it, the make and model, what you paid and any other detail that might help in the event you need to make a claim." }, { "id": "y0egwh", "text": "Count clothing by general category", "note": "For example, \"5 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of sneakers…\"" }, { "id": "faudnr", "text": "Don't forget off-site items", "note": "Your belongings kept in a self-storage facility are covered by your homeowners insurance, too.", "essential": true }, { "id": "1yguvq9", "text": "Flag high-value items separately", "note": "It is essential to note expensive items such as jewelry, furs and collectibles since they may require additional insurance.", "essential": true }, { "id": "192y92r", "text": "List legal and financial documents as part of the inventory", "note": "It's important to keep a record of legal documents, such as birth certificates and passports, and financial documents, such as bank accounts and insurance policies." } ] }, { "title": "Phase 3: Verify Coverage While You Work", "items": [ { "id": "1ic11q4", "text": "Check coverage on big ticket items", "note": "Jewelry, art and collectibles may have increased in value and may need special coverage separate from your standard homeowners insurance policy; ask your agent whether you need a floater.", "essential": true }, { "id": "ehkw4j", "text": "Confirm damaged contents belong on the NFIP-specific form", "note": "FEMA Form 206-FY-21-106 policyholders use to list the inventory of flood-damaged personal property (also known as contents), which includes the quantity, description, actual cash value and amount.", "when": "has-flood-coverage" }, { "id": "e9hwe2", "text": "Cross-check your total inventory value against your policy's personal property coverage limit", "note": "Many homeowners who experience a total loss are underinsured." } ] }, { "title": "Phase 4: Store and Maintain the Record", "items": [ { "id": "dskvja", "text": "Store a copy of your inventory in a safe place outside of your home", "note": "With a friend or in a safe deposit box, or keep it in cloud storage, so it survives if the house itself is destroyed.", "essential": true }, { "id": "171s0zj", "text": "Keep receipts filed alongside inventory entries", "note": "Keep receipts when they are available and note the cost for the item, when you bought it and other information about the make and model." }, { "id": "p4ig0a", "text": "Add new purchases to your inventory right away", "note": "Whenever you make a significant purchase, remember to add the information to your inventory while the details are fresh in your mind." }, { "id": "1tzp1f6", "text": "Redo a full walkthrough periodically", "note": "Since values and contents change over time." } ] }, { "title": "Phase 5: If You Ever Need to File a Claim", "items": [ { "id": "1w3x3yz", "text": "Report any crime to the police", "note": "If you are the victim of a theft or your home has been vandalized or burglarized, report it to the police. Get a police report and the names of all law enforcement officers that you speak with.", "essential": true }, { "id": "1rifjqc", "text": "Avoid throwing out damaged items until the adjuster has visited your home", "when": "if-possible", "essential": true }, { "id": "ergltg", "text": "Pull your stored inventory and supporting documents immediately", "note": "Having an up-to-date home inventory will help you get your insurance claim settled faster, verify losses for your income tax return and help you purchase the correct amount of insurance." }, { "id": "o0i0f5", "text": "Keep a claim diary logging every conversation with the insurer or adjuster", "note": "Per \"CLAIM DIARY\" practice recommended for large-dollar claims." }, { "id": "e43hza", "text": "Use FEMA's itemized Contents Worksheet", "note": "Policyholders use this form to list the inventory of flood-damaged personal property in the required format.", "when": "federally-declared-disaster-or-flood-claim" }, { "id": "1bi0t", "text": "Save receipts for what you spend", "note": "You may be able to submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement later." } ] } ] }