Creating a Home Inventory for Insurance Purposes

After you’ve gone through the dramatic experience of a robbery or fire in your home, the last thing you want to do is try to remember each and every thing that was damaged or stolen for the insurance companies. Not only can it be painful, it’s nearly impossible to accurately remember all of the items in your home. That’s why it’s so important to maintain an up to date home inventory of your valuables. By documenting your important items, you’ll save yourself hours of trouble and have proof that you actually owned the items. Here are some tips on how you can create a home inventory and what you need to include in it:

Important Items to Document

Guns and ammunition
Computers
Televisions
Jewelry
DVD players, CD players, and stereo equipment
Cameras
Antiques, paintings, and collectibles
Sports equipment
Anything of significant monetary or personal value

How to Create Your Home Inventory

There are several ways you can create and maintain your home inventory:

- Write down all of your items of value in a notebook and then take pictures of each item. Keep one set of copies with the notebook and another at a friend’s or family member’s house in case anything should happen to the first set.

- Use the same method as above except do it on the computer. You can even store the information online so that you don’t run the risk of having it damaged.

- Do a walk- thru of your home and document your items using a video camera. One advantage with using a video camera is that you can update your inventory by simply popping your tape in from where you left off and add new items. Keep a hard copy of the video and store another online or at a friend’s house.