How to Take a Home Inventory – An Easy to Follow Checklist

Taking a home inventory is your best chance to regain losses of your personal property if something happens to your home. Follow these steps for how to take a home inventory so you can accurately inventory your assets in case of a claim: 1) use a video camera or smartphone to record your property, 2) move from room to room taking video inventory, 3) tour the property inside and out, 4) save receipts of personal property-related items, and 5) take a home inventory often to update it with new purchases and investments.

UPDATED: Apr 29, 2022

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UPDATED: Apr 29, 2022Fact Checked

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Chris Tepedino is a feature writer that has written extensively about home, life, and car insurance for numerous websites. He has a college degree in communication from the University of Tennessee and has experience reporting, researching investigative pieces, and crafting detailed, data-driven features. His works have been featured on CB Blog Nation, Flow Words, Healing Law, WIBW Kansas, and C...

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Written by Chris Tepedino
Insurance Feature Writer Chris Tepedino

Laura Walker graduated college with a BS in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science. She married her husband and began working in the family insurance business in 2005. She became a licensed agent and wrote P&C business focusing on personal lines insurance for 10 years. Laura serviced existing business and wrote new business. She now uses her insurance background to help educate...

Full Bio →

Reviewed by Laura Walker
Former Licensed Agent Laura Walker

UPDATED: Apr 29, 2022

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.

Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.

UPDATED: Apr 29, 2022

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.

Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Apr 29, 2022Fact Checked

Your home inventory is your best chance to regain losses of your personal property if something happens to your home. But in order for the home inventory to benefit you, it must be kept up to date and include everything you want to protect. When you complete the home inventory, make a copy and send it to the insurance company, but retain the other company for your own use.

Use a Video Camera

When you have a video of your property, the insurance company can immediately reference anything that is lost or stolen. You do not have to buy or rent an expensive camera, but it is a good idea to use one that is capable of zooming in so that you show the exact brand and condition of your property.

Move from Room to Room

Start at your front door and move through the entire home systematically. Itemize everything in each room, including pictures on the walls, furniture, appliances, special light fixtures, and anything that can be classified as your personal property. Be sure to include an itemization of your jewelry box or home safe. Don’t forget to go through your closets, attic and other storage areas along with the utility room, pantry, and other rooms.

Tour the Property

Everything on your property should be included in your home inventory. That includes the tools in your garage, your lawn equipment, pool equipment and yard ornaments and decorations. Take your time and itemize everything, then watch the video and make sure that you didn’t forget some out-of-the-way storage shed or some item that is kept hidden away behind another building.

Save All of Your Personal Property Related Receipts

Receipts are important to verify the value of your property. Not only should you include the receipts with the items in your home inventory video, you should take care to save the actual receipts. Purchase a fire-proof lockbox to keep receipts in at home, and transfer them to a safe deposit box or other off-site location regularly.

Update Your Home Inventory Often

A home inventory should be updated regularly. If you make a major purchase, update the home inventory. Even if you can’t think of anything that needs to be updated, perform the home inventory every 6 months or even more frequently, because some things probably change without you considering them to be important, such as picking up an antique chair while visiting relatives out of town. Your home inventory is your best representative if your home is destroyed so give it the time and diligence it deserves.

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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.

Chris Tepedino is a feature writer that has written extensively about home, life, and car insurance for numerous websites. He has a college degree in communication from the University of Tennessee and has experience reporting, researching investigative pieces, and crafting detailed, data-driven features. His works have been featured on CB Blog Nation, Flow Words, Healing Law, WIBW Kansas, and C...

Full Bio →

Written by Chris Tepedino
Insurance Feature Writer Chris Tepedino

Laura Walker graduated college with a BS in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science. She married her husband and began working in the family insurance business in 2005. She became a licensed agent and wrote P&C business focusing on personal lines insurance for 10 years. Laura serviced existing business and wrote new business. She now uses her insurance background to help educate...

Full Bio →

Reviewed by Laura Walker
Former Licensed Agent Laura Walker

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