How to make a home inventory for insurance

Why it matters

Most people cannot list what is in a single drawer from memory, let alone a whole home. Without a record, you are relying on recall and old receipts at the worst possible time, and anything you forget is unlikely to be claimed. An inventory also tells you whether your cover is enough before you need it.

Go room by room

Start with one room and finish it before moving on. Open every cupboard and drawer. Do the garage, shed, loft and storage too: tools, bikes and garden equipment add up quickly.

The fastest first pass is a slow video walk-through of each room, saying out loud what things are and roughly when you bought them. Then fill in the details for the items that matter most.

What to record for each item

• ✓What it is, with make and model.
• ✓Serial number, if it has one. Photograph the label.
• ✓Where and when you bought it, and what you paid.
• ✓Its condition, and a photo.
• ✓Where the receipt is, if you still have it.

Start with the expensive and hard to replace

If you only have an hour, record these first: electronics, appliances, jewellery and watches, tools, instruments, art, collections, and anything with sentimental value you would want to prove you owned.

Check your policy for separate limits on valuables. Many policies limit what they pay for jewellery or collectables unless an item is listed, so the inventory is also a good moment to ask your insurer what needs to be named.

Keep a copy away from home

An inventory that burns with the house does not help. Keep a digital copy in cloud storage or email it to yourself, and give a printed copy to someone you trust who lives elsewhere. Update both when you buy something significant, and review the whole list once a year.

Renters need one too

Your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your things. If you have contents or renters insurance, the inventory works exactly the same way, and it helps when you move out and need to show what was yours.

If you need to claim

1. 1.Photograph and video the damage before you clean up or throw anything away, unless it is unsafe.
2. 2.Call your insurer and write down the claim number, who you spoke to and when.
3. 3.Keep receipts for emergency repairs and, if your policy covers it, temporary living costs such as a hotel or meals.
4. 4.Send the inventory with the claim, marking what was lost or damaged.

From the Stelaah Store

• ✓Disaster Readiness and Home Inventory Kit. A 33-page fillable PDF workbook for household disaster preparedness and an insurance-ready, room-by-room home inventory.
• ✓Home Maintenance and First Home System. An Excel and Google Sheets home maintenance system with 28 scheduled tasks and due dates, appliance warranties, a repair log, a home budget and a moving-in checklist.