Essential Benefits of a Home Inventory Record

January 2025

A woman in a cream sweater is playfully modeling a new VR headset as a man, in jeans and an orange t-shirt, photographs the item for their home inventory record.

There are many benefits to keeping an up-to-date record of your valuable possessions.

People may have mixed feelings about New Year’s resolutions, but we have one suggested task that's pretty easy: taking a home inventory. The start of a new year is the perfect time to do it, as you may have just added a big-ticket gift or two to your home during the holidays.

One key benefit of maintaining a home inventory is to help make sure your insurance policy has the right amount of coverage for your situation; otherwise, you may be at risk of being underinsured. Your insurance agent can use your home inventory as a helpful tool to assess your coverage needs before your policy renews.

Cataloging your valuables can also really help simplify the claims process, should you experience damage or theft. It can make it much to assess the value of specific items.

So what sorts of things are we talking about? You’ll want to include anything of notable value or significance.


Record the following sorts of items:

  • Appliances
  • Electronics
  • Furniture
  • Art
  • Jewelry
  • Collectibles (e.g., coins, stamps)
  • Silver
  • Fine china/dishes
  • Tools
  • Sports equipment
  • Musical instruments


Download our fillable Home Inventory workbook

View and Download Workbook



A woman in a tan sleeveless shirt smiles as she photographs a ceramic jewelry dish with her phone.Tips for Simplifying the Process

For help getting started, take a look at our Create a Home Inventory Record video. It covers the basics of creating your record and why it matters.

Then, when you’re ready, download or print our Home Inventory Record workbook to simplify the effort. It will take you through the sorts of considerations you’re likely to encounter as you complete this smart planning step.

An easy way to capture it all is to simply go room by room and video all of your valuables, recording your description of each item or taking notes as you move along. Try to include the estimated value of each item where you can. If you happen to have receipts or serial numbers or know purchase dates, include those too. If it seems like this is just too much of an organizational challenge, consider using one of the home inventory apps available online that can walk you through the process.

Talk to Your Insurance Agent

If you’re like a lot of people, you’re probably not sure which of your belongings are actually covered by your current insurance. Or maybe you once made a list, but it’s somewhere between out of date and way, way out of date).

Undertaking a home inventory will give you critical information to share with your agent. Show them your itemized list of valuables, and talk about what your options are for protection. It’s all about ensuring that your most prized possessions are covered in the event of damage, loss, or theft―and that you can recover faster if something does happen.

If you own a home, consider reviewing our Homeowners Insurance Checklist with your agent, too! Just like listing valuable possessions, it's important to consider home renovations and major property updates when reviewing your coverage needs with your agent

 

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