FCIC- Your home inventory

your home inventory

Insurance Information Institute
PDF Version

You never know when a disaster may strike—but you can be prepared with a home inventory.

A home inventory can help you

• Buy the amount of insurance you need
• Get your insurance claim settled faster
• Verify losses for your income tax return
• Keep track of the belongings you’ve accumulated over the years

Getting Started

There are many ways to create a home inventory. It may seem hard at first to record information about everything you have in your house, but don’t let that put you off. First, decide on a way to organize your inventory that works for you. You can do it room by room, category by category (furniture, electronics, etc.), from newest items to oldest or from most expensive purchases to least expensive ones.

Taking Inventory

There are different approaches to making your list. You can write everything down in a notebook, for example. Or you can take pictures, writing information on the back of the photos or putting information on your computer. If you have a video camera, you can walk through your house filming and describing the contents at the same time. If you have a a personal computer, you can download free software that makes creating and keeping a home inventory easy at www.KnowYourStuff.org.

Keep receipts when they are available and note the cost for the item, when you bought it and information about the make and model.

Expensive items like jewelry and art work may need to be insured separately. Ask your insurance agent whether you need a floater for your homeowners policy.

Store a copy of your inventory in a safe place outside of your home—with a friend or in a safe deposit box. (If your inventory is electronic, store it on a disk.) That way you’ll be sure to have something to give your insurance representative if your home is damaged. Also, whenever you make a significant purchase, remember to add the information to your inventory while the details are fresh in your mind.

Making Lists

In some cases, items on the next page are listed by the room in which they are most likely to be found. In other cases, they are grouped together by category. For many items like books, CDs, sheets or pots and pans, you can make a general estimate of how many you have and their estimated value.

Home Inventory

You can refer to the following lists to help create your inventories.

General Appliances Televisions VCR/DVD player Video camera CD player Stereo equipment CDs/records Radios Sewing machine Cameras Answering machine Phones Washer/Dryer Air conditioners Heaters Fans Vacuum cleaner Exercise equipment General Household Carpet/rugs Window treatments Bookcases Chairs Lamps/light fixtures Clocks Mirrors Vases Collections (coin, stamp, etc.) Pictures/wall hangings Living Room Sofa Chairs Coffee table End tables Entertainment center/wall units Piano/other musical instruments

Dining Room Buffet Table Chairs China cabinet China Silverware Crystal Table linens Tea/coffee sets Serving table/cart Bedrooms Beds Bed linens Dressers/chests Dressing tables Night tables Clothing Shoes Coats Furs Suits Dresses Sweaters Sports apparel Shirts Skirts Jewelry Kitchen Table Chairs Refrigerator Freezer Stove Microwave oven Oven Dishwasher Coffee makers/ other small appliances Pots/pans Dishes Glasses Kitchen utensils Bathrooms Hair dryer/ other electrical appliances Scale Shower curtains Towels

Home Office / Study / Den Desk Chairs Sofa Computer Printer Scanner Fax machine Books Tables Business supplies Garage / Basement / Attic / Shed Furniture Luggage/trunks Sports equipment Toys/outdoor games Bicycles Small boats Trailers Lawn mower Snow blower Shovels Sprinklers/hoses Wheelbarrow/ other garden tools and supplies Ladders Work bench Carpentry tools/supplies Holiday decorations Porch/Patio Garden chairs Garden tables Umbrellas Outdoor cooking equipment Planters Jacuzzi

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