Making a home inventory before you ever need to claim

A practical guide for UpdateSee readers, written from everyday experience.

After a fire, flood or burglary, few people can remember everything they owned, and claims are often settled for less than they should be. A home inventory solves that problem. Walk through each room recording a video, open cupboards and drawers, and describe valuable items aloud, including brands and approximate purchase dates. The whole task takes an afternoon.

After a fire, flood or burglary, few people can remember everything they owned, and claims are often settled for less than they should be.

Keep receipts for larger purchases and photograph serial numbers on electronics and appliances. Store the inventory somewhere outside the home, such as a cloud folder or with a relative, so it survives whatever damaged the house. Update it once a year and after major purchases. The same record also helps you check whether your current cover is high enough.