The devastation of a natural disaster or home burglary is traumatic, and getting your home back to together and belongings replaced can be a long process. That’s when a home inventory is priceless. Having a detailed inventory of your belongings can make the road to normalcy faster and easier. 

While the process of creating a list of what you own can seem daunting, consider breaking it up into smaller steps—making an inventory of just one room or closet in your home at a time. Technology can also help, says UFG Assistant Vice President and Property Claims Manager Dean Walstrom. 

“Be as detailed as possible. I recommend videotaping your personal property as well as documenting on a spreadsheet details such as model, brand, description, age, cost, form of payment and purchase location.” 

Says Walstrom: “This itemization will help expedite the claims handling process as well as support ownership, financial interest and value of those items being claimed.” 

1. Begin the inventory with the most recent purchases. Work your way back to the older possessions. 
   
   
2. Use general categories when counting smaller items like tools, for example “4 hammers, 2 electric screw drivers, etc.” 
   
   
3. List the following for each item if applicable:
   • Description 
   • Model or serial number
   • Brand 
   • Quantity
   • Age
   • Cost
4. Make special note of big ticket items like jewelry and art. Be sure you have documentation for any appraisals you’ve had done for these items.
   
   
5. Don’t forget to inventory belongings kept in any off-site storage units, as these items would typically be covered by a home owners insurance policy. 
   
   
6. In addition to a video recording, create a photo record. Take pictures of whole rooms and individual items as well. Photograph more expensive items jewelry, china or silver individually. 
   
   
7. There are numerous online apps now available that can also make the process easier and the storage of the information simple.  
   
   
8. Keep all of your records off-site in a safe place. Digital video and photo records can also be stored in a cloud service such as Dropbox. Along with acting as a backup copy, it will also be easy to access if you’re away from home or unable to return to your home after a natural disaster. 

Your inventory will be useless unless you keep it up to date. Log new items as you purchase them, and aim to review your log on an annual basis. 

An added bonus of creating a home inventory: making note of valuable items can serve as a reminder to contact your insurance agent about additional protection.* If you’re in the market for new homeowners insurance, find a UFG agent near you. 

*All products not available in all states. 

Disclaimer: Subject to applicable legal requirements, United Fire & Casualty Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (UFG Insurance) are no longer renewing or writing new personal lines coverage for current or potential policyholders in most states. To accommodate obtaining replacement coverage, we have entered into a renewal rights agreement for most of our personal lines business. Read more here.