Home Inventory Before a Storm: How to Document Your Belongings for an Insurance Claim
Published
A practical, room-by-room way to build a home inventory with your phone before storm season, what details to record, where to store it, and how it helps if you ever need to file an insurance claim.
What is a home inventory?
Short answer: A home inventory is a record of the things you own, with photos or video and details such as brand, model, serial number, when you bought each item and what you paid. The NAIC says an accurate home inventory gives your insurance company the information it needs to help settle a claim, and FEMA's Ready.gov notes it can help you prove the value of what you owned.
What's the fastest way to make a home inventory?
Short answer: Use your phone. Walk through every room, including closets, drawers, the garage, attic and basement, and take video while you describe the main items out loud. The California Department of Insurance suggests videoing every drawer and commenting on each item, then sending a copy to someone outside your home. You can add serial numbers and receipts for valuable items later.
Do I need a home inventory to file a claim?
Short answer: No, but it makes the claim easier. The NAIC's Post-Disaster Claims Guide says your insurer may ask for a list of damaged or destroyed belongings and receipts if you have them, and that if you don't have a list, the adjuster will usually give you time to make one. Ask your adjuster how long you have. What is covered, and for how much, depends on your policy and is decided by your insurer.
Why make a home inventory now
After a storm, it's hard to remember everything you owned, especially when you're dealing with repairs. FEMA's Ready.gov says a detailed inventory will help you prove the value of what you owned, which could speed up claim processing, and can also help you decide how much insurance to carry. The NAIC recommends doing it before a disaster strikes, and its claims guidance says to make a list of all your damaged property because you'll need it when you meet with your adjuster.
Room by room with your phone
Go through each room and write down or photograph everything in it (NAIC). Open closets, cabinets and drawers, and don't skip the garage, attic, basement, sheds or a storage unit. A narrated video is the quickest start: say what each item is, roughly when you bought it and what you paid, if you know. The NAIC's free Home Inventory app lets you take photos, scan barcodes, group items by room or category and export the list.
What details to record
For each item, note the description, brand, make and model, serial number, purchase date and price where you can (Ready.gov; NAIC). Take a separate photo of serial number labels on electronics and appliances. Keep receipts with your inventory. For high-value items such as jewelry, art, antiques and collectibles, Ready.gov suggests considering an appraisal. FloodSmart also recommends listing major household items like your refrigerator, water heater, washer and dryer, since flood insurance treats building items and contents differently.
Photograph the house itself
Your inventory is also a good time to record the condition of the house. Take dated photos of the roof from the ground, each side of the exterior, windows, gutters, the fence and outbuildings, plus inside rooms, ceilings and floors. Before-and-after photos make it easier to show what changed after a storm. They don't guarantee any claim outcome.
Store it where a storm can't reach it
Keep at least one copy outside your home. Ready.gov suggests keeping paper copies in a waterproof and fireproof box, safe or bank safe deposit box, leaving copies with trusted relatives or friends, and protecting electronic copies with strong passwords. The NAIC suggests your workplace, a safe deposit box, a relative's house or online storage. Keep your insurer's name, your policy number and the claims phone number with it.
Keep it current
The NAIC recommends reviewing your inventory, including photos and videos, at least once a year and adding new purchases as you buy them. Storm season and the start of winter are easy reminders. If you have made big purchases, ask your agent whether your coverage limits still fit.
If a storm hits and you have no inventory
Don't panic. The NAIC says to work from memory, review photos on your phone or from family and friends that show the inside of your home, and search online retailers to help estimate costs. Before you clean up, take photos and video of all damage, and keep receipts for emergency repairs and supplies. Contact your insurer or agent promptly, since many policies have time limits for reporting a loss (Ready.gov).
Insurance: what to know
An inventory documents what you owned; it doesn't decide what is covered. Coverage depends on your policy. For example, standard homeowners and renters policies generally don't cover flood damage, which needs separate flood insurance, and renters' belongings are generally not covered by the landlord's policy (California Department of Insurance). Read your policy and ask your agent if you're unsure. Only your insurer decides coverage.
How we can help
ClaimToRepair makes the insurance side easier and gets the repairs done. If a storm damages your home, one licensed local pro can do a free inspection and give you a photo report and estimate you can share with your adjuster, then quote the repair. We don't file, negotiate or adjust claims. To get priority when the next storm comes, join First in Line (free). If you have an active emergency, use Get immediate help: the same-day option has a $50 dispatch fee that is refunded if no one arrives the same day and isn't applied to the cost of the job, or you can schedule a visit instead.
Sources
- NAIC: What You Need to Know When Filing a Homeowners Claim
- NAIC: Post-Disaster Claims Guide (PDF)
- NAIC: Home Inventory app
- FEMA / Ready.gov: Document and Insure Your Property (PDF)
- FloodSmart (National Flood Insurance Program): Document Your Belongings
- California Department of Insurance: Home Inventory Guide
General information only, not legal or insurance advice. Coverage depends on your policy.