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How to make a home inventory for insurance
After a fire, a flood or a burglary, an insurer asks a question almost nobody can answer from memory: what exactly did you own? A home inventory is the answer written down in advance. It does not need to be perfect. It needs to exist, be stored somewhere other than the house, and cover the expensive things first. Here is how to do it in one afternoon.
A practical five-step method, then the apps that make each step faster, with a section for inventory apps rising by visits on the Censuus ranking. Check your own policy for what your insurer requires.
Inventory apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus
Younger apps from independent developers that take a different route to the same list:
Asset Manager - Gift TrackerApp Storekeeps track of what your things are worth and which of them were gifts.- Your app hereFree, foreverList my app
Cratify - Home OrganizationApp Storeorganises the list by room and container and shares it with the household, which suits step 4.
LegacyInventory: Item ScannerApp Storeyou walk a room and record, and it identifies notable items, close to the video-first approach of step 1.
Start with a video, not a spreadsheet
The reason most inventories never happen is that a full list feels enormous. So start with something you can finish in twenty minutes: walk through each room filming slowly, open the wardrobes and drawers, and say out loud what anything unusual is and roughly when you bought it. That video is already a useful record. The detailed list can come later, and it will go faster because you have seen the scale of the job.
Record what an adjuster will ask for
For anything valuable, write down what it is, the brand and model, the serial number if it has one, roughly when and where you bought it, and what it cost. Add a photo that shows the item clearly and a photo of the serial plate. Receipts and order confirmation emails are the strongest proof of value, so attach them to the item or photograph them now, before thermal paper fades.
Keep a copy outside the house
An inventory stored only on a laptop in the house can disappear with the house. Keep a copy in cloud storage or with a relative, and update it when you buy something significant. A once-a-year review, around the time your policy renews, keeps it current without becoming a hobby.
Which app helps
Apps that fill in details from a barcode cut the typing; apps that tie each item to a room or a box help when you move. Compare them in home inventory apps. If receipts are the hard part, receipt scanner apps catch them at the till.
| Step | What you do | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Film first | walk each room slowly with your phone camera, opening cupboards and drawers | a rough backup before the detailed list |
| 2. Expensive items | electronics, jewellery, instruments, bikes, tools | photo, brand, model, serial number |
| 3. Proof of value | receipts, order emails, valuations | photograph paper receipts before they fade |
| 4. Room by room | everything else, one room at a time | group small items, “kitchen utensils” |
| 5. Store it off-site | cloud copy or a copy with someone you trust | an inventory that burns with the house is useless |
Frequently asked questions
What should a home inventory include?
For each valuable item: a description, brand and model, serial number, purchase date and place, what it cost, a clear photo and, ideally, the receipt. Lower-value things can be grouped by room.
Is a video enough for a home inventory?
A walkthrough video is a good start and much better than nothing, but a written list with serial numbers and receipts is stronger proof for expensive items. Check what your insurer accepts.
Where should I keep my home inventory?
Somewhere outside the home: cloud storage, an app that syncs, or a copy with someone you trust. Update it when you buy something significant.