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
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 General Household |
Dining Room Bedrooms Clothing Bathrooms |
Home Office / Study / Den Garage / Basement / Attic / Shed |
Keeping Important Documents
It’s also important to keep a record of legal documents, such as birth certificates and passports, and financial documents, such as bank account and insurance policies. You can also use your home inventory to record information about these papers. Note insurance policy and bank and investment account numbers along with your insurance policy contact information. With a computer, www.MyFinancialHouse.org can help you keep track of your financial records. For more tips, go to the Federal Citizen Information Center’s “Consumer Focus: Preparing Your Household Records.” (www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cfocus/cfrecords06/focus.htm)
Household Records
General |
Financial |
State Insurance Departments
AK: 907-269-7900 www.dced.state.ak.us/insurance/
AL: 334-269-3550 www.aldoi.org
AR: 501-371-2600 insurance.arkansas.gov
AZ: 800-325-2548 www.id.state.az.us
CA: 213-897-8921 www.insurance.ca.gov
CO: 303-894-7499 www.dora.state.co.us/insurance
CT: 860-297-3800 www.ct.gov/cid
DC: 202-727-8000 www.disb.dc.gov
DE: 302-674-7300 www.state.de.us/inscom
FL: 850-413-3140 www.floir.com
GA: 404-656-2070 www.gainsurance.org
HI: 808-586-2790 www.state.hi.us/dcca/ins
IA: 515-281-5705 www.iid.state.ia.us
ID: 208-334-4250 www.doi.state.id.us
IL: 217-782-4515 www.idfpr.com/DOI
IN: 317-232-2385 www.in.gov/idoi
KS: 785-296-3071 www.ksinsurance.org
KY: 800-595-6053 doi.ppr.ky.gov/Kentucky/
LA: 225-342-5900 www.ldi.la.gov
MA: 617-521-7794 www.mass.gov/doi
MD: 410-468-2000 www.mdinsurance.state.md.us
ME: 207-624-8475 www.state.me.us/pfr/ins/ins_index.htm
MI: 517-373-0220 www.michigan.gov/ofis
MN: 651-296-4026 www.commerce.state.mn.us
MO: 573-751-4126 www.insurance.mo.gov
MS: 601-359-3569 www.doi.state.ms.us
MT: 406-444-2040 sao.mt.gov/insurance
NC: 800-546-5664 www.ncdoi.com
ND: 701-328-2440 www.state.nd.us/ndins
NE: 402-471-2201 www.doi.ne.gov
NH: 603-271-7973 www.nh.gov/insurance
NJ: 609-292-5360 www.njdobi.org
NM: 505-827-4601 www.nmprc.state.nm.us
NV: 775-687-4270 www.doi.state.nv.us
NY: 212-480-6400 www.ins.state.ny.us
OH: 614-644-2658 www.ohioinsurance.gov
OK: 405-521-2828 www.oid.state.ok.us
OR: 503-947-7980 www.cbs.state.or.us/external/ins
PA: 717-787-2317 www.ins.state.pa.us/ins/site/
PR: 787-722-8686 www.gobierno.pr/gprportal/inicio
RI: 401-222-2224 www.dbr.state.ri.us
SC: 803-737-6160
SD: 605-773-3563 www.state.sd.us/drr2/reg/insurance/
TN: 615-741-2241 www.state.tn.us
TX: 512-463-6464 www.tdi.state.tx.us
UT: 801-538-3800 www.insurance.utah.gov
VA: 804-371-9741 www.scc.virginia.gov/division/boi/
VT: 802-828-3301 www.bishca.state.vt.us
WA: 360-725-7100 www.insurance.wa.gov
WI: 608-266-3585 oci.wi.gov
WV: 304-558-3354 www.wvinsurance.gov
WY: 307-777-7401 insurance.state.wy.us
Insurance
Information
Institute
110 William Street
New York, NY 10038
www.iii.org
Reviewed and approved by:
Federal Citizen Information Center www.pueblo.gsa.gov
National Consumers League www.nclnet.org
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, USDA www.csrees.usda.gov