Why a Home Inventory Is Essential and How to Do It

I recently posted the caption above on the Colorado Parent Page because it's cute and silly. However, the need to have a current home inventory is serious as it helps make the road to recovery faster in the unfortunate event that disaster strikes.

Documenting items in your home may feel like an overwhelming task. Here’s what you need to know to guide you through the process.

Document. Take detailed pictures and video of every room in your home as well as a record of each individual item. Items such as antiques should be discussed with your insurance agent to itemize them on your policy. If you already have a home inventory list, make sure to keep your list updated with any new significant purchases along the way.

Proof of value. Keep receipts, contracts and appraisals to understand what level of coverage you’d need. Things to take note of: item description, make/model/serial number and estimated replacement costs.

Don’t forget the storage unit. Personal items that are kept in a self-storage facility are covered under homeowners insurance.

Keep it safe. Store your documentation in a fireproof box or safe deposit box or keep a file on hand with your insurance agent. You can also back up the files on an external hard drive or to the cloud (such as Google Drive or Apple’s iCloud) as an additional measure.

Kick-start. To kick-start your inventory task, CLICK HERE to check out a great list of home inventory apps to help you with the process.

After taking your home inventory, give us a call to check your current policy to ensure that you’ll be covered or set you up with a new policy today!

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