You never know when a disaster may strike—but you can be prepared with a home inventory.
A home inventory can help you:![]()
A home inventory can help you:
- Buy the amount of insurance you need
- Get your insurance claim settled faster
- Verify losses for your income tax return
- Keep track of all the things you’ve accumulated over the years
GETTING STARTEDThere 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 make an 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 less expensive ones.
TAKING INVENTORYThere are different ways 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 put 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 personal computer, you can access free online software that makes creating and keeping a home inventory easy athttp://www.KnowYourStuff.org .
Keep receipts when they are available and note the cost for the item, when you bought it and other 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 you 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 LISTSIn some case, items below 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. Write a brief description of the item including when and where it was bough and its make or model number.
General AppliancesTelevisions
VCR/DVD player
Video camera
CD player
Stereo equipment
CDs, records
Radios
Sewing machine
Cameras
Answering machine
Phones
Washer/Dryer
Air conditioners
Heaters
Fans
Vacuum cleaner
Exercise equipment
General HouseholdCarpet/rugs
Window treatments
Bookcases
Chairs
Lamps/light fixtures
Clocks
Mirrors
Vases
Collections (coin, stamp, etc.)
Pictures/wall hangings
Living RoomSofa
Chairs
Coffee table
End tables
Entertainment center/wall units
Piano/other musical instruments
Dining RoomBuffet
Table
Chairs
China cabinet
China
Silverware
Crystal
Table linens
Tea/coffee sets
Serving table/cart
BedroomsBeds
Bed linens
Dressers/chests
Dressing tables
Night tables
ClothingShoes
Coats
Furs
Suits
Dresses
Sweaters
Sports apparel
Shirts
Skirts
Jewelry
KitchenTable
Chairs
Refrigerator
Freezer
Stove
Microwave oven
Oven
Dishwasher
Coffee makers/other small appliances
Pots/pans
Dishes
Glasses
Kitchen utensils
BathroomsHair dryer/other electrical appliances
Scale
Shower curtains
Towels
Home Office/Study/DenDesk
Chairs
Sofa
Computer
Printer
Scanner
Fax machine
Books
Tables
Business supplies
Garage/Basement/Attic/ShedFurniture
Luggage/trunks
Sports equipment
Toys/Outdoor games
Bicycles
Small boats
Trailers
Lawn mower
Snow blower
Shovels
Sprinklers/hoses
Wheelbarrow/other garden tools and supplies
Ladders
Work bench
Carpentry tools/supplies
Holiday decorations
Porch/PatioGarden chairs
Garden tables
Umbrellas
Outdoor cooking equipment
Planters
Jacuzzi
KEEPING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTSIt’s also important to keep a record of legal documents, such as birth certificates and passports, and financial documents, such as bank accounts 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 and insurance policy contact information. For more tips, go to the Federal Citizen Information Center’s “Consumer Focus: Preparing Your Household Records.”
HOUSEHOLD RECORDSGeneralWills, living wills and powers of attorney
Passports
Birth certificates
Marriage certificates/divorce decrees
Social security cards
Education records
Employment records
Church records
Financial
TAKING INVENTORYThere are different ways 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 put 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 personal computer, you can access free online software that makes creating and keeping a home inventory easy athttp://www.KnowYourStuff.org .
Keep receipts when they are available and note the cost for the item, when you bought it and other 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 you 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 LISTSIn some case, items below 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. Write a brief description of the item including when and where it was bough and its make or model number.
General AppliancesTelevisions
VCR/DVD player
Video camera
CD player
Stereo equipment
CDs, records
Radios
Sewing machine
Cameras
Answering machine
Phones
Washer/Dryer
Air conditioners
Heaters
Fans
Vacuum cleaner
Exercise equipment
General HouseholdCarpet/rugs
Window treatments
Bookcases
Chairs
Lamps/light fixtures
Clocks
Mirrors
Vases
Collections (coin, stamp, etc.)
Pictures/wall hangings
Living RoomSofa
Chairs
Coffee table
End tables
Entertainment center/wall units
Piano/other musical instruments
Dining RoomBuffet
Table
Chairs
China cabinet
China
Silverware
Crystal
Table linens
Tea/coffee sets
Serving table/cart
BedroomsBeds
Bed linens
Dressers/chests
Dressing tables
Night tables
ClothingShoes
Coats
Furs
Suits
Dresses
Sweaters
Sports apparel
Shirts
Skirts
Jewelry
KitchenTable
Chairs
Refrigerator
Freezer
Stove
Microwave oven
Oven
Dishwasher
Coffee makers/other small appliances
Pots/pans
Dishes
Glasses
Kitchen utensils
BathroomsHair dryer/other electrical appliances
Scale
Shower curtains
Towels
Home Office/Study/DenDesk
Chairs
Sofa
Computer
Printer
Scanner
Fax machine
Books
Tables
Business supplies
Garage/Basement/Attic/ShedFurniture
Luggage/trunks
Sports equipment
Toys/Outdoor games
Bicycles
Small boats
Trailers
Lawn mower
Snow blower
Shovels
Sprinklers/hoses
Wheelbarrow/other garden tools and supplies
Ladders
Work bench
Carpentry tools/supplies
Holiday decorations
Porch/PatioGarden chairs
Garden tables
Umbrellas
Outdoor cooking equipment
Planters
Jacuzzi
KEEPING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTSIt’s also important to keep a record of legal documents, such as birth certificates and passports, and financial documents, such as bank accounts 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 and insurance policy contact information. For more tips, go to the Federal Citizen Information Center’s “Consumer Focus: Preparing Your Household Records.”
HOUSEHOLD RECORDSGeneralWills, living wills and powers of attorney
Passports
Birth certificates
Marriage certificates/divorce decrees
Social security cards
Education records
Employment records
Church records
Financial
Insurance records
Tax records
Creditor information
Credit car information
Bank information (account numbers, statements, etc.)
Deeds
Retirement and pension account information
Home improvement records warranties
- Insurance Information Institute
If you have questions or concerns on this issue, do not hesitate to call Zeiler Insurance and speak to one of our customer service representatives. As an independent agency, Zeiler Insurance prides itself with quality customer services for the people of the Chicago-land area and the rest of the Midwest. Customer or not, we can review your insurance and see if you are being protected appropriately for the right price.
-Lucas R. Zeiler
(708) 597-5900