Essential Benefits of a Home Inventory Record

June 2026

A woman in a cream sweater is playfully modeling a new VR headset as a man, in jeans and an orange t-shirt, photographs the item for their home inventory record.

There are many benefits to keeping an up-to-date record of your valuable possessions

What is a home inventory record?

A home inventory keeps a record of the important personal property and possessions throughout your home. You can also record the value of the item and keep receipts all in one place.

What are the benefits of a home inventory?

One key benefit of a home inventory is helping simplify the insurance claims process, should you experience damage or theft. It can help you make sure you don't miss reporting any items, and it can make it much easier to assess the value of specific items, especially if you have receipts handy.

Another perk is helping make sure insurance policy has the right amount of coverage for your situation; otherwise, you may be at risk of being underinsured. Your insurance agent can use your home inventory as a helpful tool to assess your coverage needs before your policy renews.

What kinds of items should be recorded?

You’ll want to include anything of notable value or significance.

Record the following sorts of items:

Appliances
Electronics
Furniture
Art
Jewelry
Collectibles (e.g., coins, stamps)
Silver
Fine china/dishes
Tools
Sports equipment
Musical instruments

Download our fillable Home Inventory workbook

View and Download Workbook

Tips for Simplifying the Process

For help getting started, take a look at our Create a Home Inventory Record video. It covers the basics of creating your record and why it matters.

Then, when you’re ready, download or print our Home Inventory Record workbook to simplify the effort. It will take you through the sorts of considerations you’re likely to encounter as you complete this smart planning step.

An easy way to capture it all is to simply go room by room and video all of your valuables, recording your description of each item or taking notes as you move along. Try to include the estimated value of each item where you can. If you happen to have receipts or serial numbers or know purchase dates, include those too. If it seems like this is just too much of an organizational challenge, consider using one of the home inventory apps available online that can walk you through the process.

When to update your inventory

Get into the habit of reviewing your inventory a couple times a year, or sooner if you need to add any new household items.

The start of a new year is the perfect time, as you may have just added a big-ticket gift or two to your home during the holidays. Consider checking in again around the start of wildfire season in the summer, and before fall and winter storms start.

Talk to Your Insurance Agent

If you’re like a lot of people, you’re probably not sure which of your belongings are actually covered by your current insurance. Or maybe you once made a list, but it’s somewhere between out of date and way, way out of date).

Undertaking a home inventory will give you critical information to share with your agent. Show them your itemized list of valuables, and talk about what your options are for protection. It’s all about ensuring that your most prized possessions are covered in the event of damage, loss, or theft―and that you can recover faster if something does happen.

If you own a home, consider reviewing our Homeowners Insurance Checklist with your agent, too! Just like listing valuable possessions, it's important to consider home renovations and major property updates when reviewing your coverage needs with your agent