Why You Need a Home Inventory (And How to Create One)
The Critical Importance of Documentation Before Disaster Strikes
When disaster strikes—whether it’s a house fire, tornado, burglary, or flood—the last thing you want to worry about is trying to remember every possession you’ve lost. Yet this is exactly the situation that thousands of homeowners and renters face every year, resulting in incomplete insurance claims and significant financial losses.
Erin was recently featured in an NBC DFW news story about preparing a home inventory. The importance of documenting your belongings before disaster strikes cannot be overstated. The harsh reality is that most people drastically underestimate both the value of their possessions and their ability to recall them during the stress of a crisis.
The Financial Impact of Being Unprepared
Consider this sobering statistic: fire departments in the United States respond to home fires an average of every 21 seconds. When you factor in other covered perils like severe weather and water damage, the likelihood of needing to file an insurance claim becomes very real.
Without proper documentation, your insurance company must work with limited information to estimate the value of lost or damaged items. This challenging situation can delay your claim settlement and may result in lower compensation than what you would have received if you had documentation. When you and your insurer work together with comprehensive documentation, the claims process becomes faster and more accurate. A detailed home inventory enables your insurance company to provide the full replacement cost compensation you’ve paid for in your policy.
How to Create an Effective Home Inventory
In today’s digital world, your most effective defense against potential loss sits right in your pocket. Creating a comprehensive home inventory using your smartphone’s video capability is both the most straightforward and most thorough method. This approach ensures you’re prepared to work seamlessly with your insurance company when the unexpected occurs.
Getting Started
- If you have time, organize crowded areas, such as your pantry or closet. This will help make it easier to see your items.
- Make sure your phone is fully charged.
- Set aside a couple of hours to plan and film your video.
- Plan your route through your home.
- Make sure all the lights are on in your home.
Room by Room Documentation
- Start outside and state your Name, Address, and the Date of the recording.
- Walk inside your home, starting with your entryway and foyer. Make sure you state the room you are in for the video.
- Living Area: Film your furniture, electronics, artwork, and decor. Open any entertainment centers to show stored items.
- Kitchen: Document your appliances, cookware, small appliances, and dishes. Open all cabinets and drawers. Don’t forget your fridge and pantry!
- Bedrooms: Record your furniture, clothing, shoes, jewelry, and electronics. Don’t forget your dressers and closets.
- Bathrooms: Cabinets, linen closets.
- Storage Areas: Attics, Garages. Be sure to film the tools you use to service your residence, holiday decorations, and sporting equipment.
- Ensure that you document higher-ticket items verbally. If you have an expensive model of television or cookware, list it on the video and even record the brand and serial number if applicable.
Special Attention for High-Value Items
Standard homeowners and renters policies include coverage limits for specific categories. Your video inventory helps identify items requiring additional protection:
- Jewelry: Typically limited to $1,500-$2,500 total. There are jewelry riders and policies that provide better coverage for these items.
- Electronics: May have sublimits for specific categories
- Fine Art and Collectibles: Often require separate appraisals
- Firearms: Typically have specific coverage limitations, with a total of $1,000 in coverage. If you have a firearm collection, we recommend purchasing a separate policy to adequately cover your firearms.
- Business Equipment: Home-based business items are typically limited to $500-$ 1,000. At Hanby, we recommend that you purchase a business insurance policy.
Your insurance professional can review your video inventory to identify items requiring additional endorsements, ensuring comprehensive protection.
Secure Storage: Protecting Your Protection
Your video inventory is only valuable if it is accessible after a loss. Implement multiple storage strategies:
Cloud Storage: Upload immediately to Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, or similar services.
Family Sharing: Send copies to trusted family members in different locations.
Multiple Formats: Consider creating both full video files and shorter highlight reels for quicker reference.
Making Documentation Manageable
Annual Updates: Schedule yearly re-recording sessions, focusing on rooms with new purchases or significant changes.
Purchase Documentation: When buying significant items, immediately record a brief video showing the item, receipt, and packaging.
Seasonal Reviews: Quarterly phone reminders help capture new acquisitions before they’re forgotten.
Technology Tips for Optimal Results
Lighting: Record during daylight hours or use multiple light sources. Poor lighting reduces video effectiveness.
Stability: Move slowly and pause at important items. Shaky footage is difficult to review.
Audio Quality: Speak clearly and close to the phone. Good narration is crucial for claim processing.
File Management: Use descriptive file names like “Home_Inventory_2025_Kitchen” for easy organization.
The Peace of Mind Investment
Creating a phone video inventory requires a small amount of time investment that yields tremendous security benefits. You’re not just documenting possessions—you’re building a foundation that will help make your claims process go more smoothly.
Your insurance company becomes your strongest recovery partner when equipped with comprehensive documentation. This collaboration accelerates claim processing, ensures accurate valuations, and minimizes the stress of an already difficult situation.
Take Action Today: Your Future Self Will Thank You
Don’t wait for disaster to reveal gaps in your preparation. Your smartphone contains everything needed to create professional-grade documentation that serves both your immediate peace of mind and your family’s long-term financial security.
Ready to begin? Download our comprehensive step-by-step PDF guide for creating your phone video home inventory. This detailed resource includes room-by-room checklists, narration scripts, and tips to ensure that nothing important is overlooked.
Remember: the best time to prepare for the unexpected is when everything is perfectly normal. Your insurance coverage represents a partnership in protection—help your insurer help you by creating documentation today.
This guidance reflects insights from our NBC DFW feature story and decades of experience helping North Texas families protect what matters most. For personalized consultation on your coverage needs and best practices for home inventory, our team is here to help you build comprehensive protection tailored to your unique circumstances.