How to Make a Home Inventory

A good way to help protect your home and the stuff inside from disaster or burglary is by creating a home inventory. If something happens, and you lose some or all of your possessions, you'll need it more than ever to make sure the claims process goes as smoothly as it can. With the use of digital cameras and Allstate's free online home inventory software, this might be easier than you think. Let's start with the basics.

What is a Home Inventory?

A home inventory is a room by room list of all the things of value in your home. It can be a simple list, but ideally it should also include the value of each item, along with a picture and a receipt. This inventory can include as much or as little information as you want or so you can better ensure that it is not forgotten should a disaster strike.

Why Do You Need It?

Try to think of all the things you have in your house from memory. Write down as many as you can, and then do a walk through of your home. Forget anything? There's probably quite a bit you missed - but if you lost everything in something like a fire, you wouldn't be able to walk through your home. You'd have to remember everything - and that could mean that you're not able to document and replace everything in your home today.

How to Get Started

You could create your own home inventory list from scratch by compiling the name, description, value, picture and receipts of all your items into a spreadsheet or list.

Or you could use free software provided by Allstate and the Insurance Information Institute to easily and quickly create an electronic home inventory of your home's most important and valuable items. The software is found within Allstate.com's website, in the property section and in several other areas throughout the site.

It allows you to go through your house room by room and add items, photographs and receipts. It's all electronic, so if you make a new big purchase, it's simple to update your inventory.

Keep Your Inventory Safe

If you use Allstate's free home inventory software, you can create an electronic copy and/or print or save a complete printed inventory to keep in safe places outside your home, like a safe deposit box, or a family member or friend's house. This way, you'll always have a backup if you lose your computer.

Download Allstate's Free Home Inventory Software Now!