Why your disaster kit needs a home inventory

Here’s how to create a home inventory and what to do if you don’t have one after disaster strikes.

TOOLS TO HELP

Some insurers offer free home inventory apps that let customers catalog belongings, upload receipts, add item details and create reports. Free and low-cost apps, such as Sortly for IOS and Encircle for Android and IOS, are also available.

MAKING A LIST FROM SCRATCH

• Take video footage of items on the floors, walls and hanging from the ceiling.

• Include everything in drawers, cupboards and closets.

• Narrate the video to record details, such as when and where you purchased the items.

• Capture the make, model and serial numbers of electronic equipment and appliances.

After cataloging everything, store the digital inventory in the cloud or in a secure spot away from home, such as a safe deposit box.

MAKING A CLAIM WITH NO LIST

• Mentally go through each room in the house and think of everything you can.

• Use a list of common household items to spark your memory.

• Check any photos you still have of the inside of your house, perhaps on social media or on your phone, to jog your memory. — Nerdwallet