Your Home Inventory Made Easy — There’s an App for That

August 30, 2022

If your home was destroyed by fire or other disaster, would you be able to remember and account for all the items of value? Probably not. It’s hard enough to recall everything you own in normal situations, but when tragedy strikes, it’s even more challenging.

Having an up-to-date home inventory will make filing an insurance claim much easier. It can also help you purchase the correct amount of insurance before disaster strikes. Once you know the value of your belongings, you can choose the appropriate insurance limits to help protect your personal property if it’s damaged or stolen.

No longer a tedious chore

The thought of creating a complete inventory of your possessions might feel like an overwhelming task, but there’s good news. Technology is now available to turn this tedious chore into an easy, enjoyable activity.

There are numerous home inventory apps to help you organize, document and keep track of your belongings (and those in storage or at other locations). You can even quickly use your smartphone or tablet to calculate how much these items are worth.

This is especially important if you need to make a homeowners or renters insurance claim after a loss. A comprehensive, up-to-date inventory of your belongings on your phone, with prices for items, receipts, serial numbers, barcodes and photos can make the claims process simple and fast.

The best home inventory apps will make it easy and intuitive to categorize your possessions and sort items by room. You can scan barcodes and QR codes for easy retrieval of product details. These apps also allow you to upload multiple photos and videos for a visual record.

A backup of your inventory is automatically done through cloud storage for data recovery in case you lose or damage any of your devices.

Variety of apps

A variety of useful home inventory apps and software are currently available and include the following options.

Blue Plum Home Inventory
Price: Free or $34.99
Available on: iOS and desktop

Encircle Home Inventory
Price: Free
Available on: iOS and Android

Magic Home Inventory
Price: Free
Available on: Android

MyStuff2 Pro
Price: Free, but has in-app purchases
Available on: iOS

Nest Egg Inventory
Price: $5.49
Available on: iOS

Sortly
Price: Free, paid premium version available
Available on: iOS and Android

Once you’ve logged your belongings, go back and review your insurance coverage to make sure it’s a fit. Your insurance broker can help you determine if your policy is sufficient for your particular needs. Aim to review your inventory and insurance coverage at least once a year to make sure you’re still adequately protected.

If an app still feels overwhelming, you can outsource the task entirely by hiring a professional home inventory company to handle the process for you.

Keep your inventory current

Once you’ve chosen the home inventory app or service that’s right for you and established a comprehensive database for your valuables, it’s important to keep it up to date.

As you purchase new items, be sure to add them to the app, along with photos and receipts and any other pertinent information. When you downsize, make sure to delete no-longer-owned items from the app.

You never know what the future holds, but you can be prepared and protect your most precious belongings with a comprehensive home inventory. Contact your insurance broker if you have questions or to discuss additional ways to safeguard your home from unexpected damage or loss.