Home Inventory Guide

3 Listing all your possessions in the event of a disaster such as fire, an earthquake or burglary can be difficult. The emotions experienced after a loss may present a big challenge when you try to remember all of your personal possessions. Natural Disasters can strike anywhere at anytime. It is very important to take inventory of your personal property before you have a loss. A complete household inventory can help you establish: • A record of the contents of your home and their value. • A record of serial numbers of your electronic goods and appliances. • An indication of whether or not your insurance coverage is adequate. This booklet is strictly intended as a guide to aide and assist you in documenting your possessions. Each home is unique in it’s structure. Therefore, it may be necessary for you to copy certain pages or add additional sheets to complete your inventory. Please feel free to copy any page you may need. A home inventory should be completed to keep track of your belongings and valuable items. A home inventory guide is available to all consumers through the Department of Insurance by calling us at 800-927-4357 or visit our website at www.insurance.ca.gov and download the Home Inventory Guide. Inventory Tips In addition, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has launched an app for your iPhone® orAndroid phone which allows users to create a home inventory of your possessions. The free app lets you quickly photograph and capture images, descriptions and serial numbers, and stores the information electronically for safekeeping. The app organizes everything by room and category, and creates a back-up file for e-mail sharing. Photographs of household goods are especially helpful when an item is hard to describe on paper, or if a purchase receipt cannot be obtained. Each photograph should be labeled with date stamps and any additional pertinent information. You can get further information by visiting the NAIC website. We recommend the following tips: 1. Walk around with a video camera, video every drawer and commentary about each item, email to someone offsite; or 2. Use the NAIC myHOME Scr.APP.book app which is available through iTunes for iPhone® and the Android Marketplace; or 3. Use this Department of Insurance paper version which provides insurance information and tips. A copy of the inventory and supporting documentation, such as receipts and model numbers, should be stored in a safe place, such as a safe-deposit box, work office, or a relative’s house. These records should also include financial documents such as insurance policies and mortgage information. Home inventories should be updated at least three times per year, and your insurance company should be notified of new purchases so that you are adequately insured for the entire amount of your belongings. Introduction