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From cost and comfort to appliances included and repairs required, there are countless considerations involved in purchasing a new home, but one important step you may not think of is taking a home inventory. Once you find your perfect place, moving into a new home is the ideal time to ensure that you have an updated inventory of your belongings.

Assembling a home inventory will not only help you determine the appropriate amount of insurance needed to fully cover your home and assets, but also it will streamline the claims process in the unfortunate event of theft, fire, or other natural disaster. Although this may seem like a tedious task, the following tips will help you accomplish it quickly and effectively:

  • Home Inventory AppAs you unpack your belongings, jot down each item with a brief description. If you prefer to be paperless, the Insurance Information Institute (III) offers a great free software program at KnowYourStuff.org that allows you to create, update and save your entire home inventory online. Smartphone savvy? III also offers the free home inventory app III Inventory if you would prefer to store your home inventory on your mobile phone.
  • Instead of compiling one enormous list, categorize your belongings by room, value, age, and/or item type, like jewelry, electronics, or clothing for instance. This will make your home inventory less overwhelming and easier to update when you revisit it.
  • Along with the written or typed information, consider taking photographs to accompany each item description. Whether digital or print, store the photos with your home inventory.
  • If you own a video camera or digital camera that records video, you can easily document your home inventory by filming a walk-through of your house once unpacked. An advantage to this method is the ability to narrate as you record, eliminating the need to write down or type out each item’s description.
  • Be sure to make note of costly items like jewelry, antiques, and electronics, without overlooking more ordinary items like toys, books and clothing. It’s important to keep in mind that your expensive items may require separate insurance for full coverage.
  • Although it’s easy to misplace receipts, be sure to store the ones you can locate with your home inventory, whether printed out or scanned and saved to your computer. Add up the total value of all of your items as accurately as possible. In the event of a claim, this will expedite the process of replacing your belongings.
  • Once complete, it’s best to store your inventory, along with your insurance policy, in a safe and easily accessible location like a safe deposit box.

As you continue filling your home with new items, be sure to update your inventory at least once each year, to ensure that it accurately reflects the contents of your home, and to prevent you from having to repeat the process of taking your home inventory. Although the thought of theft, fire, or another natural disaster affecting your new home is troubling, creating and maintaining a home inventory will provide you with the peace of mind you need to feel secure that your home and belongings are fully protected.

At Eaton & Berube, the protection of your home and assets is our priority. As an independent insurance agency, we work with more than 20 of the nation’s top insurance companies to find the best coverage for your specific needs. For additional information about our agency, or to get a free insurance quote, please contact us or submit our online quote form. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.