Remember what was there
Work from belongings documented before the loss instead of trying to rebuild every room from memory.
Home inventory for insurance
Be ready before a loss.
If belongings are stolen, damaged, or destroyed, remembering everything you owned can be difficult. Build the record while the details, photos, and identifying information are still available.
Document it before you have to remember it.
Theft, fire, storm damage, and other losses can leave you describing a home that no longer looks the way it did before. A pre-existing inventory gives you something concrete to reference.
Identify the exact item
Reference model numbers, serial numbers, photos, and other details when a generic description is not enough.
Reference ownership context
Pull up the purchase details, recorded value, condition, notes, supported attachments, and links you kept with the item.
Support the conversation
Use your inventory as a personal reference when discussing damaged, destroyed, or stolen belongings with your insurer.
Document it before you need it
Keep the identifying details together.
Photos
Keep a visual record of the item, its condition, labels, and details that may be difficult to reconstruct later.
Model & serial numbers
Record the identifiers that distinguish the exact appliance, electronic, tool, or other belonging you own.
Purchase details
Keep the purchase date and other ownership context with the item instead of relying on memory.
Recorded value
Save a value for your own reference alongside the rest of the item record.
Item condition
Document the condition while the belonging is still in front of you.
Private notes
Preserve additional identifying information or context that does not fit somewhere else.
Supported attachments
Attach private PDFs or JPEG, PNG, and WebP images of receipts, invoices, manuals, or warranty documents.
Useful links
Keep manufacturer pages, product references, manuals, and other useful sources close to the item.
Categories
Organize the inventory by room or another structure that helps you work through the home.
The things you would have to remember
More than the obvious valuables.
Document the belongings you would otherwise have to identify, list, and value from memory.
Living spaces
Furniture, televisions, speakers, artwork, rugs, lamps, décor, clothing, jewelry, watches, and personal belongings.
Kitchen & laundry
Refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, washers, dryers, coffee makers, mixers, cookware, and other household equipment.
Office & electronics
Computers, monitors, tablets, phones, cameras, printers, networking equipment, accessories, and smart-home technology.
Garage & outdoors
Power tools, lawn equipment, generators, bicycles, sports equipment, camping equipment, and outdoor furniture.
Around the rest of the house
Musical instruments, collectibles, toys, holiday decorations, exercise equipment, luggage, hobby supplies, and ordinary belongings that are easy to forget.
Room by room
Give memory some structure.
Use categories such as Kitchen, Living Room, Bedroom, Office, Garage, or Laundry so the record follows a structure you can work through again if you ever need it.
KitchenLiving RoomBedroomOfficeGarageLaundry
Faster documentation
Record it while you can see it.
Add a photo and the details you know while the item and identifying label are still available. Use supported scanning or lookup when it helps, and add the rest manually when it does not.
Photograph the item
Keep a clear image of the belonging and any labels or identifying details worth preserving.
Capture the identifiers
Add brand, model, and serial numbers while the label is still accessible.
Record what you know
Add purchase details, condition, value, notes, and useful links when they matter.
Attach supporting records
Keep PDF or image copies of receipts, invoices, manuals, or warranty documents with the item.
Add anything manually
Create the record without depending on Catalist recognizing a universal product barcode.
Your record, your policy
Keep the documentation. Check the requirements.
Catalist helps you maintain your own personal-property record. Your insurer and policy determine what documentation is accepted, what is covered, how value is calculated, and how a claim is handled.
Useful on ordinary days too
The record keeps earning its place.
The same photos, model numbers, serial numbers, purchase details, recorded values, condition, supported attachments, notes, and links can help with repairs, replacements, resale, moving, and everyday ownership.
Keep the insurance use case connected to the broader home inventory you already maintain.
Explore home inventorySimple pricing
Two plans. One complete Catalist experience.
Start free or go Pro. Your home inventory can live in the same Catalist account as the rest of what you keep track of.
Catalist Free
$0
Use the complete cataloging experience for up to 75 items across 2 collections.
- 2 collections
- Up to 75 items
- All cataloging and organization tools
- Photos, supported attachments, and useful links
- Acquisition dates and recorded values
- Notes and ownership details
- Model and serial numbers
Catalist Pro Monthly
$4.99 per month
Catalog unlimited items across unlimited collections.
- Unlimited collections
- Unlimited items
- All cataloging and organization tools
- Photos, supported attachments, and useful links
- Acquisition dates and recorded values
- Notes and ownership details
- Model and serial numbers
Catalist Pro Annual
$49.99 per year
Get the same unlimited Pro plan and save with annual billing.
- Unlimited collections
- Unlimited items
- All cataloging and organization tools
- Photos, supported attachments, and useful links
- Acquisition dates and recorded values
- Notes and ownership details
- Model and serial numbers
Questions, answered
The practical details.
What to know about maintaining a personal-property record for insurance conversations.
Why is a home inventory useful for insurance?
If belongings are stolen, damaged, or destroyed, a home inventory gives you a pre-existing record of what you owned. Photos, identifying details, purchase information, recorded values, condition, and notes can help you account for those belongings when discussing a loss with your insurer.
What should I include in a home inventory for insurance?
Document belongings throughout the home, not only expensive items. Useful records can include photos, descriptions, purchase dates, model and serial numbers, recorded values, condition, notes, and relevant links.
Are photos useful for a home inventory?
Yes. Photos create a visual record of belongings and can preserve condition, labels, model information, and other identifying details.
Should I keep serial numbers?
Serial numbers can help identify electronics, appliances, tools, and other items more precisely. Catalist lets you keep model and serial numbers with the item record.
Can homeowners and renters use Catalist?
Yes. Homeowners and renters can both use Catalist to document the personal property they own.
Can I organize the inventory room by room?
Yes. Use categories such as Kitchen, Living Room, Bedroom, Office, Garage, or Laundry. Categories organize the records without implying a separate location feature.
Can I attach receipts or other records?
Yes. Attach a PDF or JPEG, PNG, or WebP image, up to 10 MB each. Catalist does not extract or verify the document contents.
Does Catalist tell me how much insurance coverage I need?
No. Catalist can help you maintain a record of your belongings, but coverage questions should be discussed with your insurer or agent.
Does Catalist calculate replacement cost or appraise belongings?
No. Catalist does not provide appraisals or replacement-cost estimates. You can keep a value on an item for your own reference.
Does Catalist guarantee that an insurer will accept my inventory?
No. Documentation requirements vary by insurer, policy, item, and claim. Catalist helps you keep your own records; the insurer determines what it accepts and how a claim is evaluated.
Does Catalist create insurance reports or file claims?
No. Catalist does not generate insurance claim reports or file claims on your behalf.
Is my home inventory public?
No. Catalist is private by default.
Can I use the same inventory outside of insurance?
Yes. The same records can help with repairs, replacement, resale, warranty questions, moving, and everyday reference.
Be ready before a loss.
Build the record while the things you own are still right in front of you.
Private by default · One catalog · Everything you own
