How to create a home contents inventory for insurance

A home contents inventory is a room-by-room record of possessions, supported by photographs and available evidence of purchase or ownership. Record what each item is, where it is kept and the details that distinguish it from a similar product. Keep a copy somewhere you can access if the home or your device is damaged.

An inventory helps you explain what you own. It does not decide what an insurer covers, establish an agreed value or guarantee a claim. Read your policy and ask your insurer about the evidence and limits that apply.

Start with one room, not the whole house

Walk into the living room and photograph the overall space. Then record significant items individually: the television, furniture, audio equipment and anything with a model or serial number. Open cupboards only where doing so is safe and appropriate. A wide room photo may miss what is stored inside.

You do not need a perfect inventory before it becomes useful. Complete one room, label the files and repeat later. Avoid leaving hundreds of unnamed images on a phone with no indication of which item they describe.

What details belong in the inventory?

Use the following as a starting template, adapting it to the evidence your insurer requests.

• Room and item description.
• Brand, model and serial number where available.
• Approximate purchase date, clearly marked if uncertain.
• Retailer or supplier.
• Receipt, order confirmation or other available evidence.
• Photos showing the item and identifying details.
• Relevant valuation or specified-item documentation, if applicable.
• Notes about replacement, disposal or a change of location.

Moneysmart’s contents insurance guidance explains why the level of cover, policy limits and exclusions matter. An inventory is a preparation tool that sits beside those policy decisions, not an alternative to them.

Photograph items so the record is useful later

Take one context photo and one close view where practical. A television in a room establishes context; a readable label helps distinguish its model. Keep the original photo files rather than only a compressed image pasted into a document.

Avoid moving heavy appliances to reach a label. Use accessible information from a manual, receipt or installer instead. Do not include identity documents, passwords or security codes in an inventory photo. If other people’s possessions appear, consider their privacy before sharing the record.

The RACV inventory guide describes using supporting evidence such as receipts, valuations and photographs. Ask your own insurer what they would require for an item where evidence is incomplete.

What if you no longer have a receipt?

Search retailer accounts, email confirmations and bank records before marking the evidence as missing. Keep what you can find, but do not create a replacement receipt or present an estimated date as a verified purchase date.

For example, a washing machine might have a readable model label and a delivery email but no invoice. Record those two sources and the remaining gap. Ask the retailer whether they can supply a copy. An insurer decides whether the available evidence meets the requirements of a particular claim.

Keep contents and building records connected, but distinct

A house file may include installed systems, renovation invoices and belongings. Those categories can overlap in everyday language, while policies define buildings and contents in their own terms. Do not decide coverage just because an item has been filed under a software category.

Link a dishwasher’s purchase evidence to its appliance record, and keep the kitchen renovation documents separately identifiable. That way you can find both without treating the renovation budget as the value of the household contents.

How should you store and update the inventory?

Choose a system you can maintain. A spreadsheet with well-named folders can work. A home logbook can connect documents to rooms and systems. Either way, confirm that you can retrieve the records from another device and keep an independent backup of essential evidence.

Use descriptive names such as “Living room television purchase receipt” rather than “Scan 12”. Review the record after a major purchase, disposal, move or policy review. Mark an old item as replaced so it is not counted twice.

If you use Home Logbook, upload or forward supporting documents and check the saved record against the original. Keep insurance-specific questions with your insurer. See the broader property documents checklist for the building and ownership records worth keeping alongside your inventory.

Common questions

Is a video walkthrough enough?

A walkthrough can provide context, but it may not show readable model details or purchase evidence. Use it alongside item records and ask the insurer about their requirements.

Should I enter purchase price or replacement cost?

Keep a historical purchase price labelled as such. Do not silently convert it into a current replacement value. Check the policy basis and insurer guidance when assessing cover.

Can I share my complete inventory when selling?

Usually there is no reason to share a complete personal contents inventory. Prepare a separate handover containing only relevant included fixtures, appliances and home-care records. Remove private possessions and financial information from the copy you share.

See how Home Logbook organises home records. This guide is general record-keeping information, not insurance or financial advice. Coverage and evidence requirements depend on the policy and circumstances.