How to itemise valuable possessions

Ask yourself this: if your house were completely destroyed by fire, would you be able to list everything in it? Probably not. But this is exactly what your home insurance company will ask you to do should you ever have to make a major claim on your home contents policy. And if you’re unable to provide the required information, your house insurance company may only pay part of your claim.

Taking a full, detailed inventory of all the items in your home – now and not after a disastrous event – is the best way to ensure that all your possessions are covered should anything happen, and that your claim is settled in full.

Making an inventory
So where do you start? The simplest way is to take a pen and paper and make a tour around your home, and that includes your loft, shed and garage, if you have one. (Alternatively, go to the website of the Association of British Insurers and you can download a handy home contents insurance table to fill in).

Write down everything you own, room by room. Wherever possible, include the following information:

• Item name and quantity
• Description
• Brand or model
• Serial number on electrical equipment
• When and where the item was purchased
• Purchase price (keep a receipt or proof of purchases for more valuable items)
• Current value
• Replacement cost

High-value items
And when it comes to more valuable items, the more information you can gather for your inventory, the better. If you have expensive jewellery, make a note of the type of metal it’s made from and any stones it contains. Write down a description of the setting and the age of the items. If you’ve had your jewellery valued professionally (always a good idea), this information will be included in the valuation.

If you have any valuable paintings, make sure you list as much of the following information as possible (this will be included in a professional valuation, if you have one):

• The size of the painting
• The surface on which it is painted
• The name of the artist (if you know it)
• A brief description of what is pictured
• Any visual repairs that have been made
• A description of the frame

You should also create similar records for any antiques you own.

Make a visual record
It’s advisable to make a visual record of your valuables, either by taking photographs or making a video. If you’re using a camera, take an individual shot of each item, in natural light, using colour film. Try to use a plain background (white or grey are best), and if you’re photographing glass or silverware do so against a dark background. Make sure the item is as large as possible, but don’t let the image go out of focus. Give some indication of size by placing a ruler in the shot, or write down the measurement next to the item. And make sure you show any distinguishing marks, such as repair marks, and hallmarks.

When photographing paintings, take a colour shot of the front from a slight angle, to prevent any reflection of the flash in the glass or oil paints. Take photos of the back of the painting too, and any repairs, signature or other distinguishing marks.

Remember to keep the photos and your inventory list together in a safe place, away from your valuables. And keep a second set of photos and a copy of the list outside of your home; give them to a relative or even a solicitor for safe keeping.

Finally, remember that an object doesn’t have to be worth a lot of money to be valuable; keep a record of items that have sentimental value too.

For cover for all your valuable items, get a home insurance quote from Privilege today.

With access to all these benefits, why not get a Privilege Home Insurance quote from us today?