Personal Property Inventory: What It Is and How to Make One
"Personal property inventory" is the insurance term for a documented list of everything you own inside your home, with values and proof of ownership. It's what stands between a smooth contents claim and a stressful, underpaid one.
Insurers split your policy into real property (the structure) and personal property (your belongings — furniture, electronics, clothing, tools, jewelry). After a fire, theft or flood, the structure is assessed by an adjuster, but the personal property side is on you to prove. A personal property inventory is that proof, prepared in advance.
What each entry should contain
Fields insurers actually use to settle a contents claim
| Field | Why it matters for a claim |
|---|---|
| Description / name | Identifies the item — be specific ("55-inch OLED TV", not "TV"). |
| Room / location | Groups the claim and shows where the loss occurred. |
| Estimated value | The number your settlement is built on — per item, so totals are defensible. |
| Purchase date | Helps the adjuster apply depreciation fairly instead of guessing. |
| Photo | The single strongest proof of ownership and condition. |
| Serial / model number | Verifies high-value electronics and appliances; deters disputes. |
A photo per item is what adjusters trust most. A line in a spreadsheet is easy to dispute; a photo showing the item and its condition is not. Homivo captures a photo, room, value and date for each item, keeps a notes field for serial numbers — and exports a claim-ready PDF report with every item and a grand total, ready to send to your insurer. All offline on your iPhone, one-time purchase.
The hardest part of a personal property inventory isn't building it once — it's having it available and up to date the day you need it. Keeping it on your own device, not in your head or a note you'll lose, is the whole point.
Frequently asked questions
What is a personal property inventory?
It's a documented list of the belongings inside your home — each with a description, value and ideally a photo — used to prove a contents claim to your insurer. It covers personal property (your things), not real property (the building itself).
Do I need a personal property inventory for insurance?
Your policy doesn't require you to file one in advance, but the burden of proving what you owned falls on you after a loss. Without an inventory, most people underclaim because they can't remember everything. Preparing one is how you get paid what you're actually owed.
What's the difference between a personal property and real property inventory?
Real property is the structure — walls, roof, built-in fixtures — assessed by the insurer's adjuster. Personal property is your movable belongings, which you have to document yourself. A personal property inventory is the list of those belongings with values and proof.