Renters insurance inventory: what to list
Renters insurance covers your belongings, not the building. If there's a fire, a burst pipe or a break-in, the claim is only as good as your list of what you owned. Here's how to make that list without spending a weekend on it.
Why renters need an inventory more than anyone
Your landlord's policy covers the structure and their own property. Your furniture, electronics, clothing and kitchen gear are yours to prove. Renters also move more often, so receipts get lost and memories of what's in which box fade fast.
How much coverage do you need?
Most people guess too low. Walk through your place and add it up: a typical apartment's clothing, kitchenware, electronics and furniture often totals far more than people expect. An inventory with replacement-cost estimates tells you whether your personal property limit is realistic before you need it.
What to list
- Electronics: laptop, phone, TV, monitors, consoles, headphones, with serial numbers where you can.
- Furniture you own (not the landlord's): bed, mattress, sofa, desk, chairs, shelving.
- Clothing and shoes, counted by type.
- Kitchen: small appliances, cookware, dishes. Fridges and ranges usually belong to the landlord, so skip them unless they're yours.
- Bikes, sports and hobby gear, including anything in a storage locker or basement cage.
- Jewelry, watches, art and instruments: check your policy's special limits for these.
Our room-by-room checklist and free inventory spreadsheet template cover the full list.
Replacement cost or actual cash value?
Check your declarations page. A replacement cost policy pays what it costs to buy the item new today (often after you actually replace it). Actual cash value deducts depreciation, so a five-year-old laptop pays out far less. Either way, the adjuster works from your list.
The one-afternoon method
- Turn on every light and open every closet, drawer and cabinet.
- Film a slow walkthrough of each room with your phone, saying the room name as you enter.
- Hold still for two seconds on serial labels and anything expensive.
- Store the video off-site the same day (cloud storage or email).
- Turn it into a list: pause and type, or have it done. See 12 filming tips.
When you move
A move is the perfect time to redo it: everything is out of the cupboards anyway. Film before you pack, and you also have a record if something gets damaged in transit.
General information, not insurance advice. Your policy wording decides what's covered and any special limits.
Skip the spreadsheet work. Film one 10 to 20 minute walkthrough of your home with your phone. Within 48 hours you get a room-by-room inventory spreadsheet and PDF with item, brand/model where visible, quantity, an estimated replacement cost range and the video frame each item came from. $39 per home.