Home inventory apps to document your possessions

Home inventory apps can track and organize your belongings and even help you calculate the total value of your possessions. Having this information can be a lifesaver if you ever need to file an insurance claim involving your personal property.

When filing a claim, your insurance company’s claim department will likely require you to prepare an inventory of your damaged property which is why it is critical to document everything, pre-loss. In situations of of theft, fire or other catastrophic loss, it may not always be evident what items were stolen or destroyed. Having a detailed inventory of your belongings — including photos, receipts, model numbers and manufacturer information — before disaster strikes can expedite the claims process and lead to faster resolutions.

There are several home inventory apps available. Here are a few to consider:

NAIC Home Inventory (Free)
The NAIC Home Inventory app (Android, iOS), developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, makes it easy to create a record of all your belongings. You can quickly capture pictures of your belongings, scan barcodes for accurate information, group items by room and category, and export your inventory at any time.

In addition to its inventory capabilities, the app also provides disaster preparedness tips for homeowners and renters, and has valuable resources should you need to file an insurance claim.

Nest Egg ($4.99)
Nest Egg (iOS) makes keeping track of your belongings as easy as snapping a barcode. By scanning the barcode, you can automatically retrieve product information for millions of products. The app automatically fills in the name, description, photo and more. It’s a great way to inventory your music, books, music, electronics, wine collection, jewelry, office supplies, appliances, kitchen, apparel or anything else.

With Nest Egg, you can take up to 10 photos per item and keep copies of receipts, instructions, manuals, packaging information, product warranty expiration dates and customer support numbers. And since you can organize items by categories and locations, it’s easy to sort through your inventory.

Sortly (Free)
Sortly (Android, iOS) is a simple inventory tracking solution that lets you customize folders, tags, fields and QR code labels, and visualize all of your belongings in one simple dashboard. You can add serial numbers, purchase dates, SKU numbers, warranty expiration dates and more. With this app, you can include up to eight photos of each item to keep a visual inventory and list quantities and prices to calculate the total value of the items in your home.

The app’s QR code generator lets you assign multiple items to unique QR codes. This is helpful if you store items in containers or during a move, as you can scan the QR code and quickly identify all the items inside a box without opening it.

BluePlum Home Inventory ($19.99)
BluePlum Home Inventory (iOS) helps you make and maintain an inventory for any property you own. You can add photos, videos, receipts, manuals, contracts and other documents related to your possessions and organize your belongings in collections, rooms and locations.

Since you can filter and report your inventory by property or location, it’s a great solution if you own or manage multiple properties. This is another app that simplifies the insurance claims process, as you can assign insurance policy information to your items, generate reports and track policy expiration dates.

Home Inventory ($9.99)
With Home Inventory (iOS), you can store photos, receipts, product manuals, warranties, notes and important documents for quick and easy access. It has many of the same features as the other apps on the list, but it also has tools designed specifically for documenting products for insurance purposes.

The app’s personal property insurance coverage analysis lets you know if you are underinsured or overinsured. And you can share your inventory report directly with your insurance agent so you can determine the exact level of coverage you need.

Navigating the claims process

Some claims are more complex than others and may take longer to resolve, but these apps can help. In addition to having a detailed home inventory, knowing how to navigate the claims process can make things easier. By taking the process one step at a time, you can get your claim rolling quickly, have a smoother experience and get your life back to normal.

We hope you never have to file an insurance claim, but if you do, having a detailed home inventory will simplify the process and give you peace of mind that you haven’t forgotten anything.