Having a home inventory of your personal possessions is one of the best ways to make the most of your homeowners or renters insurance policy. And now, the Insurance Information Institute has new home inventory software and an app that makes the process easier than ever. This is called Know Your Stuff® --and it’s free!

A home inventory is a list of your personal possessions and their values. You can have a handwritten home inventory, or you can save one on your computer. No matter how you do it, the important thing is to create one and update it when you make major purchases.

An up-to-date home inventory will:

• Help you purchase the right amount and type of insurance.
• Make filing a claim as easy as possible.
• Substantiating financial losses for tax purposes or when applying for financial assistance.

About Know Your Stuff®

First, visit KnowYourStuff.org. You can set up an online account for free and enter information about your insurance policy. The website will guide you through the process of creating and updating your home inventory. If you have an iPhone, you can download the Know Your Stuff® -Home Inventory app for free in the iTunes App Store (or search for iii inventory).

Great Features

• Set up rooms and list items within those rooms.
• Upload photographs and scanned receipts or appraisal forms.
• Generate forms once your inventory is complete or if you need to file a claim.
• Free, secure online storage so you can access your inventory anywhere. (This is important because the information is saved online, not on your personal computer in case your computer is a loss in a claim).

Information from Insurance Information Institute.