Guides

How to make a contents list after a house fire (when you have no photos)

After a fire, your insurer will ask for a "contents inventory" or "proof of loss" listing every item that was destroyed or damaged. For most families that means 500–2,000 line items, and usually no receipts, because the receipts burned too. Here is how to build that list efficiently and get paid fairly.

1. Know what your insurer needs

Nearly every carrier asks for the same fields for each item: description (brand/model), quantity, age, where it was, and replacement cost. Many also want where you'd buy a replacement. Some adjusters send their own spreadsheet. The columns are almost always the same, so you can paste your list into it.

2. Go room by room, then wall by wall

Close your eyes and stand in the doorway of each room. Go clockwise: what was on the wall, the shelves, in each drawer, under the bed, in the closet? Use a room-by-room checklist to catch the things nobody remembers: spices, hangers, light bulbs, extension cords, holiday decorations, pantry food, cleaning supplies.

3. Mine your digital history

• Amazon, Target, Walmart and Costco order histories go back years.
• Credit card and bank statements: search for furniture and electronics stores.
• Photos on your phone, cloud backups and social media. Zoom into the background of family photos.
• Email receipts. Search for "order confirmation" and "receipt".
• Warranty registrations and product manuals in your email.

4. Price items at today's replacement cost

List what it costs to buy a comparable item new today, not what you paid years ago. That's the replacement cost value (RCV). The insurer will apply depreciation itself. Keep a link or screenshot for big-ticket items.

5. Estimate age and condition honestly

Depreciation is driven by age and condition. Honest estimates make your list credible. Inflated values on a few items can cast doubt on the whole claim.

6. Understand the payout

On a replacement-cost policy, most insurers first pay the actual cash value (RCV minus depreciation), then pay the withheld depreciation once you replace items and send receipts. That second check can be 20–40% of your contents claim, so track it. See recoverable depreciation explained.

7. Don't stop at your first draft

Most people's first list captures only 50–70% of what they owned. Revisit your list over several days; things come back to you. Many policies give you months (check your policy's deadline) to submit, and you can often supplement a claim later.