Most people just guess the contents sum insured – and the guess typically lands below reality. This template replaces the guess: it walks you through your home room by room, gives you a realistic figure in about fifteen minutes, and – especially after a burglary or a fire – arrives at the claim with a ready-made list. Copy it into a notes app or a spreadsheet, and fill it in with your own items.
- The inventory gives you two things: a realistic contents sum insured for the policy and a ready-made document for the claim – updated yearly, it's the best claim record you can have.
- Go room by room following the list, phone in hand – take photos too: the picture is the other half of the inventory.
- High-value items – jewellery, watches, art, cash – go into a separate block, with a photo and a receipt: separate limits typically apply to them.
How to use the template
Copy the list below into a notes app or a spreadsheet – the template can be used straight from this page. Go through it room by room and write the estimated replacement cost next to each item: what it would cost to buy new today. While you're at it, photograph each room – a few wide shots per room say more than any description.
The finished inventory's total is the starting point for the contents sum insured (how it turns into a figure), and at a claim – especially after a burglary or a fire – it's an invaluable help: you won't have to write a list from memory at the worst possible moment. Save it to the cloud, and update it yearly.
The template: room by room
Living room – the “small stuff” on the shelves (books, décor) adds up to surprisingly more than you'd think, so don't leave it out.
- TV, monitor or projector – with make/model and screen size
- sound system, speakers, soundbar
- games console with games and accessories
- sofa, coffee table, shelving unit
- rugs, curtains, lamps
- books, pictures, décor
Kitchen and dining – the small appliances tucked in the drawers can add up to the price of one large appliance.
- fridge, freezer, dishwasher, oven and hob
- microwave, coffee machine, small kitchen appliances (food processor, blender, toaster)
- pots and pans, dinner service, cutlery, glassware
- dining table with chairs
Bedroom(s) – the full wardrobe is the most commonly underestimated item: go through it season by season.
- bed with mattress, wardrobe or fitted storage
- bedding, blankets, other textiles
- clothing – all seasons, including shoes
- laptop, tablet, e-reader, phones
- jewellery and watches – record these in the separate block!
Bathroom and utility – even your everyday stock of toiletries is an asset: it would all need replacing after a claim too.
- washing machine, tumble dryer
- vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, iron or ironing station
- hairdryer, hair stylers, shaver and other small appliances
- cosmetics and toiletries stock
Children's room – kit your child has outgrown but you've kept (pram, baby carrier, cot) still has value.
- toys, board games, building-block collections
- baby equipment: pram, high chair, changing table
- desk, computer or laptop for schoolwork
- musical instruments, sports gear
Hallway and wardrobe – coats and boots packed away out of season still belong in the inventory.
- coats and jackets – the full year-round range
- shoes and boots
- bags, suitcases, backpacks
- helmets, umbrellas, scarves and gloves
Garden, terrace, garage and storage – policy wordings typically set separate rules for valuables kept in an outbuilding, so it's worth knowing exactly what's stored where.
- bicycles, scooters – with frame numbers
- tools, power tools
- lawnmower and other garden machinery
- garden furniture, barbecue, parasol
- sports equipment: skis, snowboard, hiking gear
Recorded separately – with a photo and a receipt – separate limits and requirements typically apply to these, so record each item individually.
- jewellery and watches – item by item, with a close-up photo
- art, paintings, collections (coins, stamps, cards)
- cash kept at home
- high-value technical items: camera, drone, electric bicycle
- musical instruments
Valuation tips
Think in terms of replacement cost: what matters isn't what someone would pay for your used sofa, but what it would cost to replace it today. For larger items a rounded estimate is enough – the inventory isn't bookkeeping, it's about the right order of magnitude.
Open a folder for your supporting documents: receipts, photos and warranty cards in one place. For high-value items, a photo paired with a receipt is the strongest evidence; if the receipt is long gone, a close-up photo with the make and model noted still counts for a lot. For how the inventory's final total turns into a properly sized contents sum insured, see the article on estimating contents value.
Keeping it current
An inventory is only worth much if it doesn't still show the state your home was in on the day you signed. Two update rules are enough: once a year – the natural point is the renewal, when the indexation letter arrives, alongside the annual checklist – and right after every major purchase: the new TV, bicycle or piece of jewellery should go onto the list, with a photo, the same day.
Store it in the cloud and share it with a family member too – at a claim, you may not be the one free to deal with things. If updating it shows that reality has outrun the policy, adjusting the sum insured isn't tied to the renewal date. With the inventory ready, the next step is quick: run the numbers in minutes (in Hungarian), then let's talk it through.
A question about your own home? Run the numbers in minutes with the online calculator (in Hungarian), or book a free 20-minute consultation →
