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WARDROBE

A Clothing Inventory for Insurance

Home contents claims require itemised proof, and clothing is the category people are least able to evidence after a loss.

Wardrobe Inventory1 min readPublished The Wardrobe Editors

In short

  • Photograph, date and price. Those three things together are what an insurer will accept.
  • Store the record off-site. The events that cause a claim — fire, flood, theft — usually destroy anything stored in the house.
  • Value at replacement cost, not what you paid. Most policies pay replacement.

Home contents claims require itemised proof, and clothing is the category people are least able to evidence after a loss.

Photograph, date and price

Those three things together are what an insurer will accept. A list alone is much weaker.

Store the record off-site

The events that cause a claim — fire, flood, theft — usually destroy anything stored in the house.

Value at replacement cost, not what you paid

Most policies pay replacement. Recording what you paid in 2019 understates what a claim should be.

Building it

Building it

  • Photograph each valuable item individually
  • Photograph the receipt or order confirmation alongside it
  • Record purchase date and price paid
  • Note current replacement cost for anything significant
  • Include designer items, coats, watches and jewellery
  • Store the record in cloud storage or email it to yourself
  • Update annually

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a clothing inventory for insurance?

It substantially strengthens a claim. Insurers ask for itemised proof, and photographs with dates and prices are far better evidence than recollection.

What should I photograph?

Anything worth more than your policy’s single-item limit, plus coats, footwear and jewellery. Everyday basics can be estimated in bulk.

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