Disclaimer. Collectalia is not a legal, tax or insurance advice site. The information on this page is general and based on French legislation in force as of 09/11/2026: it may change, does not necessarily apply outside France and does not take your situation into account. Always have it checked by a notary, a lawyer, an accountant or your insurer before acting on it.
The essentials
- After a theft, water damage or fire, it is for the policyholder to prove what they owned and what it was worth.
- An inventory with photos, serial numbers and invoices, kept outside the home, is the best evidence.
- Allow half a day for a flat, working room by room, then a few minutes with each new purchase.
Why inventory your home before a claim
On the day of a burglary, you remember the television and the family jewellery. You forget the second camera, the watches kept in a drawer, the lithograph in the hallway, the twenty bottles in the cellar. Yet the insurer compensates what you declare and manage to justify, not what you actually owned.
The inventory serves at three moments: to choose the right contents cover when taking out the policy, to claim quickly and completely after a loss, and to justify the value of items when the insurer’s expert asks questions. Later on, it is also a valuable basis for an estate.
The method, room by room
- Start with the valuables. Jewellery, watches, works of art, silverware, musical instruments, wines, collections: these are the costly items and the ones most often under-declared. Note them one by one.
- Then go round the home. Living room, bedrooms, study, kitchen, then cellar, garage, loft, outdoors. For everyday items, one line per set is enough (“kitchen crockery and appliances”).
- Take photographs. An overview of each room, then each valuable item: general view, signature, hallmark or serial number, any flaws. A short commentary video of each room is a useful addition to the photos.
- Gather the supporting documents. Invoices, certificates of authenticity or gemmological certificates, valuations, warranties, bank statements, old photos in which the item appears. Scan or photograph them.
- State a value. Purchase price and estimated current value. For valuable jewellery and artworks, a recent valuation is better than a personal estimate (see agreed value or declared value).
- Keep everything safe, outside the home. An inventory left on the stolen computer is useless.
What should you note for each item?
| Information | Why it is useful |
|---|---|
| Precise description (brand, model, artist, material, dimensions) | Allows the expert to identify the item and find its replacement value. |
| Serial number, reference, hallmark, signature | Proves the item existed and helps the police trace it. |
| Date, place and price of purchase | Basis for calculating the compensation, with any deduction for wear and age. |
| Estimated current value and its source | Useful for items that gain value (art, watches, wines). |
| Photos and documents | The most convincing evidence, especially without an invoice. |
The most common omissions
- Inherited jewellery, with no invoice or photo: photograph it worn or laid next to a ruler, and have it valued.
- The cellar: number of bottles, estates and vintages (see managing your wine cellar).
- Items in storage: stamp or coin collections, antiquarian books, photographic equipment, designer clothing and leather goods.
- Outbuildings: garage, cellar, loft, garden, which are not always covered in the same way by the policy.
- Items entrusted or lent (a work at a picture framer’s, a watch being serviced).
Comparing the inventory with your policy
Once the total is known, compare it with the contents cover stated in your home insurance policy, and check the limits for valuables (jewellery, artworks, collections), often capped at a share of the cover and subject to protection conditions (safe, alarm). If your valuables exceed these limits, ask for an extension or a specialist policy, possibly on an agreed-value basis.
With Collectalia
Each item has its own record: photos taken from your phone, invoices and certificates stored with the item, value and history. Insurance policies and their renewal dates are tracked, with a reminder before the cancellation deadline. Everything is hosted in France, backed up daily, accessible even if the home has been damaged, and can be shared read-only with your insurer or broker.
Disclaimer. Collectalia is not a legal, tax or insurance advice site. The information on this page is general and based on French legislation in force as of 09/11/2026: it may change, does not necessarily apply outside France and does not take your situation into account. Always have it checked by a notary, a lawyer, an accountant or your insurer before acting on it.