Stolen items list for an insurance claim: proof of ownership and special limits

US households experienced about 1.1 million burglaries involving theft or attempted theft in 2024, or 8.2 per 1,000 households, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (National Crime Victimization Survey). The same survey found that about 4 in 10 burglaries were reported to police. If you plan to claim on your home or renters insurance, reporting matters: the standard homeowners form requires you to notify the police in case of theft.

Three things a theft claim needs

Element	What to gather
Police report	Report number, department, officer name, date reported
List of stolen items	Description, brand, model, serial number, quantity, age, replacement cost
Proof of ownership and value	Receipts, photos, statements, order history, warranty cards, appraisals

The police report

Report the theft promptly and keep the report number. If your insurer asks for a copy, the police department's records section can tell you how to request it and whether a fee applies. Write the department's contact details in your claim diary.

Building the list

Go room by room, starting with what thieves usually take: electronics, jewelry, watches, tools, cameras, bicycles, musical instruments, cash and documents. For each item, record:

• a description precise enough to identify it (brand, model, color, size);
• the serial number or any identifying mark, if you have it (warranty cards, original boxes and manufacturer accounts often show serial numbers);
• the age and today's price for a new item of like kind and quality;
• the proof you have and where it is.

If items are recovered later, update the list and tell your insurer in writing.

Proof without receipts

United Policyholders, a non-profit, notes that credit card companies and retailers can help you reconstruct purchases, that friends and family may have photos taken inside your home, and that recalling belongings room by room helps. Your own online order history, email receipts and phone photos are worth checking too.

Special limits on valuables

Many standard policies cap certain categories unless the items were scheduled separately. In the 2011 ISO HO-3 form, for example, money is limited to $200 for any covered loss, and theft of jewelry, watches and furs to $1,500, theft of firearms to $2,500 and theft of silverware to $2,500. Newer editions and insurer forms may differ. Look for "Special Limits of Liability" in your policy and note the amounts next to the matching lines of your list. If you scheduled valuables, gather the appraisal or schedule.

Personal items stolen away from home, for example from a car, may fall under your home or renters policy subject to limits; the car itself falls under auto insurance.

If cards or IDs were stolen

The Federal Trade Commission explains that a credit freeze is free and must be placed with each of the three nationwide credit bureaus, and that a fraud alert is also free, lasts one year, and can be placed by contacting one bureau, which must tell the other two. If your identity is misused, you can report it at IdentityTheft.gov. Contact your bank and card issuers too.

Keep it in writing

Log every call with your insurer, confirm important conversations in writing, send the list with a cover letter and keep copies. Record each payment and the date you received it.

Deadlines for insurers in some states

Florida law requires insurers to acknowledge claim communications within 7 calendar days and to pay or deny within 60 days after notice of the claim, unless factors beyond their control prevent it. Texas generally requires insurers to acknowledge a claim and request what they need by the 15th day after notice. Check your own state's rules.

Putting it together

The Theft and Burglary Claim Kit turns these steps into ready-to-use files, with nothing pre-filled that should come from your records, your policy or your insurer:

• US_Theft_Burglary_User_Guide.docx: step-by-step user guide with key terms, rules that may apply, sources and a final checklist.
• US_Theft_Burglary_Contents_Inventory_TRACKER.xlsx: room-by-room contents inventory with RCV, depreciation and ACV calculated, summary by room and category.
• US_Theft_Burglary_Claim_Diary_TRACKER.xlsx: claim diary: key dates with alerts, contact log, documents sent, payments received.
• US_Theft_Burglary_Claim_Letters_TEMPLATE.docx: editable letters to request documents and information, to send documents, and to confirm conversations in writing.

Record the police report number in the Claim Diary, list each stolen item with serial number and proof in the inventory, and send it with the included cover letter. Recovered items are updated in the same file.

Quick checklist

• Police report filed; report number in the Diary.
• Cards and accounts secured; credit freeze or fraud alert considered.
• Complete copy of the policy requested.
• Special limits noted for jewelry, cash, firearms and other categories.
• Every stolen item listed with description, serial number and proof.
• Inventory sent with a cover letter; receipt confirmed.

General information, not legal or insurance advice. Your policy decides what is covered.