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You may have home contents insurance as part of your homeowner's insurance policy, but to ensure that you have enough coverage, you need to conduct a home inventory. Using Insurance Information Institute's Know Your Stuff (www.knowyourstuff.org) home inventory software, you can create a room-by-room inventory list of all of your personal belongings.

Putting together an up-to-date, room-by-room inventory of your entire house is important if you want to make sure your homeowner's insurance policy provides enough home contents insurance to cover your personal possessions. Of course, you can create an inventory list in a notebook, attaching saved receipts and photos, but I.I.I's Know Your Stuff home inventory software makes the task much easier. After the initial set-up, you can use the software to update your list as you purchase or eliminate personal belongings with only the click of a mouse.

For homeowners who have been building up their personal belongings for years, taking home inventory will seem a daunting task. But, if your whole family works together, the task can be fun and finished in an afternoon. And, wouldn't you rather have you possessions documented before you suffer a loss?

To get started, make note of especially expensive items, such as jewelry, collectibles, or silverware as valuable items may need separate insurance. Remember that you also need to include commonplace items, like CDs, DVDs, toys and clothing.

Your detailed list should include replacement costs of items in case they are stolen or destroyed. For better organization, you should consider including photographs and videotape in your documentation. You want to photograph all of your possessions, or walk through your home with your video camera, capturing its contents. Don't forget to open drawers, cabinets and closets. A benefit of videotaping is that you can narrate while you film! It's easy to include photos in your home inventory list if you use a digital camera, but that's not to say you can't get similar benefits from including printed photographs in your inventory document. Digital photos and video are just easier to incorporate into the Know Your Stuff home inventory software.

You can download the Insurance Information Institute's Know Your Stuff software for free at www.knowyourstuff.org/download.html, and then you're ready to begin documenting your belongings. There is an option to print your report, but be sure to store it in a safe deposit box, or a secure location, where it won't be lost if your home is damaged or destroyed by an unexpected disaster.

Having home contents insurance is important to protect you, your family, your belongings and your home, but using home inventory software to create a detailed inventory list will help to ensure you buy enough coverage to replace your possessions, get your claims settled fasters and substantiate losses for your income tax return.

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US Insurance Online CEO Jim Waltrip is a self-taught software developer and entrepreneur with a passion for building things: teams of employees, software, and new systems. Jim started the company with business partner Ryan Patterson in May 2005. The recently re-launched Web site is designed to provide insurance shopping help and free insurance quotes. For assistance finding home contents insurance, visit www.USInsuranceOnline.com

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