Published by Adjusterman LLC, a licensed Florida public adjusting firm. We don’t sell or earn commissions on anything listed here.
Updated September 23, 2026
Key takeaways
- The free NAIC Home Inventory app, from the association of state insurance regulators, is still available on iPhone/iPad and Android.
- Commercial apps such as Itemtopia, Everspruce and Sortly add receipts, exports and multi-device sync; several have free tiers.
- Florida’s Department of Financial Services says to include receipts, photos, videos, purchase dates and serial numbers, and to keep copies somewhere safe.
- Build it before a storm threatens: many insurers stop binding new or added coverage once a hurricane watch or warning is issued for any part of Florida.
After a hurricane or fire, the insurer will ask you to list what was damaged or destroyed. The standard Homeowners 3 form spells it out: prepare an inventory of damaged personal property showing quantity, description, actual cash value and amount of loss, and attach all bills, receipts and related documents that justify the figures.
Doing that from memory, in a hotel room, weeks after the loss, is where contents claims come up short. Nobody remembers every pan, towel, extension cord and pair of shoes. An inventory made in advance, even a rough one, fixes that.
Florida’s Department of Financial Services puts it on its disaster preparation checklist: inventory your household items, include receipts, photos, videos, purchase dates and serial numbers, and keep copies with your policies in a safe place such as a waterproof, fireproof container. Here are the tools that make that practical. For photographing damage after an event, see the best apps to document property damage.
| Tool | Type | Free option | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAIC Home Inventory | App (iPhone/iPad, Android) | Free | A no-cost, regulator-backed starting point |
| Itemtopia | App (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, web) | Free download | Receipts, warranties and insurance-ready reports |
| Everspruce | App (iOS, Android, web) | Up to 50 entries free | Quick photo entry and CSV/PDF export |
| Sortly | App (iOS, Android) | Free plan, 100 unique items | Barcode and QR-label organizers |
| HomeZada | Web-based home management | Free sign-up; paid subscription | Inventory alongside maintenance and projects |
| Video walk-through + cloud backup | Method | Free (Google Photos 15 GB, iCloud 5 GB) | Getting something on record today |
| United Policyholders sample spreadsheets | Template | Free | Seeing what a complete inventory looks like |
| Florida DFS checklists | Checklist | Free | The state’s own to-do list |
| Adobe Scan | App (iOS, Android) | Free download | Turning paper receipts into PDFs |
How we put this list together
We looked for tools a Florida household can start using today. Each one was checked on its official website or its Apple App Store or Google Play listing on 23 September 2026. We describe features and free tiers as the publisher states them and say “check current price” for paid plans.
- Captures what an adjuster asks for. Photos, descriptions, quantities, values, purchase dates, serial numbers and receipts.
- Survives the disaster. Cloud backup or easy export, so the inventory is not lost with the house.
- Exports cleanly. PDF or spreadsheet output you can send to an insurer.
- Low barrier. A free way to start, because an unfinished paid inventory helps nobody.
We do not sell or earn commissions on any tool listed here.
The list
1. NAIC Home Inventory
Best for: A free, regulator-backed starting point
- Publisher
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners
- Cost
- Free
- Platforms
- iPhone/iPad (App Store) and Android (Google Play)
- Status
- Still listed; Android version updated 14 Sep 2026
We checked whether this app still exists, because older guides list apps that have since disappeared. It does: the NAIC Home Inventory app is live on both the App Store and Google Play, and the NAIC’s consumer site links to both.
It groups belongings by room and category, captures photos, scans barcodes for item details and exports the inventory at any time. It also carries disaster preparedness tips and steps for filing a claim. The App Store listing notes it is designed for iPad, and some reviewers there complain about photo resolution, so check your export before relying on it alone.
Consider if you want a free app with no subscription and no commercial upsell.
content.naic.org2. Itemtopia
Best for: Receipts, warranties and insurance-ready reports
- Cost
- Free download; paid tiers, check current price
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and web browser
Itemtopia documents rooms, belongings, valuables, receipts, warranties and service history, and produces what it calls insurance-ready reports. Its App Store listing describes five ways to add items, including taking a photo and adding details later, speaking the item name, scanning a barcode, and forwarding a receipt so the app creates the item with purchase data attached.
Receipt forwarding is the useful part for a claim. The standard homeowners form asks for bills and receipts to justify your figures, and most purchases now arrive by email.
Consider if you buy a lot online and want receipts to become inventory entries without retyping.
itemtopia.com3. Everspruce
Best for: Fast photo entry with exports
- Cost
- Free for up to 50 entries; Plus subscription for unlimited
- Platforms
- iOS, Android and web
- Exports
- CSV and PDF
Everspruce lets you add up to 50 entries free, backed up to the cloud, with a batch mode for adding items quickly and export to CSV and PDF. A Plus subscription adds unlimited entries and multiple devices; check current price.
Fifty entries will not cover a whole house, but it will cover the high-value items first: televisions, computers, jewelry, tools, bicycles, furniture and appliances. That is a sensible order anyway.
Consider if you want to start with your most valuable items and decide later whether to pay.
everspruceapp.com4. Sortly
Best for: Barcode and QR-label organizers
- Cost
- Free plan with 100 unique items; paid tiers
- Platforms
- iOS and Android
Sortly is built mainly for business inventory, but its free plan covers 100 unique items with photos, folders, custom fields and barcode and QR scanning. Folders map neatly to rooms, and custom fields can hold purchase date, price and serial number.
Because it is designed for tracking stock, it is strongest for garages, workshops and storage units where items are grouped in bins.
Consider if you also run a small business from home and want one app for both.
sortly.com5. HomeZada
Best for: Inventory as part of whole-home records
- Cost
- Free sign-up; paid annual subscription, check current price
- Access
- Web-based
- Reports
- PDF reports to share with insurers
HomeZada combines inventory with maintenance, projects and home finances. For inventory it offers room templates, AI photo recognition that turns photos into inventory entries, value by room and category, video narration of each room, and PDF reports to share with insurance providers.
Its iPhone app listing shows a last update in 2022, so plan to use it mainly through a browser and check current mobile support.
Consider if you also want to track roof age, HVAC service and renovation costs, which help later when proving the condition of the home.
homezada.com6. A narrated video walk-through with cloud backup
Best for: Getting something on record today
- Cost
- Free
- Backup
- Google Photos (15 GB free) or iCloud (5 GB free)
If an app feels like too much, start here. Open every closet, drawer and cabinet and film it while you say what things are and roughly when you bought them. The National Flood Insurance Program’s guidance is the same: take photos and videos of all major household items and valuables, include serial numbers, and save the inventory with important documents in a safe, dry place.
Then get it off the phone. Google says every account gets 15 GB of free storage in Google Photos; Apple includes 5 GB free with iCloud. A full-house video can be large, so check space before storm season.
Consider as a first step even if you plan to build an itemized list later.
floodsmart.gov7. United Policyholders sample inventory spreadsheets
Best for: Seeing what a complete inventory looks like
- Publisher
- United Policyholders (nonprofit)
- Cost
- Free
United Policyholders, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for insurance consumers, publishes two sample spreadsheets donated by fire survivors: a room-by-room home inventory that works as a memory jogger, and a complete household inventory from a 2008 wildfire showing item-level detail and pricing.
Use them as a checklist for rooms and categories you would forget. The organization also notes that your insurer may provide its own contents template, which can be easier to use once a claim is open.
Consider if you prefer a spreadsheet you control over an app.
uphelp.org8. Florida DFS disaster preparation and recovery checklists
Best for: The state’s own to-do list
- Publisher
- Florida Department of Financial Services
- Cost
- Free
- Helpline
- 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236)
The DFS preparation checklist tells you to inventory household items with receipts, photos, videos, purchase dates and serial numbers, and to keep copies with your policies in a waterproof, fireproof container. It also points to the Department’s Emergency Financial Preparedness Toolkit for logging insurance company and agent contacts, including your carrier’s claims-reporting number.
Its companion recovery checklist says to retrieve your household inventory, including pre-damage receipts, photos and video, and share it with the adjuster, and to photograph items before discarding anything that is a safety hazard.
Consider printing both and keeping them with your hurricane kit.
myfloridacfo.com9. Adobe Scan
Best for: Turning paper receipts into searchable PDFs
- Cost
- Free download
- Platforms
- iOS and Android
Paper receipts fade, especially in Florida humidity. Adobe Scan turns receipts, manuals and appraisals into PDFs with searchable text, which you can then attach to entries in whichever inventory app you use or store in the same cloud folder.
Consider if your receipts for furniture, appliances and jewelry are still on paper.
apps.apple.com
Why timing matters in Florida
The DFS checklist warns that when the National Weather Service issues a hurricane or tropical storm watch or warning for any part of Florida, many insurers stop binding new or additional homeowners or renters coverage, typically until 72 hours after the last watch or warning is lifted. The same logic applies to your inventory: the week a storm is forecast is the worst week to start one.
Flood is separate. The NFIP notes that most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and the standard Homeowners 3 form excludes flood, so flood-damaged contents are claimed under a flood policy with its own documentation advice. If you have both policies, one inventory serves both claims. For flood-specific steps, see Florida flooding claims.
What to record for each item
- What it is, with brand, model and serial number where there is one.
- Quantity. Ten dining chairs are ten items.
- Where it was: room and location in the room.
- Approximate purchase date and price, with a receipt if you have one.
- A photo, ideally one showing the label or plate and one showing the whole item.
When the contents claim is large
A total-loss fire or a flooded ground floor can mean hundreds of line items, each with its own depreciation argument. A public adjuster can build and price that list with you. Adjusterman handles homeowners claims and fire claims statewide, and the ranked guide to the best public adjusters in Florida explains how to check any adjuster’s license before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NAIC Home Inventory app still available?
Yes. As of 23 September 2026 it is listed free on the Apple App Store and on Google Play, where the Android version was updated on 14 September 2026, and the NAIC consumer site links to both.
What should a home inventory include?
Florida DFS recommends receipts, photos, videos, purchase dates and serial numbers. The standard homeowners form asks for quantity, description, actual cash value and amount of loss, with bills and receipts attached.
Where should I keep my inventory?
In at least two places, one of them outside the home. DFS suggests a waterproof, fireproof container for copies, and a cloud service keeps a copy you can reach from anywhere.
Do I need a paid app?
No. The NAIC app is free, Everspruce is free for up to 50 entries, Sortly has a free plan for 100 unique items, and a narrated video with free cloud storage is a solid start.
I never made an inventory and now I have a loss. What do I do?
Rebuild it from what exists: phone photos with your belongings in the background, online order histories, credit card statements and the United Policyholders sample lists as memory joggers. Photograph damaged items before anything is discarded.
Related guides
Sources
- NAIC, Home Inventory
- NAIC Home Inventory, App Store listing
- NAIC Home Inventory, Google Play listing
- Homeowners 3 Special Form, ISO HO 00 03 10 00 (sample published by the Insurance Information Institute)
- Florida DFS, Disaster Preparation Checklist
- Florida DFS, Disaster Recovery Checklist
- Itemtopia, official site
- Itemtopia Inventory, App Store listing
- Everspruce, official site
- Everspruce Home Inventory, App Store listing
- Sortly, pricing
- Sortly, App Store listing
- HomeZada, home inventory
- HomeZada Mobile, App Store listing
- NFIP FloodSmart, home page
- NFIP FloodSmart, Document Your Belongings
- Google Photos, official site
- Apple Support, iCloud+ plans and pricing
- United Policyholders, About Us
- United Policyholders, Sample Home Inventory Spreadsheet
- United Policyholders, Example of Complete Household Inventory Spreadsheet
- Adobe Scan, App Store listing
Adjusterman LLC, FL DFS Public Adjusting Firm License #W913130 · Michael Klavan, FL DFS Public Adjuster License #P151443. Public adjusters do not provide legal advice.