Keep your written and photographic inventory in a safe place, such as a fire-resistant file cabinet, the freezer, or a safe deposit box. Keep at least one copy away from home. If you take a long vacation, give a copy to a friend or neighbor. That way, if your house is broken into while you're gone, your friend can determine what's missing and report it to the police.

Web Resources

For more information on homeowners' insurance, see the Insurance Information Institute's website at www.iii.org, or www.insure.com, a highly rated commercial site that provides actual quotes.