Snapventory - Home Inventory with Photos for Insurance
Snapventory is a home inventory for insurance. You photograph the things you own and note what an insurer usually asks for after a fire, flood or burglary: what the item is, where it was kept, what it cost, roughly when you got it, and the maker and serial number. Items are organized by room and category, so the list stays readable even when it grows.
Most people only think about an inventory after something has gone wrong, when it is hardest to remember what was in each room. Recording things calmly, a room at a time, turns a stressful claim into a matter of downloading a document. The same list is useful when you move house, check that your cover is high enough, or need a serial number for a stolen laptop.
This web version needs no account. Photos and records are saved only in this browser, and you can download a PDF report or a backup file at any time.
The app runs entirely in your browser. What you enter is saved only on this device.
How to use Snapventory
- Add your first item. On the Items tab tap the + button. Add a photo by taking one (on a phone browser) or choosing a picture from your files, then type a name.
- Fill in the details insurers ask for. Choose a room and category, add a sub-location such as "hall closet, top shelf", the purchase price, acquired year or exact purchase date, current value, quantity, store, maker or model, serial number, barcode number, warranty end date, condition and notes. Only the name is required.
- Work through the house room by room. Pick one room, record the obvious valuables first, then open drawers and cupboards. Fields like name, store and sub-location suggest what you typed before, which speeds up repeated entries.
- Find and tidy items. Search by name, maker, serial number, barcode or notes, filter by room, category, condition, value range or warranties ending within 30 days, and sort by date, name, value, purchase date, category or room. Long-press items to select several and move them to another room, change their category or delete them.
- Create a PDF report. Open the Report tab, choose all items, grouped by room, grouped by category, or only items above a value, optionally add a household name and address for the cover, and tap Generate PDF. The file downloads to your device.
- Keep a backup. In Settings use Export backup to download a JSON file, and Import backup to restore it later. Store the backup and the PDF somewhere outside your home, such as cloud storage or email to yourself.
Features
- Items with photo, name, room, sub-location, category, quantity and condition
- Purchase price, current value, acquired year, purchase date, store, maker, serial and barcode number
- Warranty end dates, with a filter for warranties ending in the next 30 days
- Preset rooms and categories that you can rename, delete or extend
- Search, filters, six sort orders, card or list view and bulk move or delete
- PDF report with large photos, totals and a cover page, grouped by room or category
- Total item count and value, plus a value-by-category chart
- Choice of 12 currencies, light or dark theme, English or Japanese
- JSON backup export and import; no account and nothing uploaded
How to build a home inventory an insurer can use
Why an inventory matters
After a loss, most home or contents policies expect you to list what was damaged or taken and show that you owned it. Without a record you are relying on memory at a difficult moment, and it is easy to forget whole categories such as tools in the garage, coats in a wardrobe or kitchen equipment. A prepared list also helps you judge whether your contents cover is realistic: many people are surprised by the total once everything is added up.
What to record for each item
A clear photo is the most convincing evidence. Show the whole item and, for electronics and appliances, take a close photo of the label with the model and serial number. Write down the maker and model, where it was bought, the price you paid and when you got it. If you do not know the exact date, the year is still useful, because adjusters often estimate value from age. Note the condition honestly, and add the current value if you have a reason to think it differs from the purchase price, for example jewelry that has been appraised.
Keep receipts, appraisals and warranty papers too. You can note in the item where the paper copy is kept, or photograph the receipt and keep that image with your backups.
Replacement cost and actual cash value
Policies usually settle contents either at replacement cost, meaning what it costs to buy a similar new item today, or at actual cash value, which is replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear. That is why purchase year and condition matter. Read your own policy to see which applies and whether high-value items such as jewelry, art or collections have per-item limits that need to be listed separately. Your insurer or agent is the right person to confirm what documentation they want.
A practical routine
Do one room per session rather than the whole house at once. Start with the most valuable or hardest-to-replace items, then work through cupboards. Do not forget the garage, shed, attic, basement and anything stored off-site. Afterwards, add new purchases as they arrive, and once or twice a year walk through each room to remove items you no longer own. Finally, keep a copy outside the house: a list that is lost in the same fire as the belongings it describes does not help.
Frequently asked questions
Where is my data stored?
Only in this browser on this device, in its local storage and IndexedDB, including the photos. There is no account and nothing is uploaded. Clearing site data, using private browsing or switching browsers or devices means the data will not be there, so download a backup and a PDF regularly.
Does the backup file include photos?
No. The JSON backup contains rooms, categories and item details. Photos stay in the browser where they were added, so the PDF report is the best way to keep a copy that includes pictures.
Is there a limit on how much I can record?
The web version follows the free plan of the app: up to 25 items and one photo per item, and the PDF carries a "PREVIEW" watermark. CSV export, unlimited items, several photos per item and detailed statistics are available in the iPhone and Android apps.
Will my insurer accept the PDF?
The report lists each item with its photo, price, acquired year, serial number and other details, which is the kind of information claims usually ask for. Requirements differ between insurers, so check with yours and keep receipts and appraisals for valuable items.
Can I scan barcodes or use voice input?
Not on the web. You can type the barcode number into its field. The phone apps can read barcodes with the camera and fill in the name by voice.
How is the web version different from the phone app?
The web version has no app lock, no warranty reminder notifications, no barcode scanning or voice input, and it downloads files instead of opening the share or print sheet. Everything else described here works the same way.
Limitations of the web version
- Data and photos are stored only in this browser and are lost if you clear site data
- Up to 25 items and one photo per item; PDF reports carry a PREVIEW watermark
- CSV export and detailed statistics (by room, top-valued items, warranties) are only in the phone apps
- No barcode scanning or voice input; the barcode number can be typed
- No app lock with PIN or biometrics, and no warranty reminder notifications
- The JSON backup does not include photos
Phone app
Snapventory is also available as an app for phones and tablets: