How to Use Inventory

After a loss, creating a list of everything you owned can be one of the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the claim process. You may be asked to remember hundreds or even thousands of items while also providing descriptions, details, supporting information, and values that meet insurance requirements.

Inventory helps make that process more organized. You can build your inventory using whatever information you have available, including photos, pre-structured catalog items, third-party reports, spreadsheets, or manual entries. The tool organizes your items by location, helps assign estimated price ranges, and creates claim-ready outputs that can support your personal property claim.

When to Use Inventory

Use Inventory when you need to document personal property after a loss.

This tool can be especially helpful when you are:

Creating a personal property claim
Rebuilding a list of belongings after fire, smoke, water, theft, storm, or other damage
Organizing damaged, lost, or destroyed items
Building a room-by-room inventory
Importing an existing spreadsheet or third-party inventory report
Starting from photos of your belongings
Estimating item categories and values
Preparing claim-ready documentation for your insurance carrier
Creating a structured record that can be exported and edited over time

Inventory is designed to help you capture more items, organize them properly, and reduce the risk of leaving value out of your claim.

What You Need Before You Start

Before using the tool, gather any information you already have about your belongings.

This may include:

Photos of rooms or belongings
Pre-loss photos from your phone, cloud storage, listing photos, or family albums
Post-loss photos of damaged or destroyed items
Existing inventory spreadsheets
Third-party inventory reports
Receipts or purchase records
Appraisals, manuals, product labels, or serial numbers
Notes about rooms, closets, cabinets, drawers, garages, storage areas, or outdoor structures
Memories or rough lists of what was in each area

You do not need to have everything ready before you begin. The tool is designed to help you build your inventory from whatever information is available.

How to Use the Tool

Go to the Inventory tool in the Loti Toolbox.
Select Get Started.
Choose how you want to begin building your inventory.
Upload photos for AI-assisted item detection, browse pre-structured catalog items, import an existing report or spreadsheet, or enter items manually.
Organize items by room, area, or location.
Review item names, descriptions, categories, and estimated price ranges.
Add or adjust details as needed.
Continue building the inventory until your list is as complete as possible.
Export your inventory as a spreadsheet for ongoing edits or as a PDF with item details and images.
Save the export with your claim documentation and share it with your insurance carrier, Loti team, or claim professional as needed.

The tool is designed to help you move from scattered information to a structured, claim-ready inventory.

What the Tool Creates

Inventory creates structured outputs that are designed to support an insurance claim.

Depending on how you use the tool, your final output may include:

A room-by-room personal property inventory
Item names and descriptions
Categories and locations
AI-assisted item detections from photos
Estimated price ranges
Supporting photos or images
Spreadsheet exports for ongoing edits
PDF exports with item details and images
Claim-ready documentation that aligns with insurance expectations

The goal is to help you present your personal property claim in a format that is easier to review, update, and submit.

Building an Inventory From Photos

If you have photos of your belongings, Inventory can help identify items using AI-assisted item detection.

Photos may include:

Room-wide photos
Cabinet, closet, drawer, or shelf photos
Photos of furniture, electronics, clothing, tools, art, kitchenware, or home goods
Pre-loss photos from before the incident
Post-loss photos showing damaged or destroyed belongings

The tool can help detect visible items and turn them into inventory entries. You should still review and edit the results, since you may know details that are not visible in the photo, such as brand, age, condition, purchase date, or original cost.

Using Pre-Structured Catalog Items

Inventory also allows you to browse a catalog of pre-structured items.

This can help when you remember the type of item you owned but do not have a photo or receipt. Instead of starting from a blank line, you can use a structured item as a starting point and adjust the details to match your belongings.

This can be especially helpful for common household items such as:

Furniture
Kitchenware
Bedding
Clothing
Electronics
Tools
Small appliances
Home goods
Décor
Toys
Sporting goods
Office supplies

Catalog-based entry can help you work faster and avoid forgetting common items.

Importing Reports or Spreadsheets

If you already have a spreadsheet, third-party inventory report, or other structured file, you may be able to import that information into the tool.

This can help if you have already started your inventory somewhere else and want to continue organizing it inside Loti’s workflow.

After importing, review the data carefully and fill in any missing fields, such as:

Item name
Description
Quantity
Room or location
Category
Condition
Estimated value
Replacement cost
Supporting notes

Imported information is only as useful as the detail it contains, so it is worth reviewing before using it in your claim.

Entering Items Manually

You can also enter items manually.

Manual entry is useful when:

You remember an item but do not have a photo
The item was stored inside a drawer, cabinet, closet, garage, or attic
You need to add details that AI cannot determine
You are entering high-value items that need more specific descriptions
You want to refine or correct imported data

When entering items manually, try to include as much detail as possible.

Helpful details may include:

Item name
Brand or manufacturer
Model number
Serial number
Quantity
Room or location
Approximate purchase date
Original cost
Condition before the loss
Replacement cost estimate
Notes about where the item was stored or used

Organizing Items by Location

Inventory organizes personal property by location so your claim is easier to understand.

Locations may include:

Kitchen
Dining room
Living room
Bedroom
Bathroom
Office
Garage
Basement
Attic
Laundry room
Closets
Storage areas
Detached structures
Outdoor spaces

Location-based organization helps you think through what was in each area and makes the final inventory easier for an insurance reviewer to follow.

Reviewing Estimated Price Ranges

The tool may assign estimated price ranges to help you understand potential item values.

These estimates can be useful starting points, but they should be reviewed carefully. Insurance claim values may depend on your policy, item condition, age, available documentation, replacement cost, actual cash value, depreciation, and carrier review.

If you have receipts, product links, photos, appraisals, manuals, or other proof of cost, keep those records with your inventory.

Exporting Your Inventory

Once your inventory is ready, you can export it in formats designed for claim use.

You may export:

A spreadsheet for continued editing and sorting
A PDF that includes item details and images

A spreadsheet can be helpful when you need to keep working, add values, sort categories, or update claim details.

A PDF can be helpful when you want to share a clean, readable version with your insurance carrier, Loti team, or other claim professional.

Tips for Building a Stronger Inventory

Creating a personal property inventory takes time, but a structured approach can help.

Helpful tips include:

Work room by room.
Start with large, obvious items, then move to smaller items.
Use photos whenever available.
Check closets, drawers, cabinets, garages, and storage spaces.
Look through online purchase histories.
Search email for receipts and order confirmations.
Review credit card statements for major purchases.
Ask family members to help remember items.
Add brand, model, and condition details for higher-value items.
Keep supporting documentation with your inventory.
Review exported files before submitting them.

The more complete and organized your inventory is, the stronger your personal property documentation may be.

Troubleshooting

What if I do not have photos?

You can still use the tool. You can browse pre-structured catalog items, import data from an existing report or spreadsheet, or enter items manually.

What if the AI misses an item in a photo?

Review the detected items carefully. If something is missing, add it manually.

What if the AI identifies an item incorrectly?

Edit the item name, category, description, or other details before exporting your inventory.

Can I import a spreadsheet?

Yes. The tool supports building an inventory from existing structured information, including spreadsheets or third-party reports.

Can I export my inventory?

Yes. You can export your inventory as a spreadsheet for ongoing edits or as a PDF with item details and images.

Does this tool decide how much my claim is worth?

No. Inventory helps you organize and document your belongings. Final claim valuation depends on your policy, documentation, item details, and insurance carrier review.

Does this tool submit my claim?

No. Inventory helps create claim-ready documentation. You are still responsible for submitting materials through the appropriate claim process unless Loti or another claim professional is assisting you.

Why This Tool Matters

Personal property inventory is one of the most important parts of a claim and one of the easiest places to lose value.

Missing items, vague descriptions, weak documentation, or disorganized submissions can reduce what you recover. Inventory helps you capture more, document items more clearly, and present the information in a format that better supports your claim.

The goal is simple: help you remember, organize, and document what home really means.