A theft claim differs from a fire claim in one important way: the property still exists somewhere. That makes identification — serial numbers, distinguishing marks, photographs — the most valuable thing in your file.
First hours, in order
- Do not enter if anything suggests someone is still inside. Call from outside.
- Call the police and get a report number. Insurers require it for theft claims.
- Photograph the scene before tidying — forced entry point, disturbed rooms, empty spaces where items stood.
- Do not clean or repair until the police and the adjuster have both released the scene.
- Notify your insurer the same day. Ask specifically about theft sub-limits on jewelry, cash and firearms — see how much personal property coverage you need.
- Freeze what can be frozen. Remotely lock or wipe stolen phones and laptops, cancel cards, change passwords for accounts stored on the taken devices.
Building the stolen list
For each item, police and insurer both want:
- Make, model, and a description including colour and distinguishing marks
- Serial number — the single field that makes recovery possible
- Purchase date and price
- Estimated current value
- A photograph of the item
An existing inventory turns this from a memory exercise into a filter: open the file, mark what is gone, export the list. Without one, expect to keep remembering items for weeks, and expect each late addition to be scrutinized more than the first list was.
Why serial numbers matter more here than anywhere else
Recorded serial numbers can be entered into law-enforcement databases that pawn shops, second-hand dealers and online marketplaces are checked against. Items without a recorded number are, in practical terms, unidentifiable — two thousand identical laptops look the same. This is the concrete reason for the sweep described in serial numbers: what to record.
The categories thieves take, and the caps that bite
| Category | Typical policy treatment for theft |
|---|---|
| Jewelry and watches | Low sub-limit unless scheduled |
| Cash | Very low sub-limit |
| Firearms | Capped |
| Silverware | Capped |
| Electronics, tools, bicycles | Covered within the general limit |
If you own jewelry above the cap, scheduling it is the fix, and it has to be done before the loss.
Supplemental claims
Discovering a missing item three weeks later is normal. Tell the insurer as soon as you notice and add it to the police report as a supplement. The later the addition, the more documentation it needs, which is another argument for a pre-existing inventory: an item on a list made two years ago carries a credibility a memory from last Tuesday does not.
Afterwards
Once the claim is settled, update the inventory rather than leaving it describing a house that no longer exists — remove the stolen items, add the replacements with new serial numbers, and refresh the off-site copy.