When you’re buying home contents insurance coverage, it’s important to make certain of a few things before you go asking for home insurance quotes online. Getting home contents insurance quotes, and filing a claim on contents insurance, can be tricky because you need to prove that you actually did own everything that you’re claiming.

It’s easy for the insurers to see that you do, in fact, have a three room home that was damaged in a fire. Trying to prove that you owned a limited edition Playstation 3 worth twice the usual retail value, on the other hand, is a little tricky.

The main thing you’re going to need, just like a detective, is going to be…

Evidence
You need to be able to prove that you own everything you’re claiming. If you could insure and claim without proof, then there’s no stopping you from saying that you own the Venus de Milo, and it’s dipped in gold, and then claiming it with no proof beyond “it’s not here now, is it?”

Take photographs of everything you’re insuring, and keep both hard copies in print, and digital copies on your computer and online with a photosharing account, in your email files, or anywhere else you can store images on the web.

Make sure that you have all of your serial codes written down, as well. That serial code will prove that not only did you own a Playstation 3, it was the limited edition version that you claimed, as well. You’ll want to hold onto any receipts that you have to prove that you bought certain items, as well.

Prioritize
Make sure that you’re being reasonable about what you’re insuring. If you just finished paying off an expensive leather sofa, then you’re certainly going to want to make sure it’s covered, but if you have a habit of hanging onto the cool looking liquor bottles you’ve collected over the years, are they really worth insuring?

On the other hand, some items might surprise you. For instance, you can insure your wine collection. Of course, you’ll need to renew it now and then whenever you open a bottle, but if you’re a serious collector of fine spirits, this isn’t a bad idea.

In any event, just make sure that you’re covered where you want to be covered. The basic idea is just to cover any items that you consider priceless, irreplaceable, or just plain expensive.