How to Photograph and Document Your Valuables for a Claim
A simple, practical guide to photographing and recording your belongings the right way, so a claim after theft, fire or flood is fast and stress-free.
Why documentation makes or breaks a claim
When something is stolen, burnt or damaged, the underwriter does not just take your word for it. They need proof that you owned the item, what it was worth, and what condition it was in. This is where most claims in Nigeria run into trouble. People remember they owned a generator or a laptop, but they cannot produce a receipt, a serial number or even a clear photo. Without that proof, payouts get delayed or reduced.
Good documentation is not complicated. It just needs to happen before something goes wrong, not after.
What to photograph, and how
Do not just snap a quick picture of a room. For each valuable item, aim for a few clear shots:
- The whole item from a couple of angles, in good light
- A close-up of any serial number, IMEI, engraving or model tag
- The receipt, box, or warranty card laid next to the item
- Any distinguishing marks, scratches, or accessories that came with it
For electronics like TVs, laptops and phones, the serial number is often the single most useful piece of proof you can have. It ties the specific unit to you and helps confirm it has not been tampered with. Dial the phone's settings menu or check the box to find it, then photograph it clearly.
For jewellery and watches, a photo alone rarely proves value. A valuation certificate from a reputable jeweller, alongside close-up photos, gives you a much stronger position. Read more in our guide on /resources/jewellery-insurance-in-nigeria.
Organise as you go, not after a loss
The worst time to hunt for a receipt is the day after a burglary. Set up a simple system now:
- One folder on your phone or cloud storage called "Home Inventory"
- Subfolders by room, or by category (electronics, furniture, jewellery, business stock)
- A short note with each photo: item name, date bought, approximate cost, where bought
This does not need to be fancy. A WhatsApp chat with yourself, where you forward photos and receipts as you buy things, works surprisingly well as a backup. The goal is redundancy: if your phone is stolen along with everything else, you still have a copy somewhere else.
VaultCova's vault is built for exactly this. You log an item once, with photos and value, and it stays safely stored even if your phone does not survive the loss.
Receipts, bank alerts and other paper trails
Receipts fade, get lost, or were never printed. If you cannot find the original, other proof can help:
- Bank or card statements showing the purchase
- Order confirmation emails from online stores
- WhatsApp chats with a seller confirming price and date
- Photos of the item in your home from around the purchase date, even casual ones from social media
None of these alone is perfect, but together they build a believable picture for an underwriter. See our piece on /resources/why-receipts-matter-and-how-to-prove-ownership-after-a-loss for more on this.
Update your records as values change
With the naira's value shifting and replacement costs climbing steadily, an item you documented two years ago may now cost far more to replace. If your records still show the old price, you risk being underinsured under the average clause, which reduces your payout in proportion to how far off your declared value is. Set a reminder every six to twelve months to review and update the values in your vault. Our guide on /resources/how-often-should-you-update-the-value-of-what-you-own goes into more detail.
What to do the moment something happens
If theft, fire or flood occurs:
- Take photos of the scene before you touch or move anything, where safe to do so
- Note the date and time
- Get a police report for theft, this is required for most claims
- Pull up your existing photos, receipts and serial numbers from your vault
- Report the claim promptly, most policies expect notice within a reasonable window
Having everything ready in advance can be the difference between a claim settled in days versus one stuck in back-and-forth for weeks.
Start now, not later
You do not need to document everything in one sitting. Start with your five most valuable items today: phone, laptop, TV, generator, jewellery. Take the photos, note the serial numbers, save the receipts. Add more over time.
Open a free vault on VaultCova, log what you own with photos and values, and when you are ready, talk to Cova about covering it through a licensed underwriter. It takes a few minutes now and could save you weeks of frustration later.
