Be Claims-Ready Before Disaster Strikes.
After a fire, flood, tornado, or theft, most families can't list what they lost — let alone prove it. MyDocuva turns photos, video walkthroughs, and receipts into airtight inventory documentation. Adjusters can only pay for what you can prove.
Items Vault is free forever. Insurance Vault unlocks at the Basic plan.
$24.5k
Total
28
Photos
3
Walkthroughs
Living Room
4 items
Master Bedroom
3 items
Home Office
5 items
3 video walkthroughs recorded — Living, Office, Garage
How most people document — and why it fails
Documentation that lives where the disaster strikes can't help when the disaster strikes.
Paper notebook
In a drawer at home
Home spreadsheet
On your laptop
Phone photos
In your gallery app
MyDocuva
Cloud-encrypted, dual-key
Most families can't list what they own.
When disaster hits, you're asked to recall every possession — under stress, with paper receipts often destroyed in the same event. Adjusters can't pay for what you can't document. Without a pre-built inventory, claims get reduced or denied. With one, you recover what you actually owned.
REAL OUTCOME
After a kitchen fire, one family received a $45,000 settlement on a $90,000 loss because they couldn't prove what was in the cabinets. With MyDocuva — photos, serial numbers, walkthrough video — proof survives any physical disaster, encrypted on your device.
Each of these moments needs proof. MyDocuva keeps it ready.
Where most people start
Pick a room, sign up free, record your first walkthrough. About 5 minutes.
How MyDocuva Insurance works
From first item to claim-ready inventory in under 30 minutes.
Add an item
Pick from your Items Vault — or add new — and tag it for insurance with room, policy, warranty.
Add proof
Photos, receipts, serial numbers, appraisals. Two pieces of evidence per item is the gold standard.
Record a walkthrough
2–3 minutes per room, in your browser. Open drawers, narrate, show what is there.
One item, one record
Insurance items live in your Items Vault — flagged with insurance details. Add a watch once, it serves as travel customs proof, insurance inventory, and legacy allocation simultaneously. No duplicates, always in sync.
Items Vault
Photos, receipts, serial numbers, ownership proof
Insurance Vault
Adds room, policy, warranty, appraisal
Remove from Insurance any time — the underlying item stays in Items Vault.
Renters? Same vault, different focus. Skip the four-point exterior inspection (the building isn't yours). Document everything inside thoroughly — your renter's policy covers your stuff, so your inventory is the claim.
The most valuable 5 minutes you'll record this year.
Record a 2–3 minute video per room — open drawers, show what's there, narrate brands and values. Hippo Insurance calls walkthroughs the strongest single piece of evidence an adjuster can have. Records right in your browser, no app to install.
- 12 rooms supported — Living, bedroom, kitchen, garage, office, more
- Audio preserved — Server-side compression keeps your narration intact
- Up to 500 MB / video — Long enough for any room
- Upload existing videos — Already recorded a phone walkthrough? Upload it
Is my data safe?
Your inventory is encrypted on your device before it ever leaves it. Even MyDocuva can't read your photos, videos, or serial numbers. Walkthrough videos go through the same dual-key encryption.
- 📷 Photos + walkthrough videos
- 📝 Inventory data
- 🔑 Your passphrase
Plain readable
We can't read this
Dual-key encryption
Your key + platform key. Both required to decrypt.
Zero-knowledge
Servers never see plain photos or video frames.
Passphrase layer
A second layer on top of your login password.
No backdoor
No master key. No "MyDocuva can override" flow.
One inventory, every claim
Document your Rolex once — link it to your Italy trip for customs, your home inventory for insurance, and your daughter's allocation for legacy. No copies, always in sync.
Build your inventory before you need it.
Insurance Vault unlocks at the Basic plan. See plans.
Try MyDocuva FreeWant the details?
Tap any section to expand.
Adding inventory: link existing or create new
From the Insurance vault, you have two paths to add items.
A · Link existing item
Pick from items already in your Items Vault. Auto-fills name, brand, model, serial, values.
B · Create new
Creates the item AND insurance flag together. Inline form, single save.
Linked items show a blue badge. Click it on any insurance item to jump back to the Items Vault entry.
Insurance-specific fields explained
Beyond the standard Items Vault fields, Insurance adds these — each one matters for a future claim.
Room / Location
Groups your report by room. Links to walkthrough video tagging.
Policy Number
Your insurer's policy ID — they ask on every claim.
Warranty Expiry
Active warranty may cover repair before insurance. Triggers expiry reminders.
Appraised Value
Professional valuation — moves up payouts for items > $2,500.
Appraisal Date
Refresh every 2–3 years. Stale appraisals get challenged.
Condition
Pre-loss state: New, Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor.
Warranty expiry triggers smart reminders
Set a warranty expiry on any item and MyDocuva sends category-aware reminders — 60/30/7 days before for insurance & vehicles, 180/90/30/7 for legal/travel docs. Customizable from Settings → Preferences.
Trash & restore (30-day grace)
Delete an item entirely (not just "Remove from Insurance") and it goes to Trash for 30 days. One-click restore brings everything back, including insurance fields. After 30 days, permanent deletion.
High-value items playbook (jewelry, art, firearms, instruments, antiques)
Most policies cap these categories far below their actual value unless you add a scheduled rider/floater. Document with extra care.
What underinsurance looks like
Typical homeowner
⚠ Gap: $35,000 not covered
Many homeowners discover gaps only after a claim. Your inventory total reveals it before.
Jewelry & Watches
Typical cap: $1,500 total without rider
- Professional appraisal (refresh every 2–3 years)
- Hallmark / stamp close-up
- Weight in grams
- Photo on dark cloth with coin for scale
- Receipt or certificate
Art & Collectibles
Typical cap: $2,500 per item without rider
- Provenance documentation
- Certificate of authenticity
- Recent appraisal from a credentialed appraiser
- Condition report — front + back + signature
- Receipt from gallery or auction house
Firearms
Typical cap: $2,500 total · often need separate policy
- Serial number close-up
- Make + model + caliber
- Purchase receipt or appraisal
- Photos of unique modifications
- Storage method documentation (some policies require safe)
Musical Instruments
Vintage / professional often need rider
- Maker, model, year (especially vintage)
- Serial number on label or back
- Professional appraisal for items > $2,500
- Photo with case + accessories
- Original receipt or chain-of-ownership
Antiques
Always need appraisal — replacement cost ≠ purchase price
- Provenance: purchase records, family history
- Era / period / maker if known
- Identifying marks — stamps, signatures, hallmarks
- Condition report — pre-loss state
- Antique-specialist appraisal (general appraisers undervalue)
How to add a scheduled rider: Call your insurance agent with the appraisal in hand. They'll add a personal articles floater. Cost is typically 1–2% of insured value per year.
Photographing items for claims
Photos are your strongest evidence. An adjuster who can see the item, condition, and serial number processes faster and more favorably.
6 essential shots per item
- 📸 Front / Overall — proves you owned it
- 🔍 Serial number close-up — critical for electronics
- 🏷️ Brand / model tag — exact replacement cost
- 🔎 Condition close-up — pristine or wear marks
- 🧾 Receipt or invoice — strongest single evidence
- 📦 Box / packaging — original product details
Where to find serial numbers
- Laptops: bottom panel sticker, or Settings → About
- Phones / tablets: Settings → About, or SIM tray / box
- Cameras: bottom plate sticker, or menu → About
- Watches: case back, between the lugs, warranty card
- Jewelry: inside ring band, near clasp on necklaces, hallmarks
- Vehicles: VIN plate (driver-side dashboard), registration
- Appliances: back/side label, behind the door
Smart filename detection
Files named receipt, invoice, warranty, appraisal, or certificate are auto-tagged with the right role on upload.
Place receipts next to items in photos when possible (USAA tip — links the proof together visually).
Video walkthrough — room by room
The single most powerful documentation tool. Records right in your browser; 12 rooms supported.
How to record
- Pick the room (Living/Bedroom/Kitchen/Office/Garage and 7 more).
- Start camera → record button → pan slowly (2–3 min/room).
- Open drawers, closets, cabinets. Show what is there.
- Narrate: name, brand, year, value.
- Stop → review → upload. Server preserves audio.
Room highlights — what people forget
Already have a phone walkthrough? Upload it directly — no need to re-record.
Values, appraisals & receipts
Value types are NOT the same
Purchase Price
What you originally paid — establishes baseline.
Current Value
What it would cost to replace today.
Replacement Cost
Most policies pay this — buying a similar item new.
Actual Cash Value
Purchase price minus depreciation. Some basic policies only cover ACV.
When receipts are lost
- 💳 Credit card / bank statements
- 📧 Online order history (Amazon, Best Buy)
- 📋 Product registration emails
- 📷 Photos showing item in your home
- 📜 Appraisal documents
Items > $2,500 usually need a scheduled rider/floater + professional appraisal. Refresh appraisals every 2–3 years.
Reminder configuration
MyDocuva reminds you when your inventory is getting stale. You control cadence and topics.
Coming later: state-specific reminders (e.g., hurricane prep for Florida, earthquake inventory for California). Today's system is global cadence with topic toggles.
Generating reports + filing claims
What the PDF report includes
- 📊 Summary stats — total items, total value, rooms documented
- 📁 Category breakdown — items grouped with subtotals
- 🏠 Room breakdown — value per room
- 📋 Full inventory table — every item with all fields
4-layer evidence pyramid
Each layer alone is OK. Together, they're a claim adjusters can't reduce.
PDF Report
Structured data adjuster reads first
Receipts + Appraisals
Proof of purchase price + current value
Still Photos
Detailed close-ups, serials, brand labels
Walkthrough Video
Foundation — visual proof of existence
Documented inventories pay out faster and more fairly than memory-based claims — adjusters trust evidence.
Pro tips, common mistakes & maintenance
Annual review (30–60 minutes)
- 🏠 Re-record videos for changed rooms
- 🔧 Photo all 4 sides of house, roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing
- 💰 Compare total inventory to policy limits
- 📋 Remove sold/donated items, regenerate PDF
Common mistakes
- No inventory at all (most common — even partial helps)
- Storing inventory only on paper at home
- Creating once, never updating
- Only documenting expensive items
- Not opening drawers in walkthrough video
- Discarding damaged items before adjuster inspection
Security & privacy
- 📷 Photos + walkthrough videos
- 📝 Inventory data
- 🔑 Your passphrase
Plain readable
We can't read this
Dual-key encryption
Your key + platform key — both required.
Zero-knowledge
Servers never see plain photos or video frames.
Passphrase layer
Vault is protected on top of login.
Server-validated
Every page load checks server-side.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the Items Vault?
Items Vault is for documenting any belonging. Insurance flags those items with room, policy, warranty, and appraisal — the same item serves travel, insurance, and legacy at the same time.
Do I need to photograph every single item?
Focus on items worth $50+ individually. For smaller items (kitchen utensils, clothing basics), the walkthrough video showing them on shelves or in drawers is sufficient.
Will my insurer accept this report?
Yes. Adjusters at State Farm, Progressive, USAA, Allstate accept any documented inventory. A detailed PDF with serials and receipts is far more credible than a handwritten list.
How long are walkthrough videos kept?
As long as you maintain your account. No auto-delete. Re-record annually or after major room changes.
Can I import items from the Items Vault?
Yes — when adding insurance items, expand "Import from Items Vault" to search and link existing items. Auto-fills name, brand, model, serial, values.
What if I don’t have receipts for older items?
You can still file successfully. Use credit card statements, online order history, product registration, photos. Walkthrough videos are particularly strong as supporting evidence.
What currencies are supported?
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, CHF — set per item. Useful for items purchased while traveling abroad.
Do I need a paid plan for Insurance Vault?
Yes. Insurance Vault unlocks at Basic ($2.99/mo or $1.50/mo billed yearly). Items Vault is free forever.
Will MyDocuva nudge me about expiring warranties?
Yes — set a Warranty Expiry on any item and you get category-aware lead-time reminders. All configurable from Settings → Preferences.
Build your inventory before you need it.
Start with Items Vault free. Upgrade to Basic when you're ready for walkthrough videos and claims-ready reports.