How-to
Serial numbers, receipts and manuals for every appliance
Record each appliance's serial number, keep its receipt with the warranty, download the manual, and store all three together.
Satisfy+ Editorial · Published May 18, 2026 · 2 min read · 40 min to do
Satisfy+ is not an insurance agent, broker or adjuster. Your policy's wording controls.
At a glance
- Serial number
- Brand, model and serial for each appliance
- Receipt
- Proves the purchase date and that you're the first owner
- Manual
- The directions a warranty may depend on
- Where
- Together, with a copy away from home
A home inventory needs each appliance's serial number, and a warranty claim needs the receipt. Gathering those, plus each manual, for a home's large appliances takes most of an hour.
What you need
- A phone with a camera
- The receipts and warranty papers you already have
- A folder at home, and an online storage account for a copy
Steps
- 1
Find each serial number
Serial numbers are usually on the back or the bottom of major appliances and electronics. Photograph the label, and record the make, the model and where you bought each one. The more detail the inventory holds, the easier it is for an insurer to evaluate a loss.
15 min
- 2
Match each receipt to its warranty
Keep the receipt with the warranty. It proves the date you bought the product and that you're the original owner.
10 min
- 3
Save a copy of each warranty
If you bought the product online, print or download the warranty.
5 min
- 4
Check for a registration card
Some warranties require you to return a product registration card before they cover service. Fill in any you find.
3 min
- 5
Download each manual
A warranty may cover a problem only if the product was maintained and used the way the directions say, and the manual holds them. Download it from the maker's site by model number.
5 min
- 6
Store the three together
Keep the receipts with the inventory, and store a copy somewhere besides your home, such as an online storage account or a safe deposit box.
2 min
- 7
Check the set is complete
Each large appliance should have a serial photo, a receipt or a note that it's missing, a warranty copy and a manual, all in one place.
1 min
Keep the serial, receipt and manual together
- Record the serial number of each large appliance
- Save each receipt with its product's warranty
- Download the manual for each large appliance
What to note from each warranty
- How long it lasts. Some coverage ends after a set time, and some after a set mileage.
- Who to contact. Some warranties go through the manufacturer, and some let you go back to the seller.
- What's covered. If a part or problem isn't listed, assume it isn't covered.
- What you pay. Check whether you pay for labor or for shipping the product.
When a product has a problem
Start by contacting the seller, with the receipt and the warranty in hand. Have the model and serial number ready too, since the seller or the maker will ask for them.
FAQ
Why does an insurer want serial numbers?
The more detail the inventory gives, such as the make, model and serial number, the easier it is for the insurer to evaluate the loss.
Do I need the receipt for a warranty claim?
Keep it with the warranty, because it proves the purchase date and that you're the original owner.
Sources
Checked October 20, 2026
- Federal Trade Commission. Warranties (2023)
- Insurance Information Institute (insurer-funded). How to create a home inventory (2026)
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Disaster preparedness (2024)
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. What you need to know when filing a homeowners claim (2024)
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