# Photos that count as evidence

> Why Claimfrog separates your original photos from AI illustrations and store images, and how to take photos an adjuster will accept.

- Source: https://www.claimfrog.com/help/photos-that-count-as-evidence
- Product: Claimfrog, the home inventory app for insurance claims
- Topic: Adding items
- Plan: Included on every plan, including Free.
- Updated: 2026-10-24

After a loss, your insurer will ask you to prove you owned an item and what it was worth. A photo you took yourself is the strongest proof. Claimfrog keeps track of where every image came from, so only real evidence ends up in your claim.

## Image types

Each image on an item has a badge:

- **Original**: a photo you took or uploaded. Stored unaltered and used as evidence.
- **Edited**: a cleaned-up copy made with AI. Used for display only; your original stays untouched.
- **AI illustration**: a generated picture to help you recognize the item in lists. Never used as evidence.
- **Store image**: a retailer's product photo. Never used as evidence.
- **Unverified**: an image saved before Claimfrog tracked photo sources. If you took it, click its badge and choose **My own photo**.

Claim packages and adjuster links only include **Original** photos. Each original photo is fingerprinted (a SHA-256 hash) when you upload it, and that fingerprint is printed in the claim package so anyone can check the photo hasn't been altered.

## What to photograph

- A clear shot of the whole item.
- A close-up of the **serial number** or model label (usually on the back or bottom).
- Anything that shows condition or value: a signature on art, a hallmark on jewelry, the screen size on a TV.
- Wide shots of each room, which also show items you haven't listed yet.

You can tag each photo as **Item**, **Serial label**, **Condition / damage** or **Other**, and click **Make main photo** on the best one.

## Find items that need a photo

On the **Items** page, use the **Missing photo** and **Only AI / store image** filters to see items without real evidence. Fixing these raises your [claim-readiness score](https://www.claimfrog.com/help/claim-readiness-score) the most.