Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, your insurance is designed to protect your property from mishaps like fire and theft. However, many people don’t realize that your Homeowners or Renters policy places a dollar value limit on certain valuables, like jewelry, within your home. We’re here to help you understand how you can better protect your valuable jewelry in the case of an unforeseen event.
Standard Policy Limits
Insurance companies have standard limits on special collections, including jewelry, fine art and a few other select groups of valuables. The limits are often around $2,000 to $3,000, but they may be less under a Renters Insurance policy. If you own valuable jewelry, this limit may not be sufficient enough to cover your valuables if you suffer a loss. Common jewelry items like engagements rings and wedding bands will easily exceed these limits.
Jewelry Appraisals
Most insurance companies will require appraisals for individual jewelry pieces over a set value, which can vary by the insurer. Appraisals provide you with proof of what your jewelry is worth. Appraisals can also offer other benefits, like informing you of how your pieces may increase in value over time.
Secure Documents and Photos
You should maintain an inventory of your personal belongings so it’s readily available if ever have to file a claim. It’s also a good idea to keep receipts from purchases and take photos of your belongings for your records. Keep these records in a safe location. It’s best to use a fire-resistant safe or a safe deposit box to avoid the loss of important documents in the event of a fire. However, with the ease of modern day cloud storage, it may be safer to keep digital records accessible there.
Blanket Endorsement
It’s possible to add a blanket endorsement to your Homeowners or Renters Insurance policy to better protect your valuables. Contact an Insurance Specialist at (855) 919-4247 to see if this type of endorsement makes sense for you. You will need to know the total value of the jewelry you want to insure, although you do not have to insure each piece separately.
Scheduled Endorsement
Alternatively, you may want to add a scheduled endorsement to your policy. This is useful if you only have one or two valuable pieces of jewelry. It typically does not cost that much more to have this additional coverage. Not to mention, it’s worth the price for better peace of mind that your jewelry is fully covered.
Many endorsements do not have a deductible, but make sure to verify this with your agent before signing. You may also want to check if your policy covers repairs to broken jewelry.
The information in this article is obtained from various sources. This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. It should not replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. The definitions, terms and coverage in a given policy may be different than those suggested here. Such policy will be governed by the language contained therein, and no warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.
