5 Reasons to Have a Jewelry Appraisal for Insurance Purposes

5 Reasons to Have a Jewelry Appraisal for Insurance PurposesYou’d probably prefer not to think about your jewelry treasures being damaged, destroyed or lost during a catastrophe, but it’s prudent to be prepared.

Whether you’ve spent years building your fine jewelry collection or you’ve recently acquired your first exquisite piece, you should insure each item to value, just in case the unexpected happens. To do that properly, you must have your jewelry appraised for insurance purposes.

Here are 5 reasons to consider:

1. Appraisals are important to the insurance process

If you have a sentimental attachment to your most cherished jewelry pieces, you’ll love them no matter what they’re worth. Still determining a value is important, especially when you’re purchasing insurance.

  • You need to know if your Homeowners Policy jewelry limit will cover them, or if you need a valuable items endorsement or a separate policy.
  • If you need a special endorsement or policy, underwriters will base your coverage amount on the appraised value of your jewelry.
  • Your insurance premium will be based on that same value.

2. Insurance companies never take your word for value

Even if you’ve had the same insurance agent for years, that relationship will only take you so far. Your agent might trust you when you tell him the value of your newest jewelry piece, but the insurance company underwriters will want more. Before an underwriter finalizes the jewelry schedule on your Valuable Items Policy or your Homeowners Policy jewelry floater, he will insist on a written appraisal from a reputable source.

3. A sales receipt won’t do

Insurance companies won’t accept a receipt of purchase as a legitimate measure of value. It doesn’t matter how much you paid for your jewelry. When writing a policy or paying a claim, the insurance company relies on the actual appraised value, not the cost.

4. The insurance company might require updated appraisals

Even if your insurance company doesn’t require regular appraisal updates, you might want to get them anyway.

  • It’s the best way to make certain you are insuring your jewelry to its proper value.
  • If the market prices of precious metals, diamonds, and fine jewels rise or fall, it could change the value of your jewelry.
  • Vintage, antique, and collectible jewelry styles go in and out of favor, causing the values to go up or down.
  • Values rarely remain constant, and your policies should change accordingly.

Ask your agent or underwriter about insurance policy appraisal guidelines.

5. You may still have to prove the value if a loss occurs

When you file a claim, the insurance company won’t simply write a check for the amount of your stated coverage. They will verify the details before settling your claim.

If a thief stole your jewelry, they will want to see a police report. If you lost it or it simply disappears, they will want to know how and why. If you have no witnesses, the insurance company adjuster may decide to talk to friends and relatives about you and your jewelry.

Regular appraisals can help you prove an insurance claim. An appraiser can attest to the quality, design, condition, and valuation of your jewelry. If a jewelry professional has inspected your collection a number of times over the years, the dated documentation can verify ownership and custody.

Before you take steps to insure your jewelry, contact an appraiser to properly evaluate your collection. For your peace of mind, make sure the professional you choose is well-trained and can handle the task with confidence.

Contact us if you have any questions about the process of having your jewelry appraised for insurance purposes.

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10 Responses to 5 Reasons to Have a Jewelry Appraisal for Insurance Purposes

  1. acts bracelets May 2, 2014 at 2:47 pm #

    Nice article and I’m glad I experienced a seem over the weblog. Thank you so a lot for sharing this sort of wonderful data.

  2. Mahmod October 9, 2015 at 12:34 am #

    You have to have your insurance and dotcor change your address in their records. I got my own insurance and live on my own. The insurance has my new address but the dotcor didnt. So I had to make sure both were changed.

  3. Scott December 13, 2016 at 12:53 pm #

    I had no idea that insurance companies don’t accept a receipt of purchase to determine how much jewelry cost. I can see why it would be important to be aware of this should something happen. My dad is wanting to buy some diamond earrings for my mom for Christmas. I’ll have to talk to him about the importance of getting them appraised too.

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  6. Ellie Davis December 26, 2018 at 6:05 pm #

    Thank you for pointing out that when you get your jewelry appraised the insurance agent will look at that. This seems like a great reason for my husband and me to take some of our gold in. I’ll have to look into finding the best appraisal shop in our area.

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  9. Ashley Johnson July 5, 2019 at 2:57 pm #

    I liked that you said that one reason to have your jewelry appraised is to insure the proper value in case of a robbery. I would imagine that being able to prove how much your jewelry is worth to your insurance company would help you receive a full refund. I would be sure to have my jewelry appraised just in case there was theft of any kind.

  10. Angela Waterford August 13, 2019 at 11:41 am #

    My sister needs to make sure that she gets insurance for her fine jewelry. I think she needs to find a fine jewelry assessment service since I’m sure that a sales receipt is not enough as proof. As you’ve mentioned, her word isn’t enough to be taken as proof that she has real fine jewelry, so I hope that an assessment service will convince them.

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