Loss & Theft: Is Your Jewelry Protected?

    With the recent economic downturn, theft and home burglaries are on the rise and often the most upsetting aftereffect is the loss of personal jewelry because these unique valuables are not always easy to replace.  Here are some steps you can take to protect your valuables from theft and best prepare yourself for recovery in the event of a loss:

• Secure your jewelry.  At home, store your jewelry when not in use is in a safe deposit box or secure safe.  When traveling, keep your jewelry in a purse or travel wallet close to your person, not in checked or carry-on luggage and store valuables in your hotel’s vault or room safe.

• Review your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy.  Most homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies offer coverage for personal items, however the maximum and per-item coverage may not be sufficient to cover the value of your jewelry possessions.  Clarify if your coverage will secure the entire value of your investment.

• Make a record of your jewelry collection. Remembering and describing your possessions in the aftermath of a traumatic event can be challenging.  Mobile devices can easily snap pictures of an entire jewelry collection in minutes.  Also, make a list of each item and its approximate value, and then compare the values to your insurance coverage. 

• Get your jewelry evaluated.  Rising jewelry prices may mean that the replacement cost for your jewelry is significantly higher than the original purchase price.  Updated written appraisals from your jeweler are the best way to establish current market value.  For valuable precious stones, like for your engagement ring’s center diamond, Goldex Fine Jewelry owner Lydia Minasian recommends an evaluation by a gemological authority. “We can obtain official appraisals for our clients from the industry’s most respected authorities.”

• Upgrade your insurance coverage if necessary.  When your jewelry’s value surpasses the coverage offered by your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, special jewelry insurance can be purchased to make up the deficit.  According to Paul Isaac of Wexler Insurance, the cost is usually approximately 1% of the item’s value. 

• Keep records of jewelry purchases and appraisals organized and secure.  In the event of a loss, you will want to quickly pull together information on your valuables.  Keep all purchase receipts, appraisals and itemized lists together in a secure place, such as a fireproof safe or bank safety deposit box.

      No one wants to imagine the prosepect of losing their precious valuables, but  being prepared can lessen the blow of a devastating loss.  We can help you with written appraisals, precious stone evaluation reports, and obtaining special insurance for your jewelry colleciton.