Private Client
Valuable Articles & Collections coverage.
Scheduled or blanket coverage for fine art, jewelry, watches, wine, and collectibles — with appraisal cadence and worldwide territory.
Why the home policy is not enough
Standard home policies cap jewelry at around $1,500–$5,000 per item, fine art and silver at $2,500–$10,000, and similar caps on collectibles. Valuables policies remove those caps and add open-perils coverage, agreed-value settlement, and worldwide territory — none of which the underlying home policy provides for these item categories.
Agreed-value settlement and the appraisal cadence
Most valuables policies pay agreed value — the scheduled amount is what gets paid at the time of loss, with no depreciation and no need to prove replacement cost. That makes the appraisal the most important document in the policy. We coordinate appraisals at three- to five-year intervals (annually for fast-moving categories like watches and jewelry post-2020) so the schedule keeps pace with market value.
Frequently asked questions
When do we need to schedule an item separately?
Any time the item exceeds the homeowners per-item sublimit or the blanket per-item cap on the valuables policy — typically jewelry above $5,000, art above $10,000, and any collectible with appreciating value. We map the inventory before the next renewal.
How often do appraisals need to be updated?
Every three to five years for most categories; annually for watches and jewelry in rapidly appreciating markets. Stale appraisals lead to underinsurance — the policy pays the scheduled amount, not the current market value.
Does the policy cover items kept in a safety deposit box?
Yes — and most carriers offer a discount or premium credit for items kept in a vault or safe deposit box. We document storage locations on the schedule so credits apply.
Are wine and spirits covered the same way as fine art?
Most carriers write wine on a specific cellar form, with refrigeration breakdown, mechanical breakdown, and contamination perils included. The cellar valuation needs to be updated as the collection rotates.