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2017-05-10
By: Denise Koslowsky
Each February, Americans spend billions of dollars on jewelry. It would seem that our favorite way to show our love is by giving glittery gems, and this year was no exception, 1 out of every 5 Valentine’s Day gifts were jewelry. Unfortunately these prized possessions are also items that thieves love to take.
In 2016 alone the replacement cost value of all jewelry claims was around $100 million.
To be sure the claims process runs smoothly it is very important to keep your insurance company in the loop.
At Advocate, we believe in Educating Each Client We Serve and would like to offer a few tips to help you to be well prepared for the claims process. The most important tips we can offer are:
Know the value of your jewelry. Have your pieces appraised every few years as the value of your items will tend to rise and fall.
AND
Keep an inventory of your jewelry. This includes both pieces that are high in monetary value as well as those with great sentimental value.
How you keep an inventory isn’t that important. You can stick with the traditional method and keep a list of every item you own along with…
o All receipts with a purchase date included
o Photos and/or videos of your pieces
o Current Appraisals or a GIA Certificate
However a new trend is to utilize today’s technology. There are several apps that allow you to track the important information regarding your jewelry collection in one place. Below are several options…
o Collectrium – http://www.collectrium.com/
Collectrium is an innovative technology that helps collectors keep track all their luxury items. Perfect for jewelry, the app also helps track fine art collections and classic cars.
o Know Your Stuff – https://knowyourstuff.org/
Know Your Stuff is a free app created by the Insurance Information Institute which helps homeowners keep an inventory of not only your jewelry collection, but all the contents in your home making the process of filing a claim faster and easier.
o Home Contents – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/home-contents-easy-home-inventory
Home Contents is Apple’s easy-to-use home inventory app which will work for not only your jewelry but also all the items within your home. While the free version limits the amount of items you can keep track of, for a low monthly fee you are able to get around this restriction and make lists of all your valuables.
o Nest Egg – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nest-egg-inventory
Nest Egg Inventory is another Apple app made for use with an iPhone or iPad. Not only can you keep tabs your jewelry and all the other things you own, but it has a cool feature that allows you to scan barcodes so that product information will be filled in automatically.
What do you think? Are you ready to give technology a try? Again, how you keep an inventory is not as important as the fact that you do keep an inventory! If you experience a theft, it really can make a big difference in how smoothly your claim is processed.
Advocate is here for you. If you have made any significant changes to your collection, please give us a call. We would love to sit with you and be sure that your coverage portfolio is suited to your current needs.
