Insurance
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Jewelry?
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Standard homeowners insurance policies cover personal items, including jewelry. Your policy protects these items under personal property coverage.
The personal property coverage from your homeowners insurance policy covers the cost of replacing or repairing personal items you have insured in case of loss or damage due to a covered peril.
However, if your jewelry is very expensive, your personal property limits may not be enough to cover it. In that case, you'll need to purchase a scheduled personal property endorsement, which is supplemental coverage to fully cover valuable items.
Your homeowners insurance policy includes personal property coverage, which covers damaged or stolen personal items such as jewelry. However, jewelry will only be covered if the damages result from a covered peril.
Insurers may limit personal property coverage, so you may need supplemental insurance — like scheduled personal property or extended coverage — for highly expensive jewelry.
In this article:
When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Jewelry?
Because jewelry is highly valuable and easily stolen, homeowners insurance will cover jewelry as long as the perils causing damage or loss are included in your policy. The insurance policy will reimburse you for damages if:
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- Your jewelry is stolen.
- Your jewelry is destroyed by wind or fire.
- Someone vandalizes your property, resulting in damage to your insured jewelry.
Personal property coverage can also have its limitations for jewelry, particularly with covered risks such as theft. It would be best to speak with your insurance provider about the special limitations placed on your jewelry.
Note that you'll need additional protection, especially if your jewelry is of high value. Scheduled personal property coverage is a floater policy that lets you schedule the limits for expensive possessions, like jewelry and watches. Such endorsement policies also cover accidental jewelry loss, which is not covered under your personal property coverage. It also ensures that your jewelry receives the broadest protection.
However, before you insure your jewelry using scheduled property coverage, it must be appraised by a specialist.
When Doesn’t Homeowners Insurance Cover Jewelry?
While the personal property coverage in your homeowners insurance policy covers jewelry and other valuables, you may not be covered in the following instances:
- Jewelry is lost due to your negligence.
- Jewelry is lost or damaged due to floods.
In general, personal property insurance does not cover lost jewelry. Additionally, homeowners insurance policies offer limited coverage for stolen valuables. Increasing the personal property coverage limit is the cheapest way to increase protection, so you may want to consider it.
How to Protect Your Jewelry
Even if your homeowners insurance covers jewelry, you should always take precautions to keep it safe. Installing home security systems and locking expensive or sentimental jewelry in a safe are some options.
Install home security systems
Installing home security systems, such as cameras, motion detectors and alarms, could decrease the likelihood of a break-in. Consider those with remote monitoring capabilities, so you can simply alert the police of any suspicious activities.
Store jewelry in a safe or lock box
Putting your valuables in a safe or lock box is the best way to keep them hidden and secure. Otherwise, attempt to hide your valuable possessions from plain sight.
Schedule repairs when you’re around
Ensure repairs and other housework, which involves external workers, are only done in your presence.
Where to Buy Homeowners Insurance
Most large and small insurers, like State Farm and Hippo, respectively, offer homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance costs roughly $175 per month. Homeowners insurance rates vary across insurance providers. MoneyGeek recommends shopping around and comparing quotes from various providers to ensure you get the best bargain.
The amount of personal property you decide to insure will significantly affect the overall cost. Use MoneyGeek's personal property calculator to figure out how much coverage you may need.
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sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "Special Coverage for Jewelry and Other Valuables." Accessed May 24, 2022.