Reviewed as of 28 September 2026.
Insuring a collection is not just a matter of adding up prices. The policy must match the actual works, locations, movements and risks. Any settlement is limited by what was agreed and by the documentation available.
Inventory first
Keep an inventory somewhere other than where the collection is kept. Include identification, photographs, purchase documents, value, location, condition and movements. An inventory destroyed along with the collection makes it harder to prove the loss.
Value
Distinguish between purchase price, market value, insured value and replacement cost. Ask whether the policy accepts an agreed value for each piece, how it is updated and what happens in the event of underinsurance or overinsurance.
Cover
Check specifically:
- your home and other locations;
- storage facilities and safe-deposit boxes;
- transport;
- loans and exhibitions;
- restoration;
- water, fire, theft and accidental damage;
- breakage of fragile objects;
- loss of value after restoration;
- limits per piece and per loss;
- excesses and exclusions.
A home insurance policy may not be enough for scheduled works, movements or high values. Do not assume either way: read the policy wording.
Limiting clauses
The Insurance Contract Act requires the conditions to be clear and clauses that limit the insured's rights to be highlighted and specifically accepted in writing. This does not automatically invalidate every exclusion, but it means you need to look at how it was incorporated.
Movements
Notify changes of location, loans and transport when the policy requires it. Keep condition reports and photographs from before and after. Ask who arranges the transport and when the risk passes.
Loss or damage
Put safety first, avoid making the damage worse and notify the loss within the applicable contractual and legal deadline. Keep debris, packaging, photographs, reports, police reports and correspondence. Do not start restoration without coordinating it when it could affect the loss adjustment.
Review
Review the inventory, values, locations, alarms, loans and exclusions every year. A major acquisition or a house move may call for an immediate update.
On the open conversation
This guide does not interpret any specific policy. Cover depends on the general and particular conditions, the declaration of risk and the insurer's acceptance.
If you spot an error, a broken link or a relevant change, write to me.