Five ways to protect jewelry and valuables

Travelers Insurance

From engagement rings to family heirlooms, your client’s jewelry and other valuables are timeless and important.

Luckily, there are steps they can take to help keep these items safe. Insurance experts from Travelers have put together the following advice to help your customers protect their most treasured possessions:

1. Insure an Engagement Ring Immediately

Engagement rings hold great sentimental and monetary value, but many individuals don’t think to cover them under an insurance policy. Valuable items policies, such as a personal articles floater (PAF), insure individual pieces that have a value that may exceed the limits of a homeowners policy. Travelers offers the option to insure the ring at the same time customers insure their wedding. Learn more by visiting protectmywedding.com.

2. Store Jewelry in Unlikely Places

Burglars often know exactly where to look for jewelry and other valuables. Storing the most prized pieces in uncommon spaces, such as a bookshelf or a bathroom, can add an extra layer of protection.

3. Use Safe Cleaning Methods

Many people are surprised to hear that warm water and dish soap are among the best methods for keeping jewelry clean. Harsher methods, such as ultrasonic cleaners, can damage certain stones.

4. Monitor Extreme Temperature and Light Exposure

Light and heat can affect the color of gemstones and metals. Extreme temperatures can also damage clasps, making it easier for stones to fall out of beloved pieces.

5. Know What a Homeowners Insurance Policy Covers

While homeowners insurance covers a home and its contents, typical policies only cover up to $1,500 of jewelry. If the jewelry piece has a higher value than that, it’s worth considering an additional policy, such as a PAF or the Valuable Items Plus program from Travelers, both of which provide coverage for items of higher value.

It may be hard to imagine the theft or loss of a valuable possession, but these things  happen, and that’s why it’s important to take steps to protect it. With customizable insur-ance options and care, you can help make sure your client’s jewelry survives each day.