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[Javey74]

Well I've decided to opened this thread after just recently reading about all the wonderful Disney merchandise that most of us collect, which led me onto thinking about the insurance that would be required for all of it..  :-k

Just imagine having your merchandise one day and gone the next..    :cry:

Insurance is a strange area when it comes to collections.  Thinking that your usual household contents insurance will cover it is not always the case..  :roll:

I've just recently upgraded to a 'Blanket Cover' type of insurance, from my old standard one.  The main difference is that they will cover any collection up to £2000, once the collection goes above that figure, then as long as I contact them to have it written into the insurance paperwork, then it's covered further.  The whole 'Blanket Insurance' covers up to £100.000 soley for contents.  

A few other safety tips I've come to learn>>

Lets take DVD's for instance, I know a lot of members have loads of them, some with receipts, some without as always happens..  :mrgreen:

I find the best way to deal with DVD collections is to always seperate the disc from the box, so you end up with your collection of boxes as usual, then a few of those sleeve boxes that hold about 80-100 discs at a time, but in a lockable cupboard where possible else where in the house. So any opportunist thief, finding your DVD's opens a particular box and find's it empty will probably give up.  Give them a DVD with the disc in and you'll probably find your whole collection bagged and cleared..  :shock:  :shock:

As for figurines, DT's, Classics etc.  I find it best to check on your insurance for things like accidental damage, malicious damage, aswell as the usual theft clause. Some insurances soley pay out for theft, but if for instance someone just trashed your house and smashed them all, but not necessarily stole them, they won't.  Luckily with the 'Blanket Type', because the thief had to break in to get to them in the first place, then they are still covered..  /

I know getting DT's from H.Samuel, they always ask if you want to take accidental damage cover out for 3 years, so pay a little extra, I refrain soley because ours are out of harms way really, but then again what happens after the 3 years is up..  :?:  I'm not sure if you can continue by that point anymore..  :roll:

With some collectable items, if you can lock them away for safe keeping, then do so. Especially if you are away form home for more than a few days, say on holiday.  I've ended up putting screw locks on all bedroom doors and cupboards, making some of our items like Pin Badges extra secure.

As the saying goes, if a thief wants something, no matter what he'll get it.  But the aim of the game here is to make it harder for them, as it's statistically proven that 90% of thefts are down to opportunity, not known planning.

Finally I would like to hear from anyone else who has their own ideas about keeping there collections safe, or experiences with the insurance side of things.  :wink:  

[funkymunky]

Hi, serial lurker here - but I do have some info that might be useful, so I thought I would make one of my irregular postings!

One of the things I keep meaning to get sorted is insurance to cover the various collections that "him indoors" and I have (among them 4 full pin bags and what will no doubt end up as a room full of DTs, snowglobes and other pieces!). On one of the other forums that I use, this company:
Michael James Associates
comes highly recommended, and I know 2 people, and know of 3 more, who have unfortunately needed to claim from them and have had great service and a successful claim.

They are actually a specialist collections insurance company, and among other things, also include insurance for your collection (or parts of your collection) when it is "on the road" so to speak - at collectors fairs, signings, trading events etc. It apparently is a better insurance for this sort of thing than most contents insurances, although the Blanket cover that Javey described sounds like it ticks all the boxes! They do give a quote online, so it could be worth it.

As soon as our house move is all done and dusted and I know exactly what I need to insure, I know I'll be trying them out, as well as checking out the house insurance! (And by the way, I have absolutely NO link to these people, the only time I ever worked for insurance was 6 months at Churchill on customer services, and that was years ago!)

I hope this long ramble is helpful for someone.

[Javey74]

Thanks for that post funkymunky..    Interesting insurance company as you have described. I'm still going to try the quote button anyway, just to see the costs involved..  :wink:

Thanks again for sharing this info..  :wink:  

[funkymunky]

No problem, I just hope it helps out!