Antiques

  • Updated on Oct 15, 2024
  • Published on Sep 30, 2024
  • 4 minute(s) read

Antiques Inventory Guide for Insurance Claims and Policy Coverage

When it comes to protecting your home, ensuring that your insurance policy covers high-value items like antiques is essential. Antiques often hold significant monetary and sentimental value, and having the right coverage can help you avoid financial loss in the event of damage or theft.

Creating a thorough inventory of your antiques and understanding their worth is key to securing proper insurance coverage.

The Wide Variety of Antiques

Antiques come in many forms, from furniture and fine art to collectibles and heirlooms. Their unique craftsmanship, historical significance, and rarity often contribute to their high value. Some common categories of antiques include:

  • Furniture: Early American, Victorian, and European pieces, often hand-crafted and made from materials like Mahogany, oak, or walnut.

  • Fine Art: Paintings, sculptures, and prints from renowned artists of earlier centuries.

  • Collectibles: Vintage toys, coins, stamps, or rare books that have historical or cultural value.

  • Jewelry & Timepieces: Gold, silver, or gemstone jewelry and vintage watches with intricate detailing and craftsmanship.

  • Ceramics & Porcelain: Antique china, pottery, and figurines from well-known makers such as Wedgwood or Meissen.

  • Textiles: Antique rugs, tapestries, or quilts that feature fine weaving and rich historical backgrounds.

  • Silverware & Pewter: Silver sets, serving trays, and other tableware from well-known silversmiths.

Importance of Appraisals

An appraisal is critical for understanding the true value of your antiques. Insurance companies often require appraisals to establish accurate coverage amounts, especially for high-value items. A professional appraiser will assess the condition, historical significance, and market value of your antique pieces, ensuring you have the proper documentation to back up their worth.

Understanding Depreciation and Antiques

In general, most household items depreciate over time as they age or suffer wear and tear. Depreciation is the reduction in the value of an asset over time, usually due to use, age, or obsolescence. For standard belongings, the more time passes, the less the item is worth.

However, antiques are exempt from depreciation. In fact, many antiques appreciate in value over time due to their rarity, historical significance, and demand. Because of this, it’s important to have insurance policies that reflect the true, often appreciating, value of your antiques. Standard home insurance may not provide adequate coverage for antiques, which is why specialized policies or endorsements that account for their growing value are crucial.

Comprehensive Inventory of Antiques

Below is a comprehensive list of antiques, categorized by type, to help you manage your home inventory and ensure proper insurance coverage.

Furniture

  • Antique armoires

  • Chippendale chairs

  • Hepplewhite desks

  • Queen Anne dining sets

  • Victorian settees

  • Windsor chairs

  • Mahogany sideboards

  • Edwardian writing desks

  • Art Deco vanities

  • Federal style chests

  • Louis XVI commodes

  • Regency card tables

  • Rococo mirrors

  • Shaker cabinets

  • Gothic revival bookshelves

Fine Art

  • 19th-century landscape paintings

  • Baroque oil portraits

  • Classical bronze sculptures

  • Art Nouveau glassware

  • Renaissance tapestries

  • Early American folk art

  • Impressionist prints

  • European Marble statues

  • Abstract expressionist drawings

  • Engraved woodblock prints

  • Vintage lithographs

  • French botanical illustrations

Collectibles

  • Vintage tin toys

  • Civil War memorabilia

  • Antique phonographs

  • Early 20th-century postcards

  • Victorian calling card cases

  • Political campaign buttons

  • Depression glassware

  • Antique coin collections

  • Vintage baseball cards

  • 19th-century maps

  • Steiff teddy bears

  • Cigar box labels

Jewelry & Timepieces

  • Georgian gold lockets

  • Victorian mourning jewelry

  • Edwardian brooches

  • Art Deco diamond rings

  • Mid-century pearl necklaces

  • Swiss pocket watches

  • French enamel earrings

  • Art Nouveau cufflinks

  • Sapphire and ruby pendants

  • Vintage chronograph wristwatches

  • 18th-century snuff boxes

Ceramics & Porcelain

  • Ming Dynasty porcelain vases

  • Wedgwood Jasperware

  • Meissen figurines

  • Delft pottery

  • Limoges trinket boxes

  • 18th-century Chinese export plates

  • Staffordshire dogs

  • Sèvres porcelain bowls

  • Italian majolica

  • Royal Worcester dinnerware

  • Kutani teacups

  • Rosenthal figurines

Textiles

  • Persian silk rugs

  • French Aubusson tapestries

  • Victorian needlepoint cushions

  • Navajo woven blankets

  • Turkish kilims

  • 18th-century Flemish tapestries

  • Colonial coverlets

  • Indian embroidered shawls

  • Jacobean bedspreads

  • Early American quilts

  • Moroccan leather poufs

Silverware & Pewter

  • Sterling silver tea sets

  • Georgian serving trays

  • Edwardian flatware sets

  • Rococo candlesticks

  • Art Deco cocktail shakers

  • Victorian gravy boats

  • Sheffield plate bowls

  • William & Mary tankards

  • Regency wine coolers

  • Baroque epergnes

  • Rococo revival candelabras

  • Federal silver snuff boxes

Ensuring Proper Coverage for Antiques

  1. Specialized Insurance Policies: Antiques should be insured under a specialized policy or a rider (Endorsement) added to your existing homeowners' insurance. This ensures that they are covered for their full market value and not subject to standard depreciation calculations.

  2. Agreed Value vs. Replacement Value: Consider opting for agreed value coverage, where you and the insurance company agree on the value of each item upfront. This differs from replacement value coverage, which may not accurately reflect the current market value of antiques.

  3. Regular Appraisals: Since antiques may appreciate over time, it’s essential to have them appraised regularly (every 3-5 years) to update your coverage and reflect any changes in their value.

  4. Documenting Antiques: Keep thorough records of your antiques, including photographs, descriptions, and any historical or provenance documentation. This will help facilitate any insurance claims or appraisals.

Wrap-Up

Having a clear understanding of your antiques and their value will give you peace of mind and ensure that you’re well-protected under the right insurance policy. With proper appraisals, documentation, and tailored coverage, your prized possessions can continue to be enjoyed and preserved for future generations.