Do I need a fine art insurance policy?
Who needs fine art insurance?
Personal collections, museums, galleries, art dealers, college campuses, corporations, auctioneers and conservators can all benefit from fine art insurance. Each policy is different, but coverage could potentially cover in-transit, on loan, and permanent location depending on the provider.
Fine art insurance for colleges and universities
Most college campuses today come sprinkled with outdoor and indoor art like sculptures and paintings. Entrances to campuses may greet attendees with monuments of mascots or of influential people who have made an impact on the university. These assets help make the campus inviting, engaging and build character. Not only do most campuses have public art around the grounds, institutions now commonly have a campus museum or gallery that exhibit world known artists and popular traveling exhibits. These assets are all worth protecting with fine art insurance for universities.
Fine art insurance for museums and galleries
There are policies for covering museums that feature paintings, pottery, world antiquities, natural science exhibits, or classic vehicles. When considering which museum fine art insurance policy to choose it is important to think about how your museum operates. Do your exhibits travel? Do you loan out collections? Do you have collections in storage? Are your pieces stationery? Consider all of these aspects as you research which policy is best for your organization. Also check with any associations you are part of (like the American Alliance for Museums); they may already have suggestions for their members for providers.
What does fine art insurance cover?
Depending on the policy your plan could:
Replace damaged fine art if it is stolen or severely damaged or destroyed
Cover the cost of restoration, if the damage is fixable
If the damage causes your item to lose value, your plan could reimburse you for the gap
By this time you may be asking yourself:
What is my collection’s value?
If you have a collection, or single piece of art, that needs to be appraised you can find a certified art appraiser online at either of these websites: https://www.appraisersassociation.org/ or http://www.appraisers.org/
Fine art insurance providers
There are a number of fine art insurance providers, all with different plan options and coverage. Here are just a few: