Insurance, claims and donations
Why document my collection for insurance?
In short: Because insurers schedule valuable collections when they can see what is there and what it is worth. A photo inventory and valuation schedule made before anything goes wrong is the record a claim depends on.
Most people find out what their homeowner's or renter's policy says about collectibles after something has happened. By then the useful evidence is gone.
What a standard policy often does
Many standard policies limit what they pay for collectibles unless the items are listed on a schedule or rider. Some ask for proof of what you owned and what it was worth before they will pay. Your agent can tell you exactly what your policy requires, and I adjust the format to what they specify.
What scheduling needs
To schedule a collection, an agent usually needs two things: a clear inventory of what is there, and a value for each item that someone other than the owner has stated. That is what insurance documentation produces: an item-level photo inventory, front, back and identifying marks, and a valuation schedule with the definition of value and its effective date.
Why before, not after
After a fire, a theft or a flood, you are trying to prove what you had with whatever survives. A record made beforehand answers the questions an adjuster will ask: which cards, in what condition, worth how much, as of when. The photographs show condition as it was, not as you remember it. See loss and damage claims for what happens when that record is needed.
Which value
Insurance normally uses replacement value, which is usually different from what you would get if you sold. The schedule names the definition so nobody has to guess. Which kind of value my report states explains the difference.
What I do not do
I prepare documentation and valuations for insurance purposes. I do not sell or broker insurance, and I do not choose your policy. If you do not have an agent who writes collectibles coverage, I can point you toward agents who do.
Keeping it current
Card values move, and collections change. I keep a secure copy under the retention and consent policy and offer an annual update so the schedule stays close to what you actually own.