Insuring Your Diamonds

Insuring a diamond takes a bit of thought,

planning, and shopping around. Diamond

insurance isn’t like purchasing car insurance.

It is quite different. Depending on the state

that you live in, there are basically three

different types of policies that will cover

diamonds, and all insurance policies that

cover diamonds are considered Marine

type policies.



The first type of insurance policies for

diamonds is an Actual Cash Value policy.

If the diamond is lost or damaged beyond

repair, the insurance company will replace

the diamond at today’s market value, no

matter how much you paid for the diamond

to begin with. This type of insurance policy

for diamonds actually is not that common.



The most common type of insurance for

diamonds is Replacement Value insurance.

The insurance company will only pay up to a

fixed amount to replace the diamond that was

lost or damaged beyond repair. This does not

mean that they will pay that amount – it means

that they will pay up to that amount. In most

cases, the diamond can be replaced at a

lower cost.



The third type of coverage offered for

diamonds is Agreed Value. This is

sometimes called ‘Valued At.’ This type of

coverage is very rare. In the event that the

diamond is lost or damaged beyond repair,

the insurance company simply pays you the

amount that you and the company agreed

upon. This is the best type of insurance to

have, but it is rarely offered. If you can’t get

Agreed Value coverage, Actual Cash Value

coverage should be your next choice.



Your rates will be determined by the value of

the diamond, the type of coverage that you

select, and the area that you live in. If you live

in an area with a high crime rate, you can

expect to pay more for your diamond

insurance coverage. It is important to

remember that insurance agents are not

qualified jewelers, and jewelers are not

qualified insurance agents. It is best to get

a certificate for your diamond, and to

provide the insurance company with a copy

of that certificate. This leaves the insurance

company less room for arguments over the

actual value of the diamond.



Don’t rely on separate coverage to cover

your diamond. For instance, if you diamond

is stolen from your home, it is probably

covered on your home owner’s insurance

policy – but the diamond probably won’t

always be in your home, and once it leaves

your home, there is no coverage.