Sports Memorabilia Insurance

Just as many individuals have a passion for sports that they may watch or play, the same passion can be experienced by those who collect the memorabilia from those very sports. While some sports memorabilia collectors see it is a lucrative business, some may see it is a fulfilling hobby. Regardless of the individual motive behind collecting sports memorabilia, having insurance to help protect your valuable collection is important. The following information delves into insurance for your sports memorabilia collection, the coverages you may want, and various suggestions on how to preserve your collection.

What is Considered Sports Memorabilia?

The value of a collectible may vary from one person to another, but the generic idea of what sports memorabilia is typically does not. For instance, the following non exhaustive list includes some objects that are considered sports memorabilia. If you have a collection including any of the following items, you should consider calling Cross Insurance today to discuss insuring your collection.

• Tickets, baseball, basketball, football, and other trading Cards
• Bats, balls, helmets, and other equipment
• Jerseys, cleats, sneakers, and other clothing

Coverages for Your Sports Memorabilia

If you own sports memorabilia that is of high value, you may not want to rely solely upon your standard homeowners or renters coverage to fully protect your collection. It is recommended that those with extensive collections consider purchasing a valuable items floater policy, either as a standalone policy or as an endorsement/addition to your existing homeowners or renters policy. Acquiring this type of policy can offer more comprehensive coverage on top of what your renters or homeowners policy may provide for you.

Requesting Quotes for Your Sports Memorabilia

If you are looking to get a quote for your sports memorabilia collection, reaching out to us is as simple as filling out this form. If you prefer to call one of our offices to start the quoting process, you can find a list of all of our offices here. From there, a member of our team will connect with you to get more details on the size of your collection and the types of insurance plans you are interested in.

Know Your Collection

Before you insure your sports memorabilia, you may be required to take an inventory of all your valuables and have them all appraised. Having a licensed appraiser find the accurate financial worth of your collection is important in the insurance process if a covered loss does ever occur. A professional appraiser will be able to detail and document your collection’s worth.

How to Take an Inventory

An inventory of your sports memorabilia can seem tedious, but it can save you a lot of time and exhaustion in trying to remember every item in your collection in the event of a large-scale loss. To be reimbursed, you must be able to accurately inform your insurance carrier of the items that were damaged. Doing so without the benefit of an accurate inventory could prove to be very difficult. The following tips can be used to help you take your sports memorabilia inventory.

• Start with your most valuable pieces in your collection. Starting with the most valuable, either monetary or sentimental value, can help to ease yourself into the process.
• When making your list, it may be beneficial to begin with some of your most recent purchases, taking inventory of the things freshest in your mind.
• Taking pictures, scans, and videos of your collection is a good idea, as it can allow you to review your memorabilia and see your items later. It can also provide you with evidence of the pre-loss condition of your belongings.
• Include detail about your items. Basic information is always helpful. Save receipts and bills of sale for expensive, rare, or collectible items.
• Creating a list or spreadsheet with the entirety of your belongings can help organize what you have.
• Don’t forget items that may not be displayed, such as memorabilia that may be stored in a safe or in a safe deposit box.
• Update your inventory list yearly and after substantial purchases.
• Keep two copies of your inventory – one with you in your primary residence, and a backup copy in a safe location outside of your home.

Checklist to Protect Your Sports Memorabilia

There are numerous reasons to be interested in a policy, from protecting your collection from an unexpected fire to a hungry pet, to a storm deemed an “Act of God,” to the possibility of theft or vandalism, these are all threats to you and your collection. No matter if you are collector, dealer, or both, these same risks pose a potential threat to you. The following is a checklist to help protect your memorabilia from accidents, temperature changes, light, etc.

• Frame Your Memorabilia

Using frames, cases, protective sleeves, and other display methods can help protect your collections from unnecessary handling and exposure.

• Securely Store Your Memorabilia

Where you store your collections is important. You won’t want to store your prized jersey or card in a shoe box in the attic – investing in a safe or protective cases can help retain your collection’s condition and value.

• Regularly Clean Your Memorabilia

Knowing what cleaning methods should be used for different types of memorabilia is important. Some items may react differently to some cleaning solutions, making prior research an important part of maintaining your collection.

• Preserve Your Memorabilia

No matter if it is a large collectible such as a helmet or a small trading card, storing them with the proper method is key to preserving your sports memorabilia’s value. For instance, making sure tickets, cards, and other paper-based collectibles are safely stored in a sleeve that will not erode over time is important. Also, scanning memorabilia that is more apt to deteriorate into a digital copy is a great way to preserve and save your collection.

• Insure Your Sports Memorabilia

Regardless of any potential physical or natural risks to your sports memorabilia, there will always be other threats to your collection, and that is why having insurance for your collection is so important. Contact Cross Insurance today to discuss unique features of your sports memorabilia collection to see if you should consider additional coverages.

 

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.