[78-L] Collection insurance

Cary Ginell soundthink at live.com
Fri Dec 14 10:18:55 PST 2012


Have we discussed various ways of insuring our collections recently? It seems that there is a growing number of websites that offer protection for loss or damage of "vinyl" collections (although shellac is rarely mentioned). Here is one such company:
http://www.recordcollectorsguild.org/
Companies that sell regular home insurance, such as State Farm, also offer insurance, but I'm wondering if you wouldn't get better protection from companies that specialize in collectibles. 
I would like to know who among us has insured their collections, with whom, and what they had to do to get it done. I've seen companies that want you to photograph each and every item in your collection (unreasonable for most of us), but most will accept a database. What I'm concerned with is how to determine the value of each item and how much information is needed for each item. I have a database with every record I own listed, including title, artist, label & catalog number, but no condition and no value indicated. I was considering going through all of this next year and at least putting rounded figures for each item. The average 78 in E condition would probably be worth $5-10 without really stretching it. But what about things like test pressings, DJ copies, alternate takes, etc? 
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and other unknown, upcoming natural disasters that are probably just around the corner, I think it is imperative for each of us to protect our valuables from occurrences that are inevitably going to happen (and I'm coming from earthquake country, so I know there's the threat of The Big One that is imminent at any time).
Does anyone have their collection insured? If so, with whom, and how did you go about doing it. Let's discuss. 
Cary Ginell 		 	   		  


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