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After a recent hassle in dealing with insurance companies over some stolen CDs and GPS, I've started to worry about my miniatures collection. I've been collecting miniatures for almost 20 years, and not that they would get stolen from my house, but there could certainly be a fire or flood or the like. I've have around 10 large armies in various states around my house, and combined, they are easily worth more then anything else here. I have a pretty cheap Allstate Renters Insurance plan, and tried to get some info from them about it, but the person I talked to was not very helpful.

I was wondering if anyone out there in Dakka land has had an experience trying to claim lost minatures to insurance companies. Particularly painted miniatures, which to me would be worth more than the retail price.

Insurance companies aren't wild about talking to people about renter's insurance. It's so little money for them, that they hate wasting the time.

What I learned from Progressive is that you need a few things to have successful claim:
1) enough coverage. Renter's usually lets you set an amount of coverage. Go well above the value of your collection.
2) Documentation. Having an inventory sheet, as well as pictures of your army. If it's won painting awards, include that. Basically be able to list, in excrutiating detail, what was lost and what needs to be replaced.
3) Record of incident. Whatever happens, report it. Get a claim in ASAP. document any natural disaster, file a police report if it's theft.

If you're collection is unusually large (in excess of $20,000 or so) you might want to add a rider to your policy. Simply say that you own this collection, it's worth $X, and you want to insure it.

No matter what you do, prepare to have to sue them. Insurance companies only make money when they don't pay out.

Depending on the insurance, I would think homeowner's insurance would cover if you could provide proof you even had the minis, such as receipts or even pictures.

Then again, your best bet would be to speak to your insurance agent to clarify everything before any tragedy strikes, that way they can tell you how their company handles claims. Some require police reports, others require receipts and so forth. Each company is different.

PlasmaMike wrote:I was wondering if anyone out there in Dakka land has had an experience trying to claim lost minatures to insurance companies. Particularly painted miniatures, which to me would be worth more than the retail price.

That's the issue really. You'll only get what a plastic toy is worth which is market value minus depreciation. If it has been priced by a reputable toy valuer and has been added to your home and contents insurance agreed as a seperate item with it's own insurance value then you might be in some luck.

If it isn't listed seperately you'll get a blanket offer for everything you say has been stolen or damged. Been burgled once which included motorbike and gear, some 40K stuff and lot of other items. Not one bit was recovered and they were not interested in the 40K stuff, only what I could prove which was really only the bike and the gear, everything else was covered by a measly offer.

I have photos of my books, DVDs and minis.... somewhere. Badly out of date and I really should get round to doing it again. IT's the only way you'll get a good offer from the insurance here in the UK as mentioned above. you have to be able to prove you have what you say you do.

That's half the reason I took a picture of my praetorians and posted them here. I need to update it badly, but I can point to that picture as proof of what I owned.

Of course, I'm not afraid of taking renter's insurance to court.

Beware though a photo is not proof enough and those who are caught on a daily basis making false claims with such tactics makes it more difficult for the honest person. Check your insurance cover and upgrade it if you wish to guarantee the cover.

Polonius wrote:Insurance companies aren't wild about talking to people about renter's insurance. It's so little money for them, that they hate wasting the time.

What I learned from Progressive is that you need a few things to have successful claim:
1) enough coverage. Renter's usually lets you set an amount of coverage. Go well above the value of your collection.
2) Documentation. Having an inventory sheet, as well as pictures of your army. If it's won painting awards, include that. Basically be able to list, in excrutiating detail, what was lost and what needs to be replaced.
3) Record of incident. Whatever happens, report it. Get a claim in ASAP. document any natural disaster, file a police report if it's theft.

If you're collection is unusually large (in excess of $20,000 or so) you might want to add a rider to your policy. Simply say that you own this collection, it's worth $X, and you want to insure it.

No matter what you do, prepare to have to sue them. Insurance companies only make money when they don't pay out.

^^ All of this.

Get valuations by photographing your figures to prove their existence, and note the cost of replacement and painting by reference to current market prices.

In the UK, there is collector's insurance for specialist areas like models and figures, separate to standard household policies. For example I pay separately for insurance for my photography equipment as the regular household coverage is inadequate.

I moved, and so I don't have renter's insurance at all. But with 200+ increasingly rare Praetorian models, I should insure them as genuine collectors item.

Most insurance companies are actually able to insure collectibles. You just have to clarify with them what kind of collectibles they are. Most of them are expecting stamps, coins and if you file a claim for toy soldiers without having clarified, you could find yourself up against a brick wall.

Explain that they are miniature toy soldiers that will have a higher than market value attached to them due to the time spent painting them. See what their policy regarding that is.

My girlfriend got us insured for 5000$ and I am seriously considering increasing that what with nearly 4000 points of Sisters of Battle, 8000 points of CSM and other random armies I have at my place.

Oh and don't be surprised if the person you talk to as no idea on what to answer at first. It's not every days that they get someone wanting to insure their little plastic soldiers

Elmodiddly wrote:

PlasmaMike wrote:I was wondering if anyone out there in Dakka land has had an experience trying to claim lost minatures to insurance companies. Particularly painted miniatures, which to me would be worth more than the retail price.

That's the issue really. You'll only get what a plastic toy is worth which is market value minus depreciation. If it has been priced by a reputable toy valuer and has been added to your home and contents insurance agreed as a seperate item with it's own insurance value then you might be in some luck.

Unless of course you get a full replacement coverage policy. Then, you would get what it costs to actually replace the damaged/stolen item (a good thing to have given the GW price hikes of late ).

Buy a dog. Put up sign "my dog can get to the front door in 3sec. Can you?"

Problem solved. Unless they steal the dog.

OoieGoie wrote:Buy a dog. Put up sign "my dog can get to the front door in 3sec. Can you?"

You really need to add a Dakka Dakka article about 'Buying a Dog' and link it to make it work. While fierce, I don't think my Shih Tzu will really scare intruders if they've got boots on.