Buy Fine Art Insurance

Fine Art Insurance Policy Information

Fine Art Insurance. Maybe your business is a collector of paintings, sculptures and other types of fine art? Perhaps you are responsible for the transportation or set up or fine art collections.

Whether your organization owns or is in charge of fine art, there's no doubt that you want to ensure that it is properly protected. Works of art - especially if their one-of-a-kind or made by a world-famous artists - can be irreplaceable.

Commercial fine art insurance is available for:

• Artists
• Exhibitions
• Foundations
• Galleries/Dealers
• Historical Societies
• Museums & Institutions
• Private & Corporate Collections
• University Collections & Libraries

As an organization or business who is in charge of fine art, you want to be sure that these commodities are properly protected. How can you do that? By investing in a fine art insurance policy.

Fine art insurance covers commercial collections of every nature, including: fine art, jewellery and collectable objects with rates as low as $109/mo. Get a fast quote and your certificate of insurance now.

Below are some answers to commonly asked fine art insurance questions:

• What Is Fine Art Insurance?
• How Much Does Fine Art Insurance Cost?
• What Is Considered Fine Art?
• What Does Fine Art Insurance Cover?
• How Is Fine Art Valued For Insurance Purposes?
• What Does Fine Art Insurance Cover & Pay For?

A fine art insurance policy would be a worthwhile investment for anyone who owns, handles, or cares for works of art that are considered rare or priceless.

If any of the following apply to you and you are an owner of or are responsible for fine art, you should strongly consider investing in this type of policy:

• A one-of-a-kind item that would be impossible or exceedingly difficult to replace
• An object that would experience a substantial decrease in value if it were damaged
• Delicate, fragile, original, or antique items

What Is Considered Fine Art?

While what qualifies an item as "fine art" does vary, there is one standard that would qualify something as a work of fine art, and that is that the value of the piece exceeds the "ordinary function" of the material; in other words, a canvas that contains a work of art that was painted by a world-renowned artist - whether deceased or alive - would be considered a work of fine art, whereas a canvas that features artwork that was painted by an unknown individual or that has not be critically acclaimed in the art world would not.

Some examples of fine arts are:

• antique furniture
• bronzes
• drawings
• lithographs
• marbles
• paintings
• porcelains
• rare books
• rugs
• statuary
• tapestries

What Does Fine Art Insurance Cover?

The coverage that a fine art insurance policy offers varies and depends on the specific insurer and the nature of the artwork; however, generally speaking, the majority of fine art insurance policies do pay for direct physical loss or damage to covered property but only when that loss is from a covered cause of loss.

Covered property is the property described in the declarations but only if it is fine arts owned by the named insured or fine arts that belong to others that are in the named insured's care, custody, or control.

For example, if the piece was damaged while in transit, by a storm, a fire, or any other perils, because it wasn't securely displayed, or if it is lost or stolen, a standard fine art insurance policy would cover the associated costs.

There are some exclusions, however; for example, most fine art policies will not cover damages that are associated with an act of war, pests or contraband.

Some fine arts policies also offer extensions to coverage including:

• Art Fair Cancellation
• Art Title Defense Cost
• Exhibition Cancellation
• Misrepresentation Defense Cost

It's important to speak with your insurance provider to find out exactly what a fine art policy will cover.

Fine Art Insurance Underwriting Considerations

Objects of fine art should always have an independent appraisal to determine the appropriate value. The purchase price is important but may not have an actual bearing on an object of fine art's true value or market price.

Appraisals should be updated periodically because changes, such as the death of an artist, may increase the value or cause the value to appreciate. On the other hand, a flood of comparable items on the market may diminish or depreciate the item' value.

Fire and theft are the major cause of loss concerns and fire and theft systems and alarms should be in place when substantial values are involved. Sensitive environmental or atmospheric systems and alarms should be considered if the art is susceptible to damage from changes in temperature or humidity.

The degree of care in packing and unpacking objects of art in large part determines how well they fare in transit. Specialized moving and packing operations should be employed when handling and transporting valuable items.

Art located off premises should be documented and recorded and security at those premises should be adequate for the type of item involved and its value. Fraudulent acts and trickery can occur and there should be safeguards to prevent unintended delivery of art objects to criminals.

Security at off-site exhibits must be evaluated and appropriate guarantees obtained before consenting to exhibit. If a fine art object is given to another party on consignment, a signed consignment agreement should be required to eliminate any questions of its ownership and that party's legal responsibility for it.

Fine arts should be kept on or above grade level because damage from humidity and water occurs more frequently below grade. Lower levels of a building may be appropriate for other storage or for processing and refurbishing operations.

It is important to keep activities that involve heat and using flammable liquids well away from the main inventory. Flammables should be kept in proper containers in a well-ventilated area to prevent the build-up of fumes and away from combustible materials that can increase the chance of spontaneous combustion and fire.

What Does Fine Art Insurance Cover & Pay For?

Fine art claims can involve a variety of legal issues, such as authenticity disputes, copyright infringement, and damage to artwork during transit or exhibition. Here are some examples of fine art claims and how fine art insurance can help pay for the lawsuit:

Authenticity dispute: A collector purchases a painting that is claimed to be a work by a famous artist, but experts later determine that it is a forgery. The collector may file a lawsuit against the seller or auction house for misrepresentation or fraud. Fine art insurance can help cover the legal costs associated with this lawsuit, including attorney fees, court fees, and expert witness fees.

Copyright infringement: An artist creates a painting that is similar to an existing work by another artist, and the original artist claims that their copyright has been infringed. The original artist may file a lawsuit against the infringing artist for copyright infringement. Fine art insurance can help cover the legal costs associated with this lawsuit, including attorney fees, court fees, and damages awarded to the original artist.

Transit damage: An art gallery loans a valuable painting to a museum for an exhibition, but during transit, the painting is damaged. The gallery may file a claim with their fine art insurance to cover the cost of repairing the damage or compensating the owner of the painting. If the insurer determines that a lawsuit is necessary to recover the damages, the insurance policy can also cover the legal costs associated with the lawsuit.

Exhibition damage: A museum loans a valuable sculpture to an exhibition, but during installation, the sculpture is accidentally dropped and damaged. The museum may file a claim with their fine art insurance to cover the cost of repairing the damage or compensating the owner of the sculpture. If the insurer determines that a lawsuit is necessary to recover the damages, the insurance policy can also cover the legal costs associated with the lawsuit.

In each of these examples, fine art insurance can help pay for the legal costs associated with a lawsuit, which can be substantial. Without insurance coverage, collectors, artists, galleries, and museums may face significant financial losses if they are sued or if they need to file a lawsuit to recover damages.

Fine Art Insurance - The Bottom Line

If you are the owner or the handler of fine art, speak to a reputable insurance broker that specializes in fine art insurance coverage. An agent will be able to help you determine if this type of policy would be worth your while and if so, how to go about securing a policy and how much coverage you would need.

Additional Resources For Professional Services Insurance

Learn about small business commercial auto insurance which includes liability and physical damage protection for vehicles that are used for business purposes.

• Insurance Automotive Terms Glossary
• Amazon Delivery Drivers
• Ambulance Services
• Big Rig Truck
• Bobtail Non-Trucking Liability
• Charter And Tour Bus
• Commercial Auto
• Commercial Auto Liability
• Commercial Electric Vehicle Insurance
• Commercial Van
• DoorDash, GrubHub & Uber Eats Drivers
• Dump Truck
• Food Truck
• Freight Forwarder
• Household Goods Moving
• Limousine
• Motor Truck Cargo
• Non-Owned And Hired Auto Liability
• Owner Operator
• Pizza Delivery
• Repossession
• Taxi
• Tow Truck
• Truck
• Specialty Automobiles, Trucks And Recreational Vehicles
• Specialty Physical Damage

Commercial auto insurance is a type of insurance that provides coverage for vehicles used for business purposes. This includes vehicles such as delivery trucks, company cars, and other vehicles that are used to transport goods or employees.

Commercial auto insurance is necessary for businesses that rely on their vehicles to conduct their operations. It helps to protect the business from financial losses due to accidents, theft, or other unexpected events. It also helps to protect the business from potential lawsuits that may arise from accidents involving their vehicles.

There are several types of coverage options available under business auto insurance policies. These include:

• Liability coverage, which covers damages or injuries that you or your employees cause to others while operating a business vehicle.
• Physical damage coverage, which covers damages to your own vehicle, is also available.
• Other coverage options may include medical payments, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and rental reimbursement.

It is important for businesses to carefully consider their commercial auto insurance needs and to choose a policy that offers the right level of coverage. This can help to ensure that the business is protected in the event of an accident or other unexpected event.

Minimum recommended small business insurance coverage: Building, Business Personal Property, Business Income and Extra Expense, Accounts Receivables, Computers, Motor Truck Cargo, Valuable Papers and Records, Employee Dishonesty, Money and Securities, General Liability, Employee Benefits, Umbrella, Motor Carriers Liability and Physical Damage, Hired and Non-owned Auto & Workers Compensation.

Other commercial insurance policies to consider: Earthquake, Flood, Mobile Equipment, Signs, Warehouse Operators' Legal Liability, Cyber Liability, Employment-related Practices, Environmental Impairment, Underground Storage Tank, Stop Gap Liability and International Coverages.