Jewelry Insurance

Are Watches Considered Jewelry for Insurance?

Dustin Lemick

Author

Dustin Lemick

Watches are a functional tool to tell time and can also be a valuable and sentimental possession. Whether you have a simple everyday watch or a luxury timepiece from a high-end brand like Rolex or Cartier, it’s important to consider insuring it as you would with other jewelry.

While the type of coverage you get may vary depending on the policy you purchase and the watch warranty, most insurers treat watches as jewelry for insurance purposes. Learn whether your watch is considered jewelry for insurance purposes and what you need to know to protect your timepiece properly.

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What You Will Learn

Watches as High-End Luxury Jewelry

High-end luxury watches, such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, are sought-after not only for their functionality but also as status symbols and investment pieces. 

These watches are crafted with fine materials and feature intricate designs, often holding significant value due to their age, rarity, historical significance, and brand prestige. They are both functional and ornamental and can have value in the range of tens of thousands to millions of dollars for rare vintage models.

What is Jewelry Insurance?

Jewelry insurance is a type of coverage that protects the owner in case of loss, theft, or damage to their jewelry items, including watches. Coverage may include protection from common risks such as fire, theft, and accidental loss. 

Depending on the policy chosen and the insurance company, jewelry insurance can also cover appraisals and repairs for antique or custom-made watches and jewel pieces. Some policies also offer worldwide coverage for lost or stolen items when traveling outside the country.

What Items Does Jewelry Insurance Cover?

Jewelry insurance policies can cover a wide range of jewelry items, but it is specifically designed to protect high-value pieces like engagement rings and luxury watches.

Luxury watch insurance protects all major luxury brands; this coverage typically includes all mechanical breakdowns, accidental damages, manufacturer faults, and theft protection. For other types of fine jewelry, coverage includes reimbursement for repair costs or the replacement value if the item cannot be fixed. 

Each type of jewelry is unique and requires its own specific set of coverage guidelines; you can ask your insurance provider for more details when purchasing jewelry insurance so that you are fully protected.

 

Closeup the rose gold wristwatch with cracked glass

When Should You Consider Jewelry Insurance for a Watch?

When purchasing jewelry insurance for a watch, it is crucial to consider its value. Although some watches may not be worth insuring financially, any high-value timepiece should always be insured. 

Watches from designer brands such as Rolex, Cartier, and Hublot can be expensive, so it’s vital to ensure that you are properly covered in case the watch is lost or stolen. 

It’s also advisable to get an appraisal done on your timepiece before you purchase watch insurance. This determines the exact value of your watch and ensures that you’re getting the proper coverage for your needs from your watch insurance providers.

Get an appraisal on your peice before getting watch insurance

Can You Insure a Watch with a Homeowners’ Insurance Policy?

Homeowners or renters insurance can provide coverage for watches and other jewelry items, but the coverage isn’t as comprehensive as for other possessions. Generally, a maximum reimbursement of $1,000 per item or $1,500 for all jewelry stolen is available through a homeowner’s insurance policy. 

However, a deductible must be paid first before an insurance company approves a claim. When insuring precious items like watches, consider additional riders or a more comprehensive coverage homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy to get adequate coverage and protection. 

Specialty insurers may also offer better rates and more comprehensive policies if the watch is particularly valuable or rare. These policies may include full replacement costs, no deductibles, and higher limits on coverage than homeowners’ policies typically provide.

 

Insurance agent offering form

Why Jewelry Insurance May Be the Best Option for Your Watches

With jewelry insurance, you can insure a piece of jewelry up to its full replacement cost, not just its purchase price. This ensures that you can replace it without suffering a financial loss if anything happens to it. 

With BriteCoTM, you will receive the highest coverage limits, worldwide coverage, and the best rates available on the market for your valuables. Our fast online insurance claims process and zero deductible mean you won’t have to worry about out-of-pocket expenses. We also offer up to 125% coverage of the appraised value of your watch. 

BriteCo offers 5-star rated worldwide coverage for leading luxury watch brands such as Rolex, Citizen, Tag Heuer, Patek Philippe, Breitling, Chopard, Omega, and Ulysse Nardin.

How Much Does Watch Insurance Cost?

At BriteCo, our jewelry insurance costs just 0.5% to 1.5% of the watch’s value for an affordable way to secure your high-end timepiece. 

When you purchase a standalone policy with BriteCo, you’ll provide us with a certificate of appraisal from a qualified jeweler or appraiser. You may also be able to use the proof of purchase document if the timepiece has been bought within the last 12 months. These documents provide us with the information we need to determine your monthly or annual premium.

Insure Your High-Value Watches With BriteCo™

Protect your treasured timepieces from loss, theft, damage, and mysterious disappearance with BriteCo watch insurance, where you can get the highest coverage values and the best rates on the market. 

Our simple online tool gives you a quote for a monthly or annual premium in minutes. Then, you just need to answer a few simple questions to get the coverage you need for peace of mind that your luxury timepiece is protected.

Also Check:

How to Remove Watch Links | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance
What are the parts of a watch? | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance
How to Clean A Stainless Steel Watch? | BriteCo Jewelry
How to Tell if a Rolex is Real | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance
The Most Expensive Watch Brands in the World

Take the Quiz to Learn How Much It Really Costs to Buy Your Perfect Diamond Engagement Ring

To promote the availability of a quiz on the topic of the cost of diamond engagement rings and encourage users to take it.

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  • BriteCo has created a quiz to help users determine the cost of their dream diamond engagement ring
  • The quiz takes into account factors such as the type of diamond, setting, and band to give a more accurate estimate
  • Taking the quiz is quick and easy
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Dustin Lemick

Author

Dustin Lemick

Dustin Lemick is the Founder and CEO of BriteCo and a third-generation jeweler with over thirteen years of retail jewelry experience. He holds a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and has in-depth knowledge and expertise in appraisal systems, diamond and gemstone markets, retail pricing models, insurance replacement models, and jewelry quotation pricing systems.