Another tip I picked up was to photograph each of my watches next to my driving license as further proof that these watches have been in your possession. With a good and honest insurer, it shouldn’t be necessary; but when dealing with a significant level of equity, it is worth taking the time to be thorough. The fewer questions you’re forced to endure following a traumatic event like a robbery or fire, the better it is for you.Before you can figure out exactly what this amount will do to your insurance, you need to identify any pieces that must be separately declared (if it is a requirement of that territory). For example, in the UK, anything below £2,000 need not be individually named on a policy, and can either be paid out as part of your general contents insurance (last resort) or as a part of a declared (although not individually) holding of “luxury items”, such as watches and jewelry. Each declarable item will increase your premium, but it is worth being sure those high-value pieces like your Rolex are covered.But what if you have a large collection of watches that individually retail for less than £2,000? For collections like these, the best thing to do is to make it clear to your insurance provider that you have a large (larger than average) parcel of possessions that fall under the luxury goods category (if you don’t make this clear before a claim, eyebrows may be raised). The total value of your collection will then be assessed on top of your regular contents insurance (for things like furniture, appliances, clothing, and books and so forth). If, say, your collection of undeclared luxury goods is of significant value, you will notice a sharp spike in your premium.I have heard of people off-setting this premium by reducing their standard contents insurance. While this can reduce your (suddenly eye-watering) premium, it is a very risky business indeed, as an insurer may take a dim view on you being deliberately under-insured for items within your property. And so the solution? Consider carefully the insurance implications of your next luxury watch purchase. Treat the cost of insuring a luxury watch as a mandatory expense – more so than even having it serviced as regularly as advised. Build it into your budget.Even if you only have one, exceptionally valuable watch, which you plan on wearing 24/7 and thus imagine will never be stolen from your home, accidents do happen. This isn’t intended to be pessimistic, just sensible. And with the peace of mind that the correct cover can provide, your enjoyment of your collection can only increase.
