Can you insure your jewellery with home insurance?
Home contents insurance will cover your possessions, including jewellery and watches, to a certain extent. These policies will pay out if your jewellery is lost, damaged or destroyed due to an insurable event at home, such as a fire, storm or burglary. Many of these policies won’t pay out for accidental damage to pieces; for that, you’ll need specialist jewellery insurance.
To get the widest cover for jewellery as part of a home insurance policy, look for the 'all risks' extension - sometimes called 'unspecified personal possessions' or 'personal belongings cover'. This gives comparable protection to a standalone jewellery policy, including cover when you're wearing or carrying items outside the home.
Home contents policies also have a maximum they’ll pay out for each individual item, often £1,000 to £2,000. Many items of jewellery and watches exceed those limits and will need to be declared separately on your insurance policy, for an additional cost on your premiums.
Additionally, these policies come with overall limits on the sum insured, typically £40,000 to £50,000 as standard, though this varies by insurer and some offer higher limits for an additional cost. Large jewellery collections or very expensive items will exceed this maximum or leave you with little cover for other items, including electronics and clothing.
Some home contents insurance policies will come with personal possessions cover, either as standard or as an extra, which covers jewellery and watches, as well as gadgets (like mobile phones and cameras). Some policies also provide some cover if you take the items out of the country.
You should read policies carefully to see what level of cover they offer. Some cheap home insurance policies won’t provide much extra cover for jewellery and watches. Large jewellery collections and particularly expensive items will usually need to be insured with a specialist jewellery insurance policy.
Jewellery insurance policies
Jewellery or watch insurance policies can provide cover for higher-value items and larger collections. These policies typically won’t have a single-item limit but will have a total limit on payout. Such policies typically pay out in a wider range of circumstances than standard contents insurance policies do. For instance, alongside cover for burglary and damage in disasters, many will compensate you if your jewellery is accidentally damaged or lost, and some also cover the loss of individual diamonds or stones, so it's worth checking this specifically if it matters to you. Cover typically extends to your jewellery both in the home and when you're wearing it out, but again, this can be policy specific.
Their cover usually excludes cosmetic damage such as scratches or dents, general wear and tear and the loss of a single earring, however.
How do I decide between an add-on and a standalone policy?
Start with your existing home contents provider: ask whether your jewellery needs listing separately, and what it would cost to add the 'all risks' extension.
If you're not happy with the price, compare new home insurance quotes, making sure to include your jewellery under the 'all risks' or 'unspecified personal possessions' section.
If your items are very high value, or you're struggling to find adequate cover, a standalone jewellery policy may be the better option.
How much does jewellery insurance cost?
The amount you’ll pay for jewellery insurance will depend on several factors. First, the more valuable your pieces and the higher the cover you choose, the more you’ll pay in insurance premiums.
If you don’t know how much your items are worth, it’s wise to get them valued so you ensure you’re not underestimating their value and underinsuring them. You also don’t want to be overestimating their value and therefore paying for cover you don’t need. You can obtain a professional valuation from a National Association of Goldsmiths accredited jeweller. It’s important to do this every two years, as jewellery can fluctuate in value, and to keep the valuation documents in a safe place. Some insurers will require you have an up-to-date valuation for all high-value items as a condition of your cover.
Additionally, insurers will want to know details about how you store your jewellery and security measures you’ve taken to protect them. You can reduce your premiums by keeping your jewellery in a secure safe.
Documentation you'll need to make a claim
If you ever need to make a claim, you'll typically need:
A valuation certificate or receipt - for older or inherited pieces without a recent valuation, get one from an accredited jeweller before you need to claim, not after
A clear photograph of each piece, including any maker's marks or engravings - useful both for claims and for identifying recovered stolen items
Proof of any recent revaluation, if your jewellery has increased in value since you first insured it
What if I don't declare my jewellery?
If you don't declare a high-value item to your insurer, you risk not being covered at all, or only being able to claim a fraction of what it's actually worth. Always declare jewellery and watches above your policy's single-item limit, whether that's a standard contents policy or a specialist jewellery policy, limits (or the lack of one) vary by insurer, so it's worth checking your own policy documents, even if it means a slightly higher premium.
How to compare quotes for jewellery insurance
When you compare jewellery insurance quotes, you’ll typically be asked for the following information:
details about you, including your name, address and age
details about the valuables, including their value and where and when it was purchased
the level of cover you want, including whether you want cover for accidental damage or loss and how much excess you’re willing to pay.
Make sure you have this information to hand when comparing jewellery insurance.
How to keep your jewellery secure
Store valuable pieces in a proper safe when not being worn
Keep a regular, up-to-date inventory with photographs
Keep receipts and certificates of authenticity in a safe place
Take extra care when travelling with valuable items
Does jewellery insurance cover items when I'm travelling?
Most standalone jewellery policies, and the 'all risks' extension on home contents insurance, cover your items when you're travelling as well as at home. Check your policy wording, as worldwide cover isn't always automatic and may need to be added.
Related guides and products
Why Money Expert?
Money Expert has been helping UK customers compare and save on home insurance since 2003. We connect you with a broker who can help you find the right cover for your jewellery and other valuables, from a panel of trusted UK insurers.
Jewellery insurance FAQs
Is my jewellery covered when I take it on holiday?
It depends on your policy. Some personal possessions cover includes jewellery worn or carried abroad, but often only for a limited number of days. Specialist jewellery insurance is more likely to include worldwide cover as standard - check your policy terms, and consider dedicated travel insurance for anything particularly valuable.
Will my insurance replace a matching pair or set if I lose one piece?
Only if your policy includes matching set cover, which pays out for the rest of a set (such as earrings) even if only one piece is lost, stolen or damaged. Not all policies include this as standard, so check before you rely on it.
My jewellery was stolen - how do I make a claim?
Report the theft to the police first and get a crime reference number, then contact your insurer as soon as possible with your valuation documents or photographs. What evidence you'll need depends on how the theft happened: for a break-in at home, some insurers look for evidence of forced entry, since burglary cover is often defined that way. If the jewellery was stolen without a break-in, for example, by someone already in your home, or while you were wearing it out, your policy may still cover it, but this varies by insurer, so it's worth checking your specific terms.
How often should I get my jewellery revalued?
Every two to three years is a sensible minimum, since gold, silver and gemstone prices can move significantly over time. If you don't update your insurer, you risk being underinsured and unable to claim the full replacement cost.
What if I inherit or I'm given an expensive piece of jewellery?
Get it valued and let your insurer know as soon as possible, even if it's a gift rather than a purchase. Insurers generally need to know about any high-value item regardless of how you came to own it, so it's properly covered from day one.