Moving is a stressful experience no matter how far the trip is. Packing up all of your things, directing movers, and dealing with a high potential for damage to your belongings. Your schedule is bound to be busy and packed, but during this crazy experience, one thing you shouldn’t overlook is ensuring you have an up-to-date appraisal and condition report for your fine art before it is moved. This will help protect you from loss if any of your items are damaged during the trip.
How Can a Fine Art Appraisal Protect Your Belongings?
In order to protect yourself from financial loss in the case of damage or loss of fine art, it is important to ensure your artwork is properly insured. However, in order to ensure an artwork, whether it is covered under a blanket policy or is scheduled, both the owner and the insurance company need to know the correct value for the piece. First of all, this will help you to determine if a blanket policy covering an entire collection is enough or if scheduling is necessary to cover valuable pieces.
Secondly, the insurance company needs to have up-to-date appraisal information in order to determine how and what to compensate you should anything happen to your fine art. This starts with an initial appraisal to establish the authenticity and value of the piece. However, it is important to keep in mind that art appreciates in value continuously, and the condition of the artwork may change for the better or worse. As a result, a regular appraisal is necessary as well to ensure that you are properly compensated should you need to file a claim.
Why Is a Fine Art Appraisal Important Before Moving?
Moving is filled with risks for your fine art. Between the risk of unintentional drops or gouges by well-intentioned movers to damage from shifting, changes in humidity and temperature, or reinstalling a piece in its new location, there is a high potential for damage.
In order to compensate you for any damage to your fine art, the insurance company will need to determine the degree of loss to your fine art. In order to determine how much loss occurred, the insurance company will need a recent appraisal. Without this, an insurance claim may be denied, or you may not receive the full value for the piece.
After a loss occurs, the insurance company will then require another appraisal in order to determine the amount of loss that occurred as well as whether the artwork may be able to be repaired.
Final Thoughts
Before a move, it is always critical to ensure that your fine art has undergone a recent appraisal. This will ensure that if any damage were to occur, you are financially protected. This can also help to make sure that you receive the most for your claim.
Contact Us
For professional appraisals of fine artwork, trust the professionals at Manzi Appraisers & Restorers. Call us at 617-995-0022 and connect with us on Facebook.
