Have you ever watched an episode of the PBS series Antiques Roadshow? Each week, thousands of hopeful visitors bring in their heirloom jewelry, garage sale art purchases and antique furniture in the hopes the show's appraisers will determine them to be one-of-a-kind. For the lucky few with valuable jewelry, artwork, furniture or other collectibles, the appraisers often tell the owners, "If this were up for auction, I would estimate it would sell for $25,000-$35,000..." or whatever amount the item is worth. However, many of these people are not interested in immediately auctioning off their valuables, but want to know its worth for insurance purposes because they intend to keep it for financial or sentimental reasons.

The truth is that many Americans have valuables in their possession, whether it is heirloom jewelry, antique furniture, tools, computers and other electronic equipment, collectables, or Oriental/Persian rugs. When it comes to assessing value for insurance purposes, too many business owners, renters and homeowners make the mistake of not separately insuring these valuables apart from their regular commercial, renters or homeowners insurance. It is critical to protect these family or business assets through the addition of an Inland Marine Policy to ensure their higher value can be quickly recovered after a disaster.

With the typical renter's, homeowner's or business policy insurance coverage, there is a general amount of funds designated to replace personal belongings or business equipment, but that amount does not take into consideration highly valuable items that are worth significantly more than the remainder of the damaged or lost belongings. In the event of a disaster such as theft, fire, or water damage, the cost to replace the one or two major valuable assets may eat up the bulk of an insurance claim, leaving the policy owner with little funds left to replace the remainder of their possessions.

If you want to secure long-term protection for your most valuable assets, whether they are pieces of art, antique furniture, collectables, jewelry, computers, musical instruments, tools or other business equipment, contact the insurance experts of Aegis. Aegis, a Houston-based insurance agency, provides affordable insurance solutions for all your personal and business needs. Aegis offers comprehensive Inland Marine Coverage to protect your key assets in addition to your traditional renter's, homeowner's or business policy insurance coverage, allowing you to quickly recover the value of these precious possessions. Aegis also offers bundled insurance policies for maximum yearly savings and convenience. Contact Aegis for more information, or request a quote online today.