Why You Should Schedule Your Jewelry on Your Insurance Policy

February 13, 2026

Jewelry is often more than an accessory. It carries financial value, sentimental meaning, and in many cases family history. That includes engagement rings, wedding bands, heirloom pieces, and yes, watches. Yet many homeowners, condo owners, and renters are surprised to learn how limited their coverage may be under a standard policy.

If you own fine jewelry or timepieces, it is important to understand how your insurance responds before a loss happens.

The Reality of Jewelry Limits on Standard Policies

Most home, condo, and renters policies include coverage for personal property, including jewelry and watches. However, the coverage is not usually adequate without adjustments. Many policies cap jewelry coverage at a relatively low amount, often around $1,000 to $2,500 total, not per item. That means if multiple pieces are stolen, the entire payout may be limited to that amount. In addition, standard policies often do not cover:

• Mysterious disappearance
• Accidental loss
• Lost stones from a setting
• Damage that is not caused by a named peril

If a ring slips off at the beach, a watch is misplaced while traveling, or a diamond falls out of its setting, your base policy may not respond the way you expect.

What Is Happening in the Jewelry and Watch Valuation Market

Values have shifted significantly in recent years. Several factors are contributing:

• Increased gold and precious metal prices
• Diamond and gemstone price volatility (then let’s add in lab grown alternatives)
• Strong secondary market demand for certain luxury watches
• Supply chain pressures
• Higher labor and replacement costs

Many clients are wearing pieces that were appraised five or ten years ago, and those values may no longer reflect current replacement costs. In some cases, replacement values have increased substantially, especially for certain watch brands and limited production models.

Outdated appraisals can leave you underinsured. On the other hand, inflated or outdated values can cause you to pay more premium than necessary. Periodic reviews and updated appraisals are essential.

What Does It Mean to “Schedule” Jewelry or Watches?

Scheduling means adding a specific item to your policy with:

• A detailed description
• An agreed value based on a current appraisal
• Broader coverage terms

A scheduled personal articles policy or endorsement typically provides protection for:

• Worldwide theft
• Robbery
• Mysterious disappearance
• Accidental loss
• Lost or chipped stones
• Damage in many circumstances

Coverage generally applies anywhere in the world, whether the item is at home, in a hotel safe, or worn while traveling internationally. In many cases, scheduled coverage also has no deductible.

The Common Oversight: Forgetting to Update Coverage

Another frequent issue we see is when a client properly schedules an engagement ring or a meaningful watch, then over time acquires additional pieces, such as:

• An anniversary band
• A milestone gift
• A new luxury watch
• A family heirloom

The new piece is never added to the policy.

Even when people have done the right thing initially, they often forget to amend their coverage when they receive or purchase new items. In that scenario, the new piece may only be subject to the low sublimit on the base policy, leaving a gap in protection.

Insurance coverage should evolve with your life. Major purchases, gifts, inheritances, and even collecting interests should prompt a quick conversation with your advisor.

A Simple Risk Review

We recommend:

• Reviewing your current home, condo, or renters policy for jewelry and watch sublimits
• Identifying high value pieces
• Confirming that all items you own are actually scheduled
• Updating appraisals if they are more than a few years old
• Adding newly acquired pieces promptly

These items often represent both emotional and financial investment. Properly scheduling and regularly updating coverage ensures protection against theft, robbery, mysterious disappearance, and even something as simple as a lost stone or misplaced watch.

If you are unsure what your current limits are or whether all of your pieces are properly covered, we are happy to review your policy and help you close any gaps before a loss occurs.

*Please note that we rely on independent sources and recommend conducting further research or seeking guidance from a qualified industry professional, legal counsel, or licensed insurance agent as appropriate for your needs. These blog posts are intended for general informational purposes only.