Most homeowner insurance policies have provisions for collections --
normally it is to limit the insurance company's liability for coins, guns,
stamps, etc.  If you want your entire collection covered for full value you
will have to add a rider.  You need to read your policy to see what it says.
Even if you find that collections and valuables are covered pay attention to
the limits and then plan on bearing the burden of proof.  You will need a
good catalog listing of all of your shells and photographic proof is wise.
You don't need individual shell pictures but rather a picture of each shell
drawer so the numbers and types can be seen and counted.  Finally plan on a
real fight over the value.  Have Rice's Prices handy but be prepared for a
fight.  All of this free (so you know what it's worth) information is not
coming from experience as an insurance agent but rather 25 years of military
moves (23 moves to be exact) and the experience of having different parts of
your prized possessions lost, destroyed, broken, etc.  For a while I even
let the movers handle and move my shells -- yeah, I know, really dumb.  But
I finally caught on.


Good luck,

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA


> Does anyone know if a standard homeowners policy provides insurance for a
> shell collection?  Does the collection need to be listed as part of the
> articles being insured?  Is there anyone who specifically insures
collections?
>
> Dave Corley
> Ossining, NY
>