Since art shipping is a risky task with many unpredictable sources of potential damage, art owners try to maximize the protection of their property in transit. One way to reduce risks is to hire a professional team of art handlers. Another component of a safe trip for your artwork is a comprehensive artwork shipping insurance plan. Yet, buying insurance and hoping for full compensation for any damage is a short-sighted strategy. Many claims are rejected because of overlooked nuances, and here is a guide to avoiding this unpleasant situation.
Does Artwork Shipping Insurance Offer Universal Protection?
The number of cases in which compensation claims are deemed void is alarmingly high. On the one hand, it is a source of risk for the art owner. On the other hand, taking care of one’s own interests is entirely normal. That’s why you, as an art owner, need to take vital precautions that will guarantee a successful settlement.
Case #1: Shipping Art with Regular Carriers
Transportation of art falls under the category of specialized shipping, which requires due care for the delicate, fragile, and high-value pieces. For this reason, saving money on shipping providers and using a regular carrier may result in voided coverage if the insurance broker finds that you haven’t taken due care of the artwork.
Case #2: Under-Insuring Your Art
When shipping art, the owner’s temptation to indicate only the baseline cost may be too high. Every thousand dollars of the indicated price comes with extra pricing for insurance. However, let’s consider the issue from another side; you waste this money if everything goes well, but you ensure sufficient coverage if something goes wrong. This way, under-insuring of art always comes with the risk of not receiving the full value of damaged or lost property.
Case #3: No Condition Reports
A full documentation package that records the artwork’s original state before shipment and its condition after arrival is your clue to getting compensation for damage. If you fail to record the nuances of your freight’s condition, you will be unable to prove that the damage occurred during transportation.
Always Pair Insurance with Operational Excellence
As you can see, the main pitfalls in artwork shipping insurance coverage come from operational errors committed at the stages of shipping planning and execution. Thus, by hiring a reliable, trusted service provider, you can minimize those risks and avoid rejected claims even if something happens in transit. Fine Art Shippers can guarantee adequate safety coverage in shipping processes, making your dealings with insurance brokers a more predictable and positive experience.