The first thing you should think about after buying a piece of jewelry is to make sure it’s insured against loss, damage, or theft. Here are five tips to help you protect your investment:

1. Check with your insurance agency to find out whether expensive jewelry is covered under your existing policy — they may only cover it up to a certain amount and not the entire replacement cost.
2. Have your jewelry inspected on a regular basis. This can prevent loss of loose stones, faulty clasps and worn prongs. You can update your appraisal at the same time.
3. Don’t make it easy for burglars and others in your home to find your jewelry. Protect your jewelry and other precious possessions by securing it in a safe or a hiding place in your home. Consider storing barely worn jewelry in a bank safe deposit box.
4. Take a home inventory to help get your insurance claim settled faster and more accurately.
5. Insure your jewelry to assure that you can replace it if it is lost, stolen, or damaged.

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