What’s art insurance?
Also called fine art insurance, it’s part of Valuable Personal Property insurance, or VPPValuable Personal Property insurance, or VPP.
It can help protect one or multiple pieces of art beyond what a homeowners or renters policy covers.
How It Works
Typically, you describe each piece and tell us what it would cost to replace it. Limits start at $100 and there’s no deductible.
Some items may need a receipt or appraisal that has your name.
What does art insurance cover?
It covers
Paintings or lithographs
Sculptures and bronze statues
Oriental rugs and antique furniture
Antique guns kept for art and no other purpose
Antique musical instruments kept for art only
It doesn’t cover
Military, sports and advertising memorabilia
Clothing, footwear, handbags and wallets
Drinking glasses, crystal stemware and china
Taxidermy or fine art made from endangered species
Modern items that aren’t antiques, such as furniture
Collectibles like toys, books, ceramics and wine
Have a collectible that isn’t included in art insurance?
Collectibles insurance through the USAA Insurance Agency may be a solution for you.
It’s different from art insurance. It includes an annual inflation guard, broad protection for damage and more.
How much does fine art insurance cost?
It depends on the items you include and the value of each one. Our rates start as low as $2 per month. See note 1
Plus, we offer savings on auto and either homeowners or renters insurance when members bundle their policies with fine art insurance. See note 2
Do I need art insurance with a homeowners policy?
A VPP policy provides additional protection on top of a few other benefits you won’t get with a homeowners policy.
- You get coverage for your fine art with no deductible.
- You're covered for accidental damage to your fine art.
- Your art will be insured for the value stated on the policy.
- If you report a VPP claim, you won’t pay a higher premium like you might with homeowners insurance.
Can I cover other types of valuables besides art?
VPP insurance can also help you protect items in the following categories.
- Jewelry and smartwatches Jewelry and smartwatches
- Cameras Cameras
- Guns and bows Guns and bows
- Musical instruments Musical instruments
- Stamps and coins
Art insurance FAQ
If you got your art in the last five years, we’ll need a sales receipt or an appraisal. If you’ve owned your valuable for more than five years or inherited it, the best way to figure out its value is with an appraisal.
Either of these can help you avoid paying for more insurance than you need.
To get an appraisal, you’ll need to hire a credentialed, independent appraiser with expertise in the type of art you have. The appraisal must include a physical inspection of the item since we don’t accept virtual or online appraisals.
The appraiser needs to include this information on the report:
- Date of the appraisal
- Detailed description based upon the type of valuable and how much it’s worth
- Appraiser’s contact info
You‘ll need to prove that the art belongs to you. We may ask for an appraisal depending on the type of item, how long you’ve owned it and what you say it’s worth.
If you already have proof of ownership — usually on a receipt or appraisal — you can upload it to My Documents on usaa.com.
If a receipt or appraisal isn’t available, proof of ownership may be determined in some situations based on:
- Repair or cleaning receipts.
- Credit card or financial statements.
- Estate information on inherited items.
We don’t provide coverage for art that’s on exhibit, such as a painting on loan to a gallery. We only cover art that’s inside your home.
But we’ll make exceptions for items that are:
- In the bank.
- In the care of a family member, military storage or military arms locker while you’re deployed.
If you have questions, call us at 800-531-USAA (8722).
Your appraiser should include these description details in the appraisal report. Art insurance covers three main categories of items: artwork, antiques and Oriental rugs.
Each require a different set of description details.
Artwork
- Type of item – painting, sculpture, lithograph, etc.
- Material or media like oil on canvas, solid bronze statue on a wood stand
- Artist name
- Original or edition number
- Dimensions or size of the piece
- If purchased in the last five years, date of purchase
- If available, other identifying features such as:
- Title of the artwork
- Description and size of the frame or attached stand
- Edition number location and medium used
- Where created, reproduced or printed
- Certificate of authenticity
- Embellishments or enhancements
Antiques
- Type of item such as antique table, trumpet or Civil War rifle
- Circa date or period like 1901 or 18th century
- Manufacturer and style like Chippendale or Shaker
- Material like solid mahogany or gilded
- If purchased within the last five years, date of purchase
- If inherited or owned for more than five years, date of appraisal
- If available, identifying marks like a manufacturer’s crest and where any are located
Oriental rugs
- Manufacturing type like hand-knotted or machine-made
- Country of origin
- Material of pile and foundation like wool or silk
- Size or dimensions
- Pattern, motif or layout like rosette, medallion or all-over
- Age
- Knot count like 350 knots per square inch
- If purchased within the last five years, date of purchase
- If inherited or owned for more than five years, date of appraisal
- If available:
- Fringe type
- Primary color of rug
- Photo of front and back of rug