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