What items should I schedule on a Georgia homeowners policy?
Which personal items are worth scheduling on a Georgia homeowners policy?
An item is worth scheduling when its value exceeds the built-in category limits on a standard homeowners policy, or when losing it without a full payout would be financially painful. Scheduling means listing a specific valuable on a personal articles floater, an add-on that covers that item for its full appraised value. Standard home policies cap certain categories at amounts that often surprise policyholders at claim time.
The most common items Georgia homeowners schedule are:
- Jewelry, including engagement rings, wedding bands, and watches
- Fine art, antiques, and collectibles
- Firearms and gun collections
- Furs
- Cameras and professional photography gear
- Musical instruments
- Silverware and high-end flatware
- Coin, stamp, and trading card collections
Why do home policies have built-in limits on valuables?
Most home policies limit theft of jewelry to around $1,500 to $2,500 total, and apply similar caps to firearms and silverware. The base policy also typically pays nothing if a ring is simply lost rather than stolen. Scheduling removes those caps for the listed item and adds coverage for accidental loss, mysterious disappearance, and damage, none of which a standard policy covers reliably. For a look at what other specialty personal insurance options cover items outside a standard floater category, that guide covers the broader market.
How does the scheduling process work?
To schedule an item, you provide a recent appraisal or a detailed receipt showing its current value. The floater then covers that exact item for the stated amount, frequently with no deductible, which is the dollar amount you would otherwise pay out of pocket before coverage applies. Understanding how deductibles work helps clarify why a zero-deductible floater is more valuable than it first appears on a premium comparison.
For example, an Athens couple owns a $9,000 watch and a $6,000 diamond ring. Their home policy would pay only about $1,500 if either were stolen, and nothing if the ring slipped off and was lost. After scheduling both on a floater for roughly $130 a year, the full $15,000 is protected against theft, loss, and damage with no deductible.
When should scheduled values be updated?
Values change over time, and an appraisal from a decade ago may understate what a piece is worth today. Gold and diamond prices have risen significantly over the past several years, meaning a ring appraised in 2014 at $4,000 may cost $7,000 or more to replace now. Leaving an outdated figure on the floater means being underinsured even on a scheduled item. Revisiting appraisals every two to three years keeps the listed value aligned with actual replacement cost value. The full list of scheduled articles common in Georgia provides additional reference on what categories carriers typically accept.
Does scheduling cover more than just theft?
A personal articles floater typically covers theft, accidental damage, and mysterious disappearance, the category that applies when an item simply cannot be found. This is broader than the base homeowners policy, which covers theft but often excludes disappearance or accidental breakage for most categories. For example, if a gemstone falls out of its setting during everyday wear and cannot be recovered, the floater pays where a standard home policy would not. A free coverage review can identify which of your valuables are exposed and set the right floater amount for each one.
For the full picture on scheduling, agreed value, and mysterious disappearance, see the jewelry insurance guide.