Fine Art in Not-So-Fine Weather

Fine art collections—both public and private—are concentrated in disaster-prone areas like California and Florida, where wealthy individuals often retire. And as the impacts of extreme weather ravage west coast forests and east coast beaches, art collectors in high-risk areas watch their insurance premiums swell and coverage shrink.

Most art insurance policies offer “all-risk” coverage, meaning they cover physical loss or damage to the work. But policies may exclude or cap coverage for certain damage-causing events like earthquakes, wind or hurricanes. As the frequency and intensity of disasters increase, insurers are raising premiums to keep pace.

As a prerequisite to coverage, insurers may also require art owners to protect their works. For instance, they may ask owners to locate artwork on higher floors less prone to flooding. Or insurers may send alerts before weather events, instructing owners to take objects to secured storage facilities.

We have experience reviewing insurance policies for coverage conditions and sufficiency, and we can help resolve policy disputes if they arise. If you would like to find out more, please contact us.