Buying Jewellery for Christmas? You Might Need a Jewellery Safe too

It’s that time of year again and we’re all manically running around trying to get that perfect gift (as well as remember to send auntie Iris a card this year!).

Thoughts of Christmas presents often move towards jewellery. Jewellery can be a perfect, thoughtful gift for Christmas, so it’s a busy time of year for jewellers and shoppers alike.

A word of warning though: this whole Christmas thing is pretty well known and unfortunately for honest folk the burglars prey on people more this time of year.

Christmas burglaries are a serious matter and can cause serious heartbreak but they also affect your insurance too.

Not many people would think to increase their home insurance because of new purchases but you should. And if you’re buying expensive jewellery then you should also consider a jewellery safe to store it in before during and after Christmas time to keep it protected.

So. Jewellery safes. What’s the big deal?

Unless you’re a Hollywood legend or a Premiership footballer then safes like the one in this picture are not going to be found in your home. But when we think of jewellery safes we don’t always think of watch turners and bespoke velvet drawers.

Jewellery safes are just safes with the right amount of insurance cover for your contents. You know which safe has the right cover for you by the cash rating. Cash rating is often confused to being just for safes that hold cash. But this is incorrect.

Cash ratings range from £1,000 all the way up to £250,000 for a Grade 7 safe. The amount of jewellery you can store in a cash rated safe is always 10 times the amount of cash.

For example a £4,000 cash rated safe is suitable for jewellery for up to £40,000 in value.

Note: Although you can store both cash and jewellery in a cash rated safe the ratings cover an either or pay load.

Eg: You can’t have £4,000 cash AND £40,000 jewellery – it has to be a mix of both amounts like £2,000 cash and £20,000 jewellery for example.

What to consider when you’re choosing a jewellery safe

Value of your jewellery

This has to be high on your list. If you know how much your jewellery is worth then you have a good starting point. Remember that it won’t be just the new jewellery that you’ll put in the safe. Get a professional valuation of your contents and make sure that your safe and insurer are up to the job.

Choose the right size safe

Safes come in many different sizes so make sure that you choose one that you can fit your valuables in. With removable (and non-removable) shelves and also deep recesses on the doors you need to ensure that the interior size is suitable for the jewellery you’re buying. 

Select a safe that will fit into your life (as well as your cupboard)

If the safe is going to be used for everyday use or even occasional jewellery? It’s best to hide a safe away (especially small, light safes) but it’s also got to be user-friendly. Pick a space to store your safe that you can open the door (right hand hinges are standard on all safes). Check that it’s relatively easy to put in and remove your valuables.

Does your jewellery safe need to be AiS Approved?

Some insurance companies will insist that your safe is approved by the Association of Insurance Surveyors (AiS) – the UK’s safe accreditation body. Check with your insurance company and then look for the AiS logo or browse through our AiS approved safes.

So this Christmas, if you’re giving someone an expensive watch, necklace, bracelet or perhaps a special ring, then make sure that you’re covered in the event of a theft.

It’s not something that we like to think about, but Christmas is prime time for thieves and jewellery is very easy to steal and, more importantly – re-sell!

You’d have to tell your insurance company if you bought bikes for the kids. Jewellery is no different. Contact one of the team now to discuss the best safe for you.