Insuring Your Collection

Your doll collection may be very valuable, and you should make sure that you have enough insurance on your dolls. Check your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy to see if you have enough coverage. Many policies will insure specific categories of items only up to a certain amount. If your collection's value is above that amount, you can "schedule" out specific items and insure those separately. Ask your insurance broker for specific details and advice.

Since many insurance companies will reimburse you for the replacement value of a doll, save magazines or catalogs that include the retail value. If you got a great price at an eBay™ auction, make sure that, if anything happened to the doll, you can easily get a replacement and not rely on getting that great sale price again. Some companies may require a professional appraisal, which may be very worthwhile for an especially valuable doll.

Save all your receipts for your dolls, and photograph each doll. Keep a file of your dolls with a detailed description of each doll and of how you acquired the doll (details include from whom you purchased the doll and when you purchased it). Keep track of any repairs or enhancements that you make to the doll. Don't throw away any part of the original doll; you can wrap those moldy clothes or grimy wigs in a white sheet or acid-free tissue and store them in a plastic storage box with a lid (you will need to poke some holes on one end of the box). You will likely need to provide proof to your insurance company that your new, improved doll is still the same doll that you purchased previously.