New research shows the extent of Britons' valuable collections - but also reveals that many are not protected by home insurance.
Britain is a nation of collectors - but is not taking enough steps to protect its valuables, according to a new study.
Halifax Home Insurance found that two-thirds of 2,000 people it surveyed had potentially valuable paraphernalia in their homes, from stamps to antiques. However, nearly half did not know the value of the collections, while a tenth did not have any home contents insurance to protect them.
Additionally, more than a third said that they think their possessions are covered, but are not sure of the policy small print. David Rochester, head of underwriting at Halifax, said that while many of these items cannot be replaced if they are lost, insurance can at least mean the owner does not end up out of pocket.
"Although in many cases collectables are unique and irreplaceable, most people would at least want to recoup any financial loss in the event of them being stolen or damaged," he said. "We'd recommend anyone who has a potentially valuable collection to get it valued by an expert every two years and ensure they obtain a dated copy of the valuation certificate."
One in five collectors did seem to have a good idea of their items' value however - they reported that they are holding onto their collections until they become more valuable.
