If you have saved and saved to get your hands on that one-of-a-kind Clash of the Titans Argos Helmet or Alien warrior head, then the last thing on your mind might be protecting it from theft or damage.

However, accidents do happen and things can get stolen. For your own peace of mind, it’s important to compare contents insurance policies to make sure you have the right cover in place

There are many policies available that will allow you to specify individual pieces of high value so if the worst should happen you know you are protected

Insurance Policies

When you start to compare insurance policies, you need to find the one that best suits you. To begin with, it is worth thinking about the value of individual items you have collected

If you have paid £2,000 for an ocular warrior from Small Soldiers, or Merill Hess’s baseball bat from Signs cost you £1,200, then you should seriously consider listing the items individually.

These policies generally cover your home contents against theft or damage. Water, storm and flood damage are often covered as well.

When you compare contents insurance policies, you should be aware there are two main types: as new or new for old. This means you will be covered for the full cost of repair and if your item is stolen the pay-out should be enough to buy it new.

If you have bought some costly items it is worth reading the small print to see if there is an upper limit for individual items they will insure. You do not want to find your policy will not cover the value of your cherished collectibles

To avoid this, try to find out if the company will offer you a schedule to list specific items. This will hopefully expand the coverage but you do have to state precisely what you paid for each item. In order to do this, you may have to provide proof of what you actually paid for that breast-plate from Aliens, for example

The next thing you need to be aware of is how your insurance company will let you expand the coverage if you add to your collection regularly. The policy would be of no use if only half of your collection is covered.

Simple Precautions

You can take some simple steps that will help to protect your collection. Remember to keep your receipts. This way you will have proof of value for each item in your collection. Take pictures of each piece and store them somewhere safe. This way you will have proof of ownership as well as proof of value.

A good way to prove that something is your property is to mark the prop you have spent your hard-earned money on with a UV pen. This will be invisible to the naked eye but if it is stolen and then is recovered, it will be evidence that it belongs to you.