Should I cover my wedding rings under home insurance?

Here’s a story.

My paternal grandfather was a gemologist. That’s a fancy word to say he was a specialist in precious stones and gems. He worked many years for a high-end Canadian jeweler and had a very successful career. It goes without saying, given my grandfathers position, that my grandmother had a lot of very beautiful, exquisite and expensive jewelry. When he found out he was sick with lung cancer (reason #1 not to smoke) he poured all his effort into fabricating the perfect future engagement rings for his two sons and daughter. My dad, only 14 at the time of his father’s death, was not even considering marriage but knew when the time came he would have the perfect ring already. Hand made by his father, how sentimental and perfect.

Fast forward fourteen years and in his late 20’s my dad meets my mom and proposes. Without a ring. The ring was in my grandmothers safety deposit box across the country so my mom accepts my dad’s hand in marriage with an IOU engagement ring.

They finally make the trek across the country to meet the rest of the family and get the ring. According to my mom it was the most beautiful ring she’s ever seen. A one caret perfect brilliant diamond in a very ornate setting. She loved it and couldn’t wait to wear it, despite it not fitting.

My parents were due to come home, flying back across the country where they had plans to meet up with my mothers parents to show off the ring and make some wedding plans. They arrived back on the east coast at my grandparents house and showed off the ring. My mom made an appointment the next business day to have the ring properly sized and have a full assessment done on it. Only it was one day too late.

My mom insisted on wearing the beautiful ring despite it being too big. She tried putting tape on it but nothing worked. Somewhere between the grocery store and my grandparents house the ring was lost and never seen again. My parents were heartbroken. She didn’t even have a picture of the ring yet. My mom had intentions of having the ring insured under her homeowners insurance but hadn’t had the apprisal done yet. It was as if the ring never existed.

I”ve heard this story many times and for that reason before my engagement ring left the box I brought it to a local gemologist who did a full insurance appraisal on it and I had the engagement ring added to our renters insurance and then our homeowners insurance.

Your wedding rings are so much more than precious metals and gems. They have so much meaning and symbolism behind them. They really are irreplaceable. Having your wedding ring covered under your homeowners insurance is an easy and affordable way to make sure they’re as protected as they can be.

If my mom had her ring insured she could have had a replacement ring made, though not as special it would have eased some heartbreak.

Do you have your wedding rings insured?