TL;DR: when a ring made in the UK arrives in Canada, insure it from the day it arrives. Delivery is insured and tracked with FedEx, but your own cover starts when the ring is yours to protect. Some people add the ring to a home policy and others use a separate jewellery policy, so compare what each covers and keep your documents together. We are jewellers, not insurers, so check the terms with your provider. Pieces start from £600.
Why insure straight away
An engagement ring is small, valuable and worn every day, which makes loss and damage more likely than for most possessions. Do not wait until after the proposal, because the ring is at risk from the moment it arrives, including while it is hidden at home waiting for the right moment.
Two common routes
In Canada, some people add the ring to a home or tenant policy as a named item, while others buy a separate jewellery policy. Policies differ in what they cover, such as accidental loss, theft away from home and damage, and in whether a replacement or a cash sum is paid. Ask each provider how a claim works and what is excluded, and read the terms. We cannot recommend a provider or advise on policy terms.
What your insurer will want to see
Insurers commonly ask for an invoice, a description of the ring, photographs and often a valuation or appraisal. Keep your invoice, your written design approval and any stone report in one folder. Our guide to reading your invoice and certificate explains what each document shows. Ask us if you need anything described more clearly for your insurer.
Cold weather and wear
Canadian winters bring their own risks. Fingers shrink in the cold, so a ring can slip off when you pull off a glove, and snow makes a lost ring hard to find. Our guides to cold climate ring care and winter gloves and ring fit have practical advice, and check whether your policy covers loss outdoors.
Photographs
Take clear photographs in daylight from several angles on the day the ring arrives, including the inside of the band if it is engraved. Keep copies somewhere other than your phone. Good photographs help with a claim and help a jeweller replace a lost ring accurately.
If you ever need to claim
Act quickly and keep a record of what happens. Report a loss or theft to your insurer as soon as you can, follow their instructions, and give them your invoice, photographs and any report. If a stone has come loose or the ring is damaged, stop wearing it and keep every piece. Tell us too, because we can describe the ring accurately to help with a replacement or repair quote.
Delivery and customs
The customer pays import duty and tax, which differ by country, and we explain what to expect before you order. Keep any customs paperwork with your invoice, since it can help support the value of the ring if you ever need to claim. Our guide to duty, tax and brokerage on a ring sent to Canada covers the charges.
Valuations change
The cost of replacing a ring can change over time, so review your cover every year or two and update the value if needed. A regular check of the claws and setting is also sensible, and some insurers ask for it.
Questions to ask your insurer
- Does the policy cover loss, theft and accidental damage?
- Is the ring covered away from home and when travelling?
- What documents do I need to keep?
- How is a claim settled?
Frequently asked questions
When should I insure a ring from the UK?
As soon as it arrives. Delivery to you is insured and tracked with FedEx.
What documents do I need?
Usually your invoice, photographs and any stone report.
Can you recommend an insurer?
No. We are jewellers, not insurers, so compare providers and read the terms.
Does the cold affect my ring?
Fingers shrink in the cold, so a ring may slip. Take care when removing gloves.