The following story is from an actual insurance claim:

It was early November in Colorado and the heavy snow had made the parking lot icy and snow packed. Sarah was leaving her office for the day and while walking to her car, she slipped on the icy curb and fell. As she got up, she wiped the snow off of her pants with her bare hand.She got in the car and began to warm it up when she realized her wedding ring was missing! She jumped out of the car and frantically started to search the ground next to her vehicle. It had only been a couple of minutes at most since her fall she figured it had to be there!

Story continued below...

Sarah felt more hopeless with every step she took combing the area back and forth to find the cherished ring. It couldn’t have gone that far! After a long search, reluctantly Sarah got back in her car. Her neighbor and daughter were waiting for her to give them a ride home.

Her passengers agreed they should return to the parking lot and all look. After all, three pairs of eyes are better than one. Sarah was desperate and gratefully accepted the help. The women returned determined to find the ring.

By the time they returned, a plow had come through and it looked like the ring was gone. Searching in this cold weather any longer was not going to change a thing.

So the question is, will insurance cover this loss? The answer is usually YES, if you have mysterious disappearance coverage. However, mysterious disappearance is not standard on most policies so it should be added by speaking with your agent. Mysterious Disappearance can cover losses such as jewelry falling down the drain of the kitchen sink, falling off while on the ski lift, coming off while swimming or leaving your jewelry by the sink in a public restroom. Martin Insurance Group strongly recommends purchasing separate coverage for your jewelry by scheduling your valuables. This will broaden the coverage to include mysterious disappearance.

The Conclusion...

The following spring, Sarah was on her way out to her vehicle after work. She typically parked in the same spot every time. It had been a warm couple of weeks and the snow was melting quickly. In the dirt right by the curb something caught her eye. It was the ring she lost the prior fall!

[caption id="attachment_428" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

The wedding ring went missing November of 2010[/caption]

Not all stories have happy ending like this one did. The odds that she would ever have seen that ring again are extremely slim. The parking lot was in Frisco, CO and at an elevation of 9075 feet, they receive more than their fair share of snow.

So if you have jewelry or other valuables and want to make sure they are covered properly, give us a call. We will review your policy and make sure you have the proper coverage to protect your valuables.