One never knows when a water pipe will break, or a fire starts. That’s why home insurance was made to cover the damage, but not all insurance coverage is the same. Over the years, we have restored countless water-logged and fire-branded furniture. Some items have been paid for by insurance; others have been out-of-pocket. We share with you three genuine stories from our own customers where insurance does and does not cover the entirety. Take a read and see which outcome you would like to experience if something did happen to your precious piece of furniture.
#1 Not Having Adequate Insurance on Your Valuable Furniture
A friend of mine trusted us with several projects in the past. When a fire swept through his home, many of his adored pieces were burnt to a crisp. My friend leaned on us to restore these damaged items. Three pieces in, we discovered that his insurance wasn’t going to cover most of the restoration costs. Because of this, he was expected to cover what the insurance wasn’t, but, for reasons unknown to us, he was unable to. So, unfortunately, our customer had to take back his unfinished pieces.
#2 Paying Out of Pocket What Isn’t Covered by Furniture Insurance
One customer of ours acquired collectible furnishings from his work overseas. Like our previously mentioned customer, a fire endangered his belongings. Luckily, the fire was caught early enough to limit the damage to charred finishes and water damage. Since his treasured pieces were insured, his insurance adjuster asked us about our restoration services and what was required of us to transform the pieces from overcooked to well done. During our conversation, it became clear that even with minimal refinishing, insurance would not cover the full restoration process. The adjuster said that the insurance company will issue the homeowner a check for the maximum amount on the policy and let the owner deal with the remaining costs on his own.
#3 The Piece is Fully Covered and Restored.
You’ve seen what happens when insurance doesn’t cover the full restoration of a furniture piece but let us show you what happens when it does. A few months ago, we had the honor of restoring a fire damaged, solid oak bar. About half of the bar was charred beyond salvage, so we recreated the damaged parts, from replacing the mirrored glass in the canopy top to replicating wood panels.
For over 50 years, the solid oak bar has been in the customer’s family, first belonging to his grandparents, then his parents and now, our customer. Since the damage was caused by a home fire, their insurance policy covered the restoration cost — the full amount. As a result, we were able to fully restore the family heirloom without any hiccups. You can see the full transformation here.
Lessons Learned from Our Experiences
The point is to be prepared before unexpected circumstances catch you by surprise. Check your insurance policy to be sure it covers your mother’s chair, your father’s desk, and/or your childhood bed. Make sure everything that is important to you is covered. Then, if the times come, let us take care of the restoration.
