Everyone who has ever sold their art knows that it’s a risky business. You spend countless hours trying to find the perfect piece of art that no one has seen before, and you’re prepared to sell it for as much as possible. But then there are times when things just don’t go your way or the buyer decides to back out at the last minute.
Either way, this doesn’t change the fact that selling your art can be risky and can leave you financially drained if something happens along the way.
While risk is part of any business venture, it can become especially problematic in an art market where supply is limited and demand is high. Whether you work on commission or have a fixed price for your pieces, there will always be uncertainties about whether someone will want to buy what you have to sell and how much they will pay for it.
To understand why UK dealers need insurance, let’s take a deeper look at what this term means and how it protects businesses from financial risks in the art market.
Insurance is a financial protection against risks. It is a contractual agreement between you and an insurance company that allows you to get indemnified if something unfortunate happens. As an art dealer, you may face a number of risks when selling art. Risks related to the art itself are the most common type of insurance that art dealers will find useful. The other types of insurance insurance companies offer are also very useful to protect your business and keep it running as safely as possible when selling art.
These days it is not unusual for businesses to have insurance in place for multiple types of risks. Insurance can protect you from many things, such as natural disasters, failure of your business, employee theft, and more.
Art insurance can help protect your investment in the arts. If you have a piece that’s worth thousands of pounds, you don’t want to lose it if the buyer backs out at the last minute. If a client has a large financial commitment to buy your art, they may want you to hold on to the piece until the sale is complete so that they don’t lose money if their own buyer backs out. And if the piece is worth thousands of pounds, you don’t want to risk losing it if the buyer gets cold feet. Sure, you can try to be extra-certain that you’re getting paid, but that can make the transaction time-consuming and stressful, not to mention expensive. And you certainly don’t want to be left with nothing if something happens along the way.
There are a few things you can do to make sure you get the right art insurance. First, call your insurance provider and find out what kinds of insurance they offer. If they don’t already have your insurance needs listed on their website, ask them to provide you with a list of the types of insurance that you need.
Once you have a list of the different types of insurance that you need, start looking at each one to see which option would be best for your business depending on the risks you face.
Art is an extremely risky business in a market that can have very few buyers and fierce competition. Taking out insurance on your art collection can help protect you in the event of a loss.
There are numerous insurance providers that offer art insurance. The best thing to do is research different providers and find a provider that suits your needs. Once you have a provider, make sure to read the contract and make sure you are covered in every way possible. In addition, make sure you understand what each coverage means, what it covers, and what it excludes.