Many of the world’s most valuable objects are works of art. They are often unique or exist only in limited numbers. Choosing an insurer which understands what risks artworks are exposed to and how to manage them is very important for all collectors. Many large Swedish, Danish and Finnish museums, art collectors and galleries trust us to correctly insure their art, feeling safe in the event of a claim
We insure most of Sweden’s leading art dealers and auction houses, as well as the majority of collections owned by local authorities exhibited in museums, public streets or parks. By choosing Brookfield for your insurance you make the same decision as the experts.
Fine Art Insurance
Fine Art Insurance
What does Brookfield offer that other insurers cannot do ?
Brookfield insures your art for what it’s really worth. It may seem obvious, but this is not how home insurance works, where contents are insured for their original cost, often with a deduction for age. This is usually perfectly appropriate for mass-produced items, but it falls short when it comes to art given that the price of an artwork tends to increase over time. The fair value of a collectible is its market value, were it to be sold at the time of damage. With Brookfield you can agree upfront the value of your items avoiding any disappointment or discussion if a claim arises.
Do you own several homes? Does your art hang in your office as well as at home?
We offer comprehensive insurance that includes all your collections and homes, anywhere in Europe. A large number of claims occur when items are moved from one place to another – this is why our policy automatically includes cover for your items during transport. When your item is damaged we will employ the best restorers and repairers available, but sometimes even they cannot erase all damage. This is why our policy covers any reduction in market value resulting from a claim.
Brookfield’s art insurance is available to all types of organisations and individuals who own art – private collectors, museums and foundations, and corporate collections for example. We also provide insurance for temporary art exhibitions and art professionals such as art dealers and auction houses.
Brookfield’s art insurance can include
- Sculptures
- Antique furniture
- Collectibles and objets d’art
- 20th century designer furniture
- Stamp, book, coin and playing card collections
- Higher value wine
- Silverware, ceramics and glass
- Archaeological artefacts
What does Brookfield’s art insurance include?
With specialist art insurance you don’t need to rely on inadequate cover provided by regular home insurance – you get proper protection for your art. Your collection is insured for what it’s really worth and you get the indemnity you expect if a claim happens. All-Risks cover means that all types of accidental damage are covered. Fine art insurance provides broader cover, which often means higher claims payments. Take the example of a painting bought 10 years ago for €50.000 and now valued at €120.000 by the same dealer. With Brookfield, the insurance value is agreed at €120.000 meaning that this is what you’ll get paid if the item was a total loss.
Nine of every ten claims occur during transport or relocation. So we made sure our All-Risks insurance applies not only when the artwork is on display, but also in transport or storage, anywhere in the world. You can lend your art for exhibitions, send it for restoration or valuation or entrust it to an auction house – all with complete peace of mind.
Did you know that the biggest financial risk for an art collector is the reduction in market value following a claim? That’s why we not only pay for any repairs or restoration needed following a claim – we will also compensate you for the resulting depreciation once the item has been repaired. A traditional home and contents insurance only covers repair costs.
Waiting for an artwork to be lost, stolen or damaged before deciding what it was worth leads to lengthy and stressful negotiations. That’s why at Brookfield, we will help you review your collection when the insurance is set up and also give you the opportunity to review the insured values at any time. The more valuables items are always listed on your policy, making it easier for you to keep track of your art collection. For items, pairs or sets worth up to €25.000 you can also choose a lump sum cover. These unspecified items are insured up to their current market value, so your indemnity will allow you to replace them.
Because claims to fine art are always unexpected and often caused by others, we don’t think you should lose out by having a deductible. We’ve eliminated them from most of our art policies.
Collecting and buying art is fun. With Brookfield, it is also safe: your new purchases are automatically covered from the moment you take ownership – including during transport if you bought the item at auction or abroad, for example.
Brookfield Fine Art insurance – product highlights
- All-Risks cover
- Agreed values - No more surprises after a claim.
- Transport insurance included as standard
- Automatic cover for new acquisitions
- Depreciation resulting from a claim
- Option to repair or settle for cash – your choice
- Pairs and sets cover
- Nil excess
Art Insurance for museums and exhibitions
Claims affecting works of art exhibited in museums can be complicated. The art almost always has a special significance for the institution, and can often be owned by someone else. Because we do everything we can to find a solution that helps museums move forward without financial consequences, many in the Nordic countries have chosen to insure with us.
Brookfield’s art insurance meets the highest international standards, allowing museums to feel safe borrowing works from other institutions or collectors. We always tailor our insurance to fit around the museum’s permanent collection and ongoing exhibitions, making easy to have the right protection.
Many museums buy separate insurance for every exhibition they organise. This is time consuming and often not cost-effective. Instead, at Brookfield we can offer a single insurance to cover an annual exhibition program. For example, if you typically have 3–4 exhibitions per year with a maximum value of €800.000 per exhibition, we can offer an annual cover for this amount – including worldwide incoming and outgoing transport insurance. Then you only need to let us know if any exhibition exceeds the pre-agreed limit.
Worried that the masterpieces you need to insure have extremely high values? Thanks to our cooperation with Lloyd’s we can provide insurance up to € 1.000.000.000 in total art values. Yes, that’s right, €1 billion !
Insurance for art dealers and auction house
Insurance for local authorities and public entities
By providing wide and flexible cover at competitive prices, Brookfield has become a major provider of fine art insurance to local authorities and public entities in the Nordic market.
We participate in public tender procurements whenever we can comply with the local rules and regulations.