Insuring your Pokémon collection
Insuring your Pokémon card collection
After a theft, fire or water damage, getting compensated means proving what you had and what it was worth. What to prepare, starting now.
· Free · your phone and your computer
The short answer
To protect your collection, keep an up-to-date inventory (cards, condition, value, photos), keep your proof of purchase and store your cards away from damp, heat and light.
Ask your insurer what your home insurance covers: valuables often have a limit, and sometimes you must declare them.
gotem. keeps the inventory for you: each card with its condition and today's value, to download whenever you like.
The inventory, your best proof
- The list of your cards: name, set, number, language, version, condition, and their value.
- Photos: your binders page by page, and your most valuable cards one by one, front and back.
- The date: redo it regularly, prices change.
- A copy somewhere other than your home (an email, online storage): an inventory that burns with the collection is useless.
Your inventory, kept up to date on its own
Scan your cards or import your list: gotem. keeps each card with its condition, language and today's value, plus how your collection evolves. Download all your data in one file, or export your binders as images.
Home insurance
Every policy is different: only your insurer can tell you what is covered. The questions to ask:
- Are my cards covered, and up to what amount? Home insurance policies often set a limit for valuables.
- Do I need to declare them separately, with a list or a valuation?
- Which events are covered: theft (with or without break-in), fire, water damage?
- How is compensation worked out: purchase price or current value, and with what proof?
- Is extra cover, or a separate policy, needed for a very valuable collection?
Get the answers in writing and reread your policy's exclusions. gotem.'s values are estimated market prices, not an appraisal: for a very valuable collection, the insurer may ask for receipts or an expert's opinion.
Proof of purchase
- Keep invoices, receipts and order confirmations (shops, marketplaces).
- For a graded card, note its certificate number: it identifies your copy.
- For a purchase or trade between individuals, keep the messages and photos.
- Keep everything in one place, with a copy online.
Storing safely
- PVC-free sleeves and binders, toploaders for expensive cards.
- Away from damp, heat and sunlight: no damp cellar, no attic, no windowsill.
- Binders standing up, not stacked flat under weight.
- The most valuable cards in a safe or a discreet spot; for very high value, a safe deposit box at the bank.
- A smoke detector at home: it's mandatory in homes in France, and it protects your collection too.
Staying discreet
- Don't post your collection's value along with clues about where you live.
- On gotem., your collection and its value are only visible to you, except what you choose to show.
- For shipping or a trade, only give your address once the deal is agreed.
Frequently asked questions
Does my home insurance cover my cards?
It depends on your policy: many cover household contents with a limit for valuables. Ask your insurer, in writing, whether your cards are covered and up to what amount.
Should I declare my collection to my insurer?
If it's worth something, it's advisable: ask them how to declare it and what proof to keep.
How do I prove what my cards are worth?
With a dated inventory (cards, condition, value), photos, your receipts, and the certificate number of your graded cards. gotem. gives the market value of each card for its condition.
How do I inventory my collection quickly?
Scan your cards (one, several or a binder page in a photo) or import your list from another app: the « Inventory your collection » guide explains how.
Where should I keep valuable cards?
In sleeves and toploaders, somewhere dry, away from light and heat; the most valuable in a safe.
Can I download my gotem. inventory?
Yes: My account → My data → « Download my data » gives a file with all your cards (card, set, number, version, condition, language, grading, binder). You can also export your cards and binders as images.
Your inventory, in a few photos.
Every card with its condition and today's value, to download whenever you like. Free.