Rules of engagement
With research[1] revealing that men are forking out increasingly large amounts of money on the perfect engagement ring yet 72 per cent of grooms-to-be fail to insure the ring before popping the question, Sheilas’ Wheels has compiled a few top tips for purchasing that all important rock and alleviating unnecessary pre-nuptial stress:
- Don't forget to make sure you have added 'personal possessions away from the home' cover on your home insurance in case your ring is lost or stolen when you leave the jewellers or lost, stolen or damaged when being worn.
- Ensure you know your fiancée's ring size before you go shopping for the perfect rock, to reduce the chances of buying a ring that doesn't fit.
- Remember that your engagement ring will need to be a specified item on your Sheilas' Wheels home insurance policy if it's over £1,500.
- Have your engagement ring valued every three years and update your insurance provider should the value change.
- Keep your engagement ring's shop receipt and other authentication documentation in a safe place - in case you need to provide proof of purchase in the event of a claim.
- Never wear a ring that isn’t fitted properly - changes in temperature, the use of hand creams and other daily activities such as washing hands could all cause a loose ring to slip off.
- Get a ring re-sized straight away - no matter how much you want to show off your new rock.
- Make sure that you have ample home insurance contents cover in the lead up to the wedding - either to cover your new wedding gifts or wedding jewellery.
The research also reveals that over half of brides-to-be (56 per cent) admit to wearing loose-fitting engagement rings for an average of 52 days before getting them resized - despite knowing the risk of losing them. In addition, over one in 10 married women (12 per cent) admit to having lost their original engagement ring at one time or another despite 81 per cent claiming it is one of their most prized possessions.
Sheilas' Wheels home insurance offers a 10 per cent increase in contents cover for policyholders and their family members four weeks before and four weeks after the wedding day.
[1] Sheilas' Wheels used the independent online research company Fly Research who surveyed 2,000 people from across the UK, aged 18 and over, between Monday 3rd August - Friday 7th August 2009
