News Room

December 1, 2010

Assurant Solutions’ Jewelry Care Plans Protect Holiday Engagements

Atlanta, December 1, 2010: ‘Tis the season to be romantic. An estimated 28% of all engagements happen around the holidays, according to Fairchild Bridal Group. A sparkling engagement ring is the ultimate romantic giftas well as a major financial investment. Assurant Solutions’ jewelry care plans can help ease concerns about this significant purchase, safeguarding rings and other important jewelry from damage and wear.

Assurant Solution’s care plans typically provide for routine cleaning and maintenance of jewelry, covering a variety of repairs that are often excluded under the original warranty. Lifetime care plans allow jewelry owners to maintain and repair covered fine jewelry at no additional charge for as long as they own the item.

“A lifetime jewelry care plan is the perfect accessory for an engagement ring,” said Joe Erdeman, president of Assurant Solutions extended protection solutions business. “It allows a bride to keep her ring as beautiful throughout the decades as the day she received it.”

Care plans make sense for all jewelry with significant financial or sentimental value as these items are not always covered by homeowners or renters insurance. And when this coverage is available it may involve a high deductible and exclude repair and maintenance. In contrast, the most common maintenance and repairs covered by a care plan include:

• Inspection of fine jewelry every 12 to 18 months for structural weaknesses and the identification of necessary repairs needed to prevent further damage.
• Resizing of rings so that they fit properly and won’t fall off.
• Retipping prongs and tightening stones in rings and earrings so that precious gems won’t become loose and fall out.

In addition to purchasing care plans, holiday jewelry recipients should also keep in mind these few simple tips to protect their treasured gifts throughout the years:

• Put jewelry on last when dressing and take it off first when undressing. This protects both clothing and jewelry.
• Don’t clean every piece of jewelry the same way. Gold is different than platinum and a diamond is different from an emerald. Learn how to clean jewelry based on the unique properties of its metal and/or gemstone.
• When using a chemical cleaner, be sure to read the label and understand the types of jewelry it is intended for before beginning the cleaning process.
• Take jewelry off when doing gardening work or using chemical cleaners around the house.
• Don’t leave rings on kitchen countertops or bathroom sinks where they might fall down the drain.
• Don’t store jewelry in the bathroom where dampness could affect their condition. Store jewelry in a jewelry box somewhere safe and dry to keep items separate and prevent them from getting scratched.

“The jewelry that you receive as a holiday gift this year will last a lifetime if it is protected and treated with love and care,” said Erdeman.

To learn more about jewelry protection and other extended service contracts, visit www.assurantsolutions.com/extendedprotection.
Assurant Solutions businesses develop, underwrite, market and administer specialty insurance, extended service contracts and other risk management solutions through collaborative relationships with leading financial institutions, retailers, automobile dealers, funeral homes, utilities and other entities. With operations in 25 locations, including executive offices in Atlanta, Ga., Assurant Solutions serves clients and their customers in 12 countries throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia.  www.assurantsolutions.com

Assurant Solutions is part of Assurant, a premier provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and select worldwide markets. Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ. Assurant has over $26 billion in assets and $8 billion in annual revenue. www.assurant.com

Media Contact

Patrice Eastham
VP, Business Communications
Assurant Solutions
Telephone: 770.763.2740
Email: patrice.eastham@assurant.com