Valentines Day 2025: When Love Is Blind – Insurance Isn’t
by Brian O’Connell
Cupid’s arrow isn’t the only thing that should be insured this Valentine’s Day. Rings, new vehicles, and bright red roses can and should be covered, too.
After all, love may be blind, but insurance isn’t.
“Anyone who’s in risk management and the insurance advisory realm has seen firsthand how Valentine’s Day purchases—from luxury jewelry to travel experiences—can require special insurance considerations,” says Liam Lafferty, a Sheridan, Wyoming-based entrepreneur and business owner who often advises clients on high-value purchases. “Valentine’s Day gifts are often sentimental AND valuable, making proper insurance essential. From engagement rings to luxury vacations, ensuring financial protection can turn an emotional investment into a wise, long-term decision.
What Valentine’s Day purchases should be insured? These heart-felt expenses and experiences top the list.
A romantic getaway. No one carefully crafts a Valentine’s Day vacation only to cancel it at the last minute or have it canceled for you by Mother Nature and other unexpected forces.
“ Life happens when you’re planning a vacation,” says Alley Keosheyan, an Arizona-based TripAdvisor destination expert specializing in Grand Canyon trips.
Here are some of the reasons travel plans are canceled that Keoshevan sees most often.
– A family emergency requires that you stay or return home.
– Flights get delayed by weather.
– A situation at work arises that only you can handle.
– You run into road construction or closures which mess up an already tight schedule.
– Some long-forgotten legal problem gets flagged at Customs, and you’re denied entry to the US.
“A vacation canceled unexpectedly can cost you big, especially if you had non-refundable airline tickets or hotel reservations or booked activities with cancellation policies that require several days’ notice to qualify for a refund,” Keoshevan notes. “Travel insurance may not be able to save your vacation, but it can keep your finances from being wrecked by circumstances beyond your control.”
Typically, travel insurance costs between 4% and 10% of a vacation’s total cost.
“For example, if your trip costs $5,000, the price of a travel insurance policy could run anywhere from $200 to $500,” Keosheyan adds. “Factors such as vacation destination, age of policyholders, or party size could incur additional fees. Whatever it adds up to, it’s a fair price for financial peace of mind.”
Before buying travel insurance, it’s a good idea to compare policies. “Seek comprehensive coverage with trip interruption and medical expenses and check online customer feedback on claims processes,” advises Eamonn Turley, CEO of London, UK-based MultiQuoteTime, an insurance services platform. “Book early, too. Buying travel insurance soon after booking your trip ensures maximum coverage benefits.”
Expensive Gifts
Zhaneta Gechev, founder of Las. Vegas-based One Stop Life Insurance says many of her clients were surprised to learn that most homeowners policies have minimal coverage for expensive personal belongings.
“Homeowner’s policies can cover expensive gifts against theft or damage,” Gechev says. “However, there is typically a limit on the amount of insurance available and a higher deductible that needs to be met. Therefore, homeowners insurance alone is not a good idea for expensive items. It’s better to look into personal article insurance.”
It’s standard for a typical homeowners policy to have a jewelry limit of only $1,000 for all items, Gechev notes. “In some cases, the clients can increase the limit to $2,500 per item/$5,000 total,” she says. “The challenge is that the payment will be after the client meets his or her deductible. For example, if you lose your $3,000 engagement ring and your deductible is $2,500, you might expect a payment of only $500.”
Gechev recommends that anyone who has received an expensive gift, such as a watch, jewelry, or art, consider separate insurance for those items. “The policy is called a personal article policy,” she says. “To secure the policy, you’ll need to provide a detailed item description, replacement cost, and, in some cases, recent appraisal/receipt and photos. It’s well worth it, as it has a separate deductible and ensures your items are protected,” she says.
Remember that if you insure the item right away, a receipt may be sufficient to demonstrate the item’s value. “If you wait a bit longer, you might have to get it appraised to insure it,” Gechev says.
A New Vehicle
Aside from Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries, Valentine’s Day may be the most popular time to gift a loved one a new car, truck, or SUV.
“If you purchase a new vehicle, the insurance needs to match how you title the vehicle,” Gechev says. “For example, if you purchase a new vehicle for your fiancée, you’ll need to have the insurance under your name, as you are the registered owner, and list her as a primary driver.”
That way the insurance will match the registration. “Think of it this way,” Gechev adds. “if you are giving her the car to drive but keeping it under your name, technically, it is not her car, and she cannot insure something she does not own.”
But if you’re purchasing the car and gifting it to her outright. “then the insurance needs to be in her name if that is how it will be titled or registered. Gechev says.
Life Insurance
Life insurance is often referred to as a gift of love we give to our families. “It makes sense, as it’s the one insurance that many will not ‘use’ while still alive, and we do it for the ones we love,” Gechev notes.
Gechev highly encourage spouses and partners to sit down and have a candid conversation about life insurance. “It’s one of those topics that is very unpleasant but extremely important,” she adds. “On the other hand, as a wife, I’d be more excited if I received a small gift as well. Maybe spouses should secure life insurance and buy each other a box of chocolates as well.”
Wedding Reception Insurance
Wedding reception insurance covers unexpected cancellations or liabilities during the event. “The costs can be very broad, depending on the location and guest count, but usually, they range between $150 to $500 for basic coverage,” added Turley.. “Always read the details of a policy to understand what is included.”
Tips and Takeaways
Valentine’s Day revelers can save money on insurance when shopping for great gifts
“For example, many insurers offer discounts for bundling home, auto, and valuable item coverage,” Lafferty says. “Increasing your deductible helps, too. Raising a $500 deductible to $1,000-plus can lower premium costs.”
Choosing specialized insurers is also a good idea: “Companies like BriteCo or Lavalier specialize in luxury items and often have better coverage than general insurers,” Lafferty adds.
