A Persian or Oriental rug is not simply a floor covering but a work of art. A weaver has dedicated months of skilled work in order to create your unique rug or carpet, a skill that has been passed down for centuries from one generation to the next. Like the skill involved in weaving these rugs, handmade carpets are passed down from one generation to the next, becoming valuable and treasured family heirlooms that can often hold not only intrinsic but great sentimental value. Often our memories can be tied up, interwoven in the fibres of our rugs, so if the day does come when something happens to your rug it can be a distressing loss.
There are many dangers to handmade rugs from spills and stains to flooding and fire. The first step one should take before or during an insurance claim is to gain an independent retail replacement or insurance valuation on the rug. Often insurers do not understand the artistic value of a handmade rug and treat it as a standard floor covering or a used item. Gaining a replacement valuation is an effective weapon when seeking value from your insurer.
Handmade rugs are unique, and aside from the fact that your rug will have been chosen with great care and thought and replacing it with a similar or identical piece is fraught with difficulty, the sentimental value attached to your rug should be preserved if at all possible. The first stage from your insurer is to establish if the damage or stain can be removed – this is an ideal situation as it is a cheaper option for your insurer as well as preserving your rug. Certain stains will not be able to be removed once set but may be improved. A good Persian rug repair specialist should be able to repair almost any damage but it important to establish if the work required is viable given the rugs value – often repairing severe damage can cost more than the replacement value of the rug.
Once you have an idea of the replacement value of your rug, with a written valuation, you can approach your insurer with confidence that you are more likely to get a fair offer for your rug. A Persian or Oriental rug specialist will have an extensive choice when it comes to replacing your rug, but may also be able to source a rug in similar design or colour to the one you have lost. A reputable dealer will be able to help you with your valuation and claim, find you a replacement or repair or clean your rug and may even offer to buy your damaged rug from you once a replacement has been purchased.
Without seeking a written valuation you are at the mercy of an insurer who will be looking to minimise their costs.
