Collector Blog

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse Memorabilia Worth Over 30k

Edward Bergen has been an avid philately of Disney memorabilia for over 30 years. One of his collections is a compilation of stamp and postal memorabilia in honor of the Disney Icon Mickey Mouse titled, Walt Disney’s First Superstar: Mickey Mouse.  This collection is valued between $30-35,000 . Another collection of his is titled Walt Disney Postal Commemoration of 1968 is valued around $25-30,000.

These collections will also be presented at the International Stamp Show at the Javitz center in New York from May 28th to June 4th 2016. A book based on his collections will published on Amazon titled identically to Bergen’s exhibit, Walt Disney’s First Superstar: Mickey Mouse.  This book includes 3 volumes with 52 pages in each of them. Here is the link to the pictorial book.  The proceeds from these volumes will benefit the Carl Barks Fan Club.

Carl Barks is the creator/designer of the immortal Mickey Mouse, as well as his companions : Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy. His career spanned over 60 years as a cartoonist starting in 1935 in the Disney Animation department. He single-handedly wrote and drew nearly 500 “Duck Stories” for the Disney Comic Books: Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories, The Donald Duck Adventures, and The Uncle Scrooge Adventures.

These greeting cards, stamps, and editorial pictures are not just simply Disney themed artwork. These are pieces of history which also tell a narrative about the customs of American society from the 1920’s to the 60’s. These pictorials within Walt Disney’s First Superstar: Mickey Mouse, chronicle the evolution of Mickey Mouse as the decades pass by.  These valuable pieces of history are kept in a fireproof alarmed safe while at home, but requires additional coverage while it is on display.  Always make sure to talk with your agent before displaying your collections to ensure proper coverage.

 Cedric Ngwa, Parr Insurance Brokerage
Jewelry

Protect Your Jewelry

By Trudy Knockless of PropertyCasualty360.com

When buying new jewelry for yourself or a loved one, it is important to always take measures to ensure that your new jewelry is protected in case it is damaged or comes up missing.  It is always important to keep an inventory, save your receipts, and see if your jewelry can be insured. Read this article below to find out how you can ensure the safety of these prized possessions.

Click here to read the article!

To get this best insurance coverage, please contact us @ Parr Insurance Brokerage

Cedric Ngwa
Parr Insurance Brokerage
2157 N Damen #2B
Chicago, IL 60647
P.773.489.3001
cedric@parrinsurancebrokerage.com

 

Events

Collaboraction Spring Soiree Event

On April 2nd, 2016 in partnership with Parr Insurance, Collaboraction returns to SOHO HOUSE for the second annual Soiree. Enjoy a DJ, drinks, appetizers, and special performances as  we celebrate our 20th year and the exciting projects and events coming up.
Melissa Neis, Vice President of Parr Insurance Brokerage, will be present at this event.

Tickets $125, or $100 if purchased before March 15th. Please purchase tickets by March 25th.

For more information or to join the host committee, call the office at 312-226-9633.

Click here to find out more!

Contact Parr Insurance Brokerage for the best coverage on your insurance.

Cedric Ngwa
Parr Insurance Brokerage
2157 N Damen #2B
Chicago, IL 60647
P.773.489.3001
cedric@parrinsurancebrokerage.com

Lending art to museums can increase the value of your collection.

full gallery

Art collectors covet and, conversely, want to share the works they painstakingly acquire and cherish.  This act of sharing important pieces from a private collection may be altruistic, but also has quantifiable value.   Allowing experts to inspect and appraise lent work can uncover little known details about history or provenance and could increase the value or desirability of a piece considerably.   There are many factors to consider when loaning one of your treasured works to a museum or gallery, so  Chubb, one of the world’s premier fine art insurance carriers, offers a checklist on how to protect yourself against potential losses.

  1.  Is the work of art stable to withstand travel? While the curator may want the work of art because it is important to the context of a show, the museum conservator is key in determining the stability of the piece to travel. Ask the conservator to provide a fully detailed condition report before the work has left your possession.

2.   How will your work of art be displayed? Ask about security cases, security screws, location of the objects in relationship to visitor flow, and distance from the viewing public.

3.   Will the museum travel the exhibition, including your work, to other facilities?  If so, obtain   the same security-related details for every location where your work would be displayed.

4.  Ask the museum for a facility report and for information about its security systems and procedures.

5.  Obtain specific information about the museum’s insurance policy. This is especially important overseas, where many state-owned museums, such as the one housing the Munch paintings in Oslo, do not purchase insurance covering theft and other perils. Is the coverage wall-to-wall and would it respond to terrorism-related losses? Which company underwrote the insurance policy, and what is its financial security? Has the museum not addressed certain recommendations made by the insurer, and if so, what impact may that have on coverage if there is a loss?

6.  Is the exhibition insured through the U.S. Indemnity program? This program authorizes the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities to make indemnity agreements with individuals, non-profit, tax-exempt organizations and governmental units for eligible objects from other countries while on exhibition in the United States. Ask for detailed information about the requirements of the program.

7.  Have an updated appraisal completed for your work to establish an accurate current market value. An over valuation will cause the museum to pay for more coverage than it needs. Under valuation will complicate the insurance adjustment process, particularly in the event of a partial loss.

8.  Obtain details on the labeling and identification of your artwork. In addition, make sure that there are no issues about the title or authenticity of your work.

9.  Notify your insurance company, agent, broker prior to lending. Ask their advice prior to waiving any rights of subrogation against the museum, packer or shipper.

10.  Ask about the packing and shipping of your piece from your home to the museum. Will the museum use storage facilities while consolidating the shipments? Obtain full details about fire and burglar protection for the storage location.

11.  Make sure that the loan agreement that you receive from the museum specifies all the requirements that you had negotiated when you agreed to loan your work.

Sofa Art Gallery

Homeowner, water damage flood

Homeowner Policy for Blizzard Damage

Recent storms along the Atlantic coast in places like New Jersey has left the people’s property with significant damage. Damage incurring from heavy wind, snow and ice is covered by standard homeowner insurance policies. Damage from burst pipes, along with melted snow from the roof which seeps into the ceilings and wall is covered as well, but flood damage is generally not covered. To cover flood damage, special flood insurance is required.

Click here to read the full article on nytimes.com

To get the best coverage possible for your home, please contact us at Parr insurance Brokerage!

(773) 489-3001
2157 N Damen Ave #2b,
Chicago, IL 60647
cedric@parrinsurancebrokerage.com

 

 

Exclusions Homeowners Insurance

Insurance Exclusions You Should Know

Homeowner’s insurance covers many damages, including theft, wind or fire perils and more. It adds liability insurance to the standard hazard policy to cover any injuries to people on your property. Your homeowner’s insurance kicks in, for example, if your dog might bite a child.

But many potential disasters aren’t covered, such as flood and earthquake damage. Look at the exclusions category of your homeowner’s insurance to see what your existing policy doesn’t pay for. If you’re at risk for these scenarios, additional insurance policies are available (and may even be required from lenders if you’re taking out a mortgage).

Here are common exclusions not covered by Home-owners insurance

  • War
  • Neglect
  • Water damage (can be covered in certain geographical regions)
  • Earth movement (can be covered in certain geographical regions)
  • Power failure
  • Ordinance or law
  • Intentional loss
  • Nuclear hazard

In the case of the destruction of your home, many policies cover your loss up to an initial estimate, but some policies provide guaranteed replacement, which covers the complete repair or rebuilding costs.

Also, check your deductibles, the amount you must pay out of pocket before your benefits kick in. If you have the cash flow to handle the initial costs should anything happen, you may want to opt for a higher deductible to lower your premium. Claiming small losses on your homeowner’s insurance can increase your rate, and the insurer can cancel your policy in some circumstances.

Renter’s insurance protects against the loss or destruction of your possessions. If you are a renter, you want to make sure you have it, because your landlord’s insurance doesn’t cover you.

Renter’s insurance is often very affordable, and many landlords require it before accepting a lease. Similar to homeowner’s, renter’s insurance also provides your personal liability coverage. If someone visiting you is injured in your home, the insurance company pays. But there are also exclusions present in Renter’s insurance. Here are some common ones:

*Jewelry
*Electronic
*Computer Equipment
*Art
*Collections or Collectibles

To get the best possible coverage on your Homeowner’s insurance make sure to contact us at Parr Insurance
773-489-3001
2157 N. Damen Ave
Chicago, IL

Credit Score

Good Credit Score = Lower Premium!!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PAY WITH CASH OR CREDIT?

To all of those whom have recently bought a home or if you are planning to in the near future,  here’s a reason to maintain a good credit score. Insurance companies may give significant weight to your credit history when setting rates for homeowner coverage.

While insurers’ use of consumer credit in setting rates is nothing new, homeowners may be surprised to know just how much their credit profile can affect their premiums. If you have merely fair credit, you’ll pay about 32 percent more on average for homeowner insurance than those with stellar credit, according to a report from the insurance data firm Quadrant Information Services.

Now if your credit is so bad that you get turned down for magazine subscriptions, the impact is even greater: You’ll pay twice as much on average, in most states, as those with top-tier credit, according to the study, which was commissioned by the rate-shopping site InsuranceQuotes.com. Laura Adams, the site’s senior analyst, said insurers were putting greater emphasis on consumer credit in most states, which makes it increasingly important to pay your bills on time and correct any errors in your credit report.

So what if you haven’t paid your student loans on time. Why does your credit history affect your homeowner premiums? Well like a traditional credit score, which is used to determine whether you’re likely to repay your debts, an insurance score is based on the information in your credit report — but the data may be weighted differently, and it’s used to help predict the likelihood that you’ll file a claim in the future. The lower the score, the higher the risk you’ll file a claim for a loss — and the more you should pay, insurers say.

Some insurers use their own scoring models, while others use outside vendors, and different insurers may place greater emphasis on different aspects of your credit report in computing your score, said Lamont Boyd, insurance industry director for scores and analytics at FICO, which provides insurance-scoring software in addition to traditional credit scores.

The moral of the story is to make wise decisions  with all of your purchases on credit and to make timely payments of all loans. One day that dedication will pay off in a big way!

Sofa Art Gallery

SOFA Chicago Art Exposé Navy Pier

This weekend marks an important annual date on the city’s arts calendar. That’s because the art fair Sofa Chicago docks at Navy Pier the first weekend of November. SOFA stands for “sculptural objects and functional art,” but the content of the fair has an even broader scope.

Tom Neis, Dwight Zivo, Amelia Sweet, and Melissa Neis, representatives of Parr Insurance, were all present at the VIP Opening Night Preview. The event was hosted by Chubb Group of Insurance Companies (http://www.chubb.com), the standard bearer for high value homeowners insurance .

Donna Davis, Fair Director for SOFA Chicago, says you can expect to see modern and contemporary art and design, objects and sculpture. “You’ll see world-class galleries showing fiber, glass, ceramic, wood and studio jewelry,” Davis said. This year, SOFA also included painting, photography and works on paper. The nearly 70 galleries represented at SOFA include both local stalwarts and visiting galleries from around the world, including those from London, Paris, Turkey and Italy. Davis says that many exhibitors return year after year. “They like to come back,” she said. “But we also have 17 new exhibitors this year, which is a record for us.”

At times the range of work can feel overwhelming to some, so there is a selection of choices put together by critics called Sofa selects. “It is a selection noted tastemakers – curators, critics, designers, architects – who select their favorite pieces in the fair before the fair opens,” Davis explained. “You can go to SOFAexpo.com and select ‘Sofa selects’ and see those people who have chosen those pieces and why.”

SOFA Chicago runs Nov. 5-8 at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, from 5-9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday. General admission tickets cost $20; $15 for seniors and students. For my information visit http://www.sofaexpo.com/visit

 

 

 

Collaboraction – Beggar’s Banquet!

IMG_4568Collaboraction, the Chicago-based theater company dedicated to social change, collaboration and original work, launched its 20th season in Wicker Park with its always popular Beggars’ Banquet, this year honoring Collaboraction founder and nationally acclaimed director Kimberly Senior. Parr Insurance was one of the sponsors of Collaboraction. Melissa Neis, VP of Parr Insurance Brokerage, was the event Chairperson.”

Over 200 supporters raised more than $50,000 for the company while having an absolute blast at the time-traveling celebration of the company’s origins, 20-year history and exciting new future. The evening kicked off with paparazzi shots, cocktails and a delicious Chop Shop buffet, followed by a raffle and live auction. Kimberley Senior founded Collaboraction in 1995, and current Artistic Director, Anthony Moseley, joined the company in its third show and collaborated with Senior on numerous productions before taking over the helm. Moseley says “The first 20 years of Collaboraction cultivated a tremendous volume of theatre and relationships and amazing shared moments. It is a tremendous privilege, to take a moment, to remember and share and celebrate these accomplishments, before getting sucked back up by the excitement around our unique new work and mission we have laid out for the next five years to use all this energy we have created to make a positive impact on Chicago.”

Proceeds will help fund Collaboraction’s Teen Youth Ensemble program with After School Matters, Collaboraction’s Crime Scene tours to Chicago’s parks each summer, new play development, and salaries for dozens of local actors, performers and artists each year.