Protecting the Value of Fine Art and Luxury Items with ArtRatio Dashboard

Introduction

Previously, we discussed how insurers can mitigate the risk of gradual damage on fine art and specie, and why they would want to do this.

We now discuss how collectors (i.e. buyers) and retailers (i.e. sellers) can also benefit from regularly monitoring the condition of their collections, in order to foresee the risk of gradual damage (and hopefully reduce it).

Pilot Programme

We are now inviting both collectors and retailers:-

• to use the free online app at ArtRatio Dashboard
• to send the risk estimation data periodically to insurers and
• to discuss with your insurer how such proactive risk mitigation could be rewarded with reduced premiums.

We also invite ArtRatio Dashboard users to contact us with any concrete results, such as: 

• reduced deterioration of your collections (as a result of using ArtRatio Dashboard)
• improved market value (on subsequent appraisal or sale) and
• any reduction in insurance premiums resulting from participating in this pilot programme.

We believe ArtRatio Dashboard can instigate a more proactive risk mitigation mindset, preempting unexpected drops in market value and establishing the reputation of Dashboard users with hard and verifiable data.

How this works

The ArtRatio Dashboard app estimates risk based on environmental factors from your sensors, but also taking into account the sensitivities of the materials on display and the display conditions under which the items are exhibited. 

These factors give a more accurate assessment of risk than just using the raw sensor data.

Why is this? Well, light levels of 500 lux on an unpainted stone sculpture may present little or no damage, but that same level of light on a silk antiquity will surely fade it in a matter of weeks. 

So, context is important in order to turn raw data into meaningful information and actionable insights.

Pilot Programme Objectives

With this pilot programme, we hope:

• to enhance the value of fine art and luxury collections
• to quantify and build the reputation of collectors and retailers using hard data
• to convince insurers that such proactive measures can protect their premiums and incentivise further good behaviour if clients are duly rewarded.

Pilot Programme Limits

• We intend to run this pilot programme for 12 months starting in Sept 2020, giving us a period of time in which we can evaluate whether our users find value in this service.
• If not already in place, our users will need to purchase temperature, humidity and light sensors (which can be bought online through many retail stores).

Benefits

• We believe that a small part of the subsequent gain in premiums (as a result of proactive risk mitigation by insured parties) could be used to reward low-risk clients with reduced premiums, just as ‘black box’ auto insurance does for ‘good drivers’.
• In the near future, we intend to create the ArtRatio Reputation Badge, driven by the data from ArtRatio Dashboard, which will quantify the reputation of collectors and retailers alike (e.g. Silver, Gold, Platinum), eventually improving the value of the collection even further (a virtuous circle).

The Future of ArtRatio Dashboard

The current version of Dashboard is a simple prototype which aims to establish market acceptance. We intend to expand its functionality in the coming months to:

• Increase the number of materials in our database;
• Add more sensor variables, increasing its accuracy (e.g. air quality, security, vibration);
• Add 3rd party services (e.g. art forgery data, art price data, online weather monitoring services, etc), further increasing accuracy and establishing traceability to other factors of direct relevance to the art and luxury sector.

Next Steps

If you would like to join this Pilot Programme, please contact us on the form below to register your interest.

Dashboard does not require your email to use it, but if you choose to register an email address with us, we will monitor any concrete results you send us during the pilot programme.

It goes without saying that all data we receive will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and according to the EU GDPR Regulation 2016/679, as stated in our Privacy Policy.