Storing and insuring gold

Once you own physical gold, keeping it safe is part of the cost.

At home

Convenient and free, but the riskiest option. Theft, fire and loss are real, and most home insurance covers only a small amount of valuables unless you list them specifically. If you keep gold at home, tell as few people as possible.

A bank safe deposit box

Safer than home, but you can only reach it during banking hours, and in many countries the bank does not insure what is inside. Read the terms and consider separate insurance.

A professional vault

Specialist vaults store gold for a yearly fee, often a small percentage of its value. Ask whether your gold is allocated, meaning specific bars or coins are held in your name, or unallocated, meaning the company owes you an amount of gold. Allocated is safer if the company fails.

Keep good records

Keep receipts, certificates and photos, and note the weight, purity, serial numbers, date and price paid. Good records help with insurance claims, with selling, and with knowing what your gold is worth. The TGM Vault lets you log each piece you own and see its value every day in your own currency.