Happy Valentine’s Day from the Daniel Howley Insurance Agency here in Rockville, MD.

Have you heard those who say that Valentine’s Day is no more than a ploy by the greeting card industry – just like Mother’s Day and other sentimental holidays – to entice consumers to spend money on love? Well, perhaps that’s true. But most of us still find ourselves browsing the aisles for candy, cards and more. In fact, BankRate.com reports that the National Retail Federation estimated that each of us would spend an average of $133.91 for Valentine's Day in 2014, and that trend has certainly not come down since then.

When you think about Valentine’s Day gifts, is chocolate is what comes to your mind? You can certainly find many  reasonably priced versions on the shelf this time of year. But for the most discriminating Valentine, nothing short of the La Madeline au Truffe from Connecticut chocolatier, Knipschildt will do. This incredible chocolate delight is described as a rare French Perigord truffle ensconced in a ganache made from Valrhona dark chocolate, truffle oil, vanilla and heavy cream before being dunked in more dark chocolate and cocoa powder. If this sounds like just what you want this year, you’ll need to know that this chocolate is priced at $2,600 per pound. Made to order, it will be delivered "lying on a bed of sugar pearls" – and so it should be!

But if such expensive chocolate truffles are not what you have in mind and assuming that money is no object, then maybe one of these other outrageously expensive gifts appeals to you:

• Is fragrance your weakness? Perfumes and colognes make great gifts for a Valentine, but especially if it is "No. 1" perfume for women by Clive Christian. This world acclaimed fragrance comes in a gold-crowned 1.6-ounce bottle priced at $865 – a bargain when compared with “Imperial Majesty” also by Clive Christian at $215,000 per bottle.
• If you believe it’s essential to have flowers on Valentine’s Day – no matter the price, then take a look at the Juliet Rose. A dozen of these roses can cost you just under $300, but the Juliet is often called the "£3 million rose" (that’s five million U.S. dollars) because that is the amount that rose breeder, David Austin, spent during the 15 years it took him to create the rose.
• Are you thinking perhaps a card might be best? If you haven’t found just the right greeting yet, then perhaps this not-so-simple and quite extraordinary card would be just right. Gilded Age Greetings will create your couture Valentine's card by hand for a mere $3500! What’s that? You’re thinking it must be made of gold? Well, you’re partially correct. You won’t believe it when you see it.

If food, flowers, or fragrance are too soon forgotten in your mind, then you could invest your fortune in something more permanent like a new iPhone embellished with 200 grams of solid 18k gold. This luxury device comes is presented in a Cherry Oak Finished Box. Called the “Solid Gold Superstar” the phone is SIM free, factory unlocked to ALL networks and comes with the usual accessories. It’s priced at just under $58,000. But if you prefer, you may choose to upgrade to the “Solid Gold Superstar ICE” which is further encrusted with 364 diamonds (5.5 carats in total) for a cost of about $82,000.

Homeowners Insurance Tip

It is clear that these outrageous gifts are not for anyone but the super rich. It’s more than likely that you’ll be looking at more moderately priced gifts. Even so, if your Valentine’s Day plans include a gift of jewelry or some other expensive item, we’d remind you to get it insured as soon as possible. The Insurance Information Institute warns us that jewelry losses are among the most frequent of all home insurance content-related insurance claims. So do yourself a favor and take a moment to visit the III.ORG website where you can learn the four relatively simple steps needed to ensure adequate protection for jewelry and other expensive gifts.

Here at the Howley Insurance Agency, we are always glad to answer your questions and discuss your insurance needs, whatever they might be.  Perhaps it's time to review your current insurance policies to be sure you have the coverage you need at the best rate possible.  Feel free to contact us at your convenience or perhaps arrange for a no-obligation policy review right here online.  We look forward to being of service.