May the 4th Be With You: Does Home Insurance Cover Your Star Wars Day Collectibles?

A standard homeowners insurance policy provides some coverage for collectible items such as “Star Wars” memorabilia. However, some policies enforce sublimits for valuable items, which means you may need to purchase a scheduled personal property endorsement or a standalone collectibles insurance policy to fully cover your collectibles from a galaxy far, far away.

Keep reading to learn more about how insurance can protect you on Star Wars Day along with how Star Wars Day came to be and how you can celebrate the occasion.

On This Page

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  What Is Star Wars Day?

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  Star Wars Day History

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  How To Insure Your “Star Wars” Collectibles and Memorabilia

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  How To Celebrate Star Wars Day

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  FAQs

What Is Star Wars Day?

Star Wars Day is an unofficial holiday that commemorates the “Star Wars” media franchise including its movies, TV shows, books and video games plus the characters, settings, weapons and spaceships the series has spawned. It takes place every year on May 4 and is often accompanied by the phrase “May the Fourth be with you.”

While Disney currently embraces Star Wars Day as a marketing tool, the holiday did not originate as a way for the creators to advertise the “Star Wars” world and generate revenue. Instead, Star Wars Day traces its origins to grassroots celebrations hosted by dedicated fans of the “Star Wars” story.

Star Wars Day History

The phrase “May the 4th be with you” began to circulate as early as 1978, the year after George Lucas’ first “Star Wars” movie came out. It became more widely known on May 4, 1979, when Margaret Thatcher became prime minister of the United Kingdom and the beginning of her tenure was commemorated with a newspaper advertisement that said, “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie.”^[1]

More than three decades later, Disney hosted its first official Star Wars Day celebration at Disney World in Florida on May 4, 2013, which was the first Star Wars Day following Disney’s acquisition of “Star Wars” in 2012.^[2][3] Since then, the holiday has garnered even more mainstream popularity.

What Is the Meaning Behind ‘May the Fourth Be With You’?

The primary reason Star Wars Day is recognized on May 4 is because “May the Fourth be with you” is a pun based on the iconic “may the Force be with you” line from the “Star Wars” franchise. This phrase was first said by General Jan Dodonna in the original “Star Wars” movie from 1977, now known as “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.” Variations of this catchphrase have been used throughout the “Star Wars” series over 20 times since then.

How To Insure Your “Star Wars” Collectibles and Memorabilia

Home insurance provides some coverage for “Star Wars” collectibles through the personal property coverage portion of the policy. A standard HO-3 policy insures your belongings on a named peril basis, meaning your home insurance company will usually cover damage to your belongings caused by the following 16 perils:

However, many homeowners insurance policies come with sublimits that apply to valuable items, meaning your insurer may not pay you the full actual cash value (ACV) of these items after they are destroyed, even if their ACV is less than your overall personal property coverage limit.

For example, some homeowners policies only provide up to $2,500 worth of coverage for stamps, trading cards and comic books that are part of a collection.^[4] As a result, you may need additional coverage if you have a “Star Wars” collection that’s worth several thousand dollars.

Collectibles Insurance

If you’re interested in securing extra coverage for your valuables, your main options are a standalone collectibles insurance policy or scheduled personal property coverage. Collectibles coverage that is separate from your home insurance policy is often available from specialty insurance providers that may be able to insure your “Star Wars” collectibles at their market value. In addition, these policies may provide coverage for your valuables while they are in transit, in a public storage facility or on display for others to see.^[5]

Meanwhile, scheduled personal property coverage is an endorsement to your existing homeowners insurance policy that allows you to raise your coverage limits for specific high-value items.

This rider may also enable you to secure coverage for losses that wouldn’t be covered by a basic home insurance policy such as misplacing a piece of “Star Wars” memorabilia.^[6]

How To Celebrate Star Wars Day

There are numerous fun ways you can celebrate Star Wars Day at home like watching a “Star Wars” movie marathon on Disney+ or a cable network such as TBS. There are also plenty of activities recommended on the official Star Wars Day website such as reading articles, taking quizzes, watching videos and buying merchandise. This website also features recipes for snacks and directions for crafts based on the “Star Wars” universe.

If you buy a new Darth Vader figurine, Luke Skywalker poster or vintage Yoda T-shirt this Star Wars Day, you may want to consider updating your home inventory and raising your personal property coverage limit if necessary. Of course, you should also look into additional collectibles insurance once you begin to develop a sizable “Star Wars” collection.

You may also choose to celebrate the holiday by hosting a house party with a “Star Wars” theme. Keep in mind that, if one of your guests is injured or their property is damaged during a reenactment of a lightsaber duel, the personal liability coverage portion of your homeowners insurance policy should step in to cover medical expenses, repair bills and legal costs as necessary.