Inside the Labubu and JellyCat craze and why money experts think you should insure them

Collectible items are nothing new, but they’re seeing a resurgence in 2025. Fueled by online hype, celebrity backing and limited-edition drops, a new wave of must-have toy collections is captivating all ages. UK searches for ‘Labubu dolls’ skyrocketed over 4,000% last quarter, while ‘Jellycat toys’ racked up a staggering 1.6 million searches in just one month.1

Price comparison service MoneySuperMarket’s analysis of its home insurance data shows a 30% decline in people insuring traditional collectibles like wine and stamps. Meanwhile, as the craze for limited-edition toy collectibles takes off, MoneySuperMarket insurance experts are urging collectors to protect their prized pieces — with cover that shields against theft, loss, or damage.2

The importance of valuing your collection:

Kara Gammell, Insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket explains: “The first step to protecting your collection is finding out its total value. There are several different ways you can do this:

Get a valuation from experts – specialist dealers and auction houses can usually offer valuations for collectable items.
Use an online valuation service – this can be a more convenient way to seek valuations.
Research sale history – specialist dealers or even websites like eBay can give you data on how much people are paying for items like yours.”
Does your home insurance cover toy collections:

Kara continues: “Most standard home insurance policies include cover for collections, however, all policies vary – including the single-item limit which refers to the amount you can claim for any one item. Depending on the provider and policy, per-item limits usually range between £1,500 and £2,500.3 It’s important to check your policy documents to be sure on the level of cover, and update it with any new additions to your collection that could exceed the single item limit, to ensure you’re fully protected.”

Labubu hooks collectors with its unpredictable blind‑box drops and rare limited editions. Therefore, despite a single toy costing £13 – £60 on sites like Pop Mart, rare ones are selling for more than £1,000 on Ebay. Just last week, the Labubu craze reached new heights, when a child-sized toy sold for more than £110,000 at an event dedicated to the collectibles.4

Kara adds: “Most contents insurance policies cover items on a ‘new-for-old’ basis – meaning if something’s damaged, it’ll be replaced with a brand-new equivalent, no matter its age. According to MoneySuperMarket’s data, the average replacement cost for comic collections hit £30,000 in May 2025. Toy collections might not reach such a high value, but if you are an avid collector of anything – especially more expensive limited edition items, it’s important to make sure you’ve got the right insurance in place in case something does happen.”

High value toy collections:

Kara explains: “If your collection is worth a lot of money you can take out high-value home insurance, or specialist collectibles insurance which often includes extra protections such as accidental damage and temporary location cover. Collections insurance can be a costly option though, so it’s always advisable to check your home insurance policy before purchasing additional cover.”

Ensuring your collection is protected outside of the home:

With collectable toys like Labubus becoming a popular accessory to be worn on bags and purses, Kara explains how you can also protect your items outside of the home and on-the-go: “Personal possessions insurance covers your personal belongings against loss, damage, or theft when you take them outside of your home. This makes it a different type of protection to home contents cover, which pays out if your belongings are stolen or damaged within your home. The items covered vary from one policy to another, and you may need to specify individual items in your collection to ensure you’re fully protected.”