She acknowledged that good old psychological inertia is a barrier to proactive disaster preparation; for example, she said, the majority of wine collectors do not have insurance for their cellars. She suggested that clients assign the preparation to a member of the household staff.
"Push an emotional button," she said. "Ask whether with all the time, money and passion you've put into collecting, don't you want to preserve your collection?"
Zigerlig also noted two resources to help people prepare for and recover from natural disasters: the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which has researched ways to protect its own collection, and the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
-Michael S. Fischer