How To Replace Your Military Medals?

Throughout the armed forces community, across rank or status, gallantry, campaign and meritorious service medals are treasured mementos bestowed as personal awards that reflect honour, duty and the gratitude of a nation.

But what can you do when the unthinkable happens and your medals are lost, stolen, or destroyed in an accident? For many it can seem like suffering a serious personal tragedy. But don’t worry, there are options and here at Trinity Insurance we can help you in retrieving or replacing your medals (or medals that are family heirlooms). We have helped many members of the armed forces community protect their cherished possessions.

How To Replace Stolen Military Medals

The good news is that you can get a replacement military/army medal from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) if it was stolen or destroyed, for example, in a fire or flood. This applies to any medals awarded for service after World War 1.

You will need to write the MoD a letter explaining how the medal was stolen or destroyed and show proof by providing a copy of either a police crime report or an insurance claim listing the individual items.

Below you will find a link which will take you to the government website with all the vital information. The complete process means that you should get your replacement medal within six to eight weeks of applying.

You do not normally have to pay a fee if it is the first medal you are replacing.

Military medals replaced using Trinity Insurance hang from armed forces uniform.

How To Replace Lost Military Service Medals UK

Losing your military service or campaign medals makes replacing them a little trickier but not impossible.

Unfortunately, the MoD will not provide replacements for honours such as army medals deemed lost, whatever the circumstances, and that includes damage arising from wear and tear, mechanical or electrical failure, and deliberate loss or damage caused intentionally by you.

However, you do not need to give up hope as here at Trinity Insurance we have got some options for you to help regain your medals or find replacements. Speak to us first if you have lost your medals and we will see if they were listed on your kit, contents and personal possessions policy. As a reminder, you should always itemise anything that is valued £1,500 and over when you take out our policy. Veterans should ensure they list their medals with their home contents insurance provider.

You can buy a replica medal from a specialist medal company (but you need to check that they are licensed by the Ministry of Defence) or from a reputable medal dealer. There are plenty of dealers out there and they charge as little as £20 for a General Service Medal.

We have provided some useful links below to help you in your search for a replacement.

Navy serviceman stands proudly with his lost military medals while protecting his daughter.

Let Trinity Protect Your Medals

Medal collections can be very valuable. The rarer the medal, the more it is worth. The average for a Victoria Cross is around £100,000 (one has sold for £1.5 million), a group of common non-gallantry WW1 medals are valued at £200-£500 and a set of seven contemporary medals is around £1000-£2000.

Regardless of these valuations, they are invaluable to the owner. Often overlooked, they should be included in your home and contents insurance policy as specified items within your personal possessions.

As specialists in military insurance, we at Trinity can provide military kit, contents and personal possessions insurance which can include cover for a single medal or an entire collection. Speak to us if you are unsure how to list items as we can tailor policies to include awards, decorations, medals, badges and insignia as well as providing protection for your belongings in either your living quarters on camp or at home, and that’s worldwide.

Useful Links:

The official UK government site for replacement service medals:

Website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-medal-or-veterans-badge/replace-a-medal-or-badge

The Royal British Legion:

Website: https://support.britishlegion.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/2290/~/medals-faq

Trinity’s Kit, Contents and Personal Possessions insurance

Website: https://talktotrinity.com/insurance/military-kit-personal-possessions-contents-insurance/

Replacement sites:^*

Empire Medals

Website: https://www.empiremedals.com/

Award Medals

Website: https://www.awardmedals.com/