[bigoak]

Not sure if this is the right forum;

Does anybody insure their gear? I know many renter's insurance policies cover theft, but does any cover any incidental damage (e.g. dropping, etc) to cameras & lenses?

Thanks

[MarkJerling]

Not sure if this is the right forum;

Does anybody insure their gear? I know many renter's insurance policies cover theft, but does any cover any incidental damage (e.g. dropping, etc) to cameras & lenses?

Thanks

You'll need to check with your insurer, but here by us, certainly, my household contents insurance covers accidental damage as well as theft.

[bigoak]

You'll need to check with your insurer, but here by us, certainly, my household contents insurance covers accidental damage as well as theft.

If you don't mind me asking, who do you go through? Allstate?

[photolady95]

I maintain a business liability policy with State Farm that adds an equipment rider good for 10K. 1K deductible on the gear. Covers rental gear too. The policy is discounted as I have other policies with them.

Thanks for that. I too am with State Farm. Now I can go talk to them about insuring my gear.

[MarkJerling]

If you don't mind me asking, who do you go through? Allstate?

The AA (Automobile Association).

[bigoak]

I maintain a business liability policy with State Farm that adds an equipment rider good for 10K. 1K deductible on the gear. Covers rental gear too. The policy is discounted as I have other policies with them.

10% of your total coverage is in deductible? 1k seems steep for a business policy rider. What's the premium look like?

[aslyfox]

Thanks for that. I too am with State Farm. Now I can go talk to them about insuring my gear.

I have State Farm and my photography equipment is automatically covered under household and auto policies

but I didn't like that coverage so I got a personal property rider ( ? article ? ) at an additional cost which covers specific listed personal property to which I have added my photography equipment.

the best thing is to sit down with your individual agent and go over all the options and costs involved.

I have also listed my camera bodies and lenses with Lenstag in an effort to help recover in case of theft

Lenstag - Protect your camera equipment, images and help make the world safer for photography on iOS, Android and the web.

[photolady95]

Thanks Allen. I'll talk to my agent soon.

[bigoak]

My Business Owners Policy includes a standard 1 Million/2 Million Business Liability plus a bunch of other coverage for business loss. The 10K Inland Marine Rider covering my camera gear was my estimate, figuring what it would take to replace my working bag plus lighting gear. Choosing a 1K Deductible kept my costs down, just like it does with car or house insurance. If I can't cover a 1K expense out of revenue, I don't really have a business.

My annual premium is around $320 which is what I was paying for just Business Liability with another company before I talked to My State Farm Agent. I just spent about $300 to get a lens repaired and I expect that sort of stuff to happen. What I want to insure is catastrophic loss for a price that fits my business.

Makes good sense. Thanks for the information. sounds like a decent company.

[honey bo bo]

Almost 3 years ago to the day I lost 90 % of my gear I had accumulated over decades when I left it in my truck overnight to go to the camp the next day. Luck would have I either left the door unlocked or they had a master at any rate everything was stolen. Latter the Police returned a couple bags and 2 tripods. I cried until I found out my Home Owners (Intact Insurance) insures Stupidity. I filed a police report with all my gear that I could remember and they discovered a little bit of it near my home and was returned. I turned the list over to my Insurance People with very limited serial #'s and they in turn told me to get 2 Photo Shops to quote REPLACEMENTS and VALUES. The local photo shop was excellent & Intact Insurance was superb.
All was replaced with as close to the current equivalent as possible to a total 0 $9000.00 Insured limit was $10,000.00 & $500.00 Deduct.
CONCLUSION
Keep a list with values, when purchased and serial numbers . (Makes life a heck of lot easier. I do now!)
Match your Home Owners Ins with values covered limits and what you have in gear. If over the limit you will have to list on a rider .
File a Police report and find a Brick & Morter Photo Store that will help you out with replacements.

Over the years I had become extremely loose in my controls of a valuable Asset and was very Lucky at the Outcome.
I have to THANK & TAKE OUT TO DINNER The Punk that stole my Equipment , My Insurance Co and Image Tech the Local Brick & Morter

[aslyfox]

. . .

Keep a list with values, when purchased and serial numbers . (Makes life a heck of lot easier. I do now!)
Match your Home Owners Ins with values covered limits and what you have in gear. If over the limit you will have to list on a rider .
File a Police report and find a Brick & Morter Photo Store that will help you out with replacements. . . .

great advice and one we should stress to friends and family who have photographic equipment

talk with your insurance agent and find out what your existing coverage is exactly

" what if this happens ??? - fire, theft from home or car or away from home or on the street, item dropped or damaged "

and consider spending more $ if necessary to get what you need

btw

you do have images of all your equipment and the serial numbers don't you?

are such images safely stored or on the computer which might also be taken in a burglary?

[E-man]

great advice and one we should stress to friends and family who have photographic equipment

talk with your insurance agent and find out what your existing coverage is exactly

" what if this happens ??? - fire, theft from home or car or away from home or on the street, item dropped or damaged "

and consider spending more $ if necessary to get what you need

btw

you do have images of all your equipment and the serial numbers don't you?

are such images safely stored or on the computer which might also be taken in a burglary?

Those files are best stored in the Cloud, where they can be recovered from any connected device.

[Ron Boggs]

Ask any insurance agent for an Inland Marine policy and ask for guidance on "hoop jumping." Save all original receipts...Inland Marine policy covers everything including mysterious disappearance and dropped overboard.

NANPA offered a professional association Inland Marine policy back when they first started, but I think that trickled away. Can't recall why I left the NANPA policy and went rogue?

Rates are not low...I used to pay $1300/year to cover $60,000 of Pentax gear. Less gear nowadays with these digital toys...cheapest hobby around!