[camo]

Hi

I will be heading home (NZ) for one month in 1 week and am in need of some insurance to cover mainly my photo gear. I currently reside in Alberta Canada. Seems all insurance options don't cover such items or exclude them if stolen from a parked car. This doesn't really do it for me.

Any one with experience?

Cheers

[stormtech]

I've never had the need myself, but my first thought is to check with your home owners insurance company - there are all kinds of riders you can put on your policy. If you don't own a home, your renters insurance should do the same.

[daacon]

I have done a bit of traveling with some and at times all my gear - I have never taken out insurance. But I do like Stan''s idea of your home owner policy - it may be not be that cost effective though. Once I regretted the no insurance as I dropped K20D and Pentax DA* 50-135 from about shoulder height onto some pavement. As good as these items were built , there were no match for gravity and the sudden stop onto a hard surface. I am not sure insurance would have covered 'stupidity' though ....Sometimes if you booked with a Credit Card they may have a 'lost or stolen' items coverage good for 'x' dollars as well - check that out.

[camo]

k, thanks. Seems this is a hard thing to find. Might stick with my working overseas insurance as that looks to cover the most.

[Alliecat]

Are you a CAA member, or the Alberta auto association? CAA travel insurance is pretty good, & may cover belongings...

[Medium FormatPro]

Here is one which varies widely depending upon where one travels. Everyone that travels with their camera and/or computer should seriously consider this...

Depending upon ones own policy and also where one happens to be at the time; something one should think of...

If you happen to be in your own vehicle, and are in an accident. *Let's exclude liability on this one* If you have a computer and/or camera with you - are they both completely covered; minus a deducatable - and up to what amount?? Also consider... With an "ole fashioned" platter drive hard disk - the hard disk might in fact be so damaged it will not work - depending upon year made and quality of model, etc... So there may also be data recovery services needed.

So would it be covered by ones auto policy, renters or homeowners, or attachment to ones policy? Also note if you have more than one paid "assignment" over a twelve month period that one needs to have a business policy - yep it's built into versions of the american contracts.

Either way, have fun "bargaining" with ones polocy over this one.

[wombat2go]

I use travel insurance with a major credit card provider on a per trip basis. It is usually about $40 per trip
Just reading the policy doc, it pays up to $300 per article, regards photo equip as 'high risk items' and therefore limits aggregate coverage to $500 per occurrence.
It does also provide cover in personal or rental cars for the duration of the trip.

One time ( with another insurer) I accidentally towed my boat trailer over my camera bag. Destroyed ME Super. ...On the phone " Wazzat ?? you DROVE OVER your camera ??"
So the insurance co sent me to a camera store to pick out an "equivalent" and the shop manager showed me the MZ-5 but was limited to giving me a P30T !

[camo]

hmmm. It seems to me however that at only $300 per article or $500 total for camera gear wouldn't even cover a camera body let alone a bag containing body, lenses etc. It seems my working overseas insurance, while expensive, will cover more and I may just take that.