Equipment Insurance

[Bettyboo]

Hi,

I am only an amateur, but over the past couple of years I have realised that the amount of equipment I have bought has been slowly creeping up (not sure how that happened ) but think it is probably time to get separate photographic equipment insurance.

I have Googled this and have lots of different companies pop up, but wondered if anyone could recommend a company or broker in the UK please?

I am looking for cover in the region of £4000.00 if you can buy it like that of course?

Many thanks in advance.

Lynne

[Donald]

Lynne

Look carefully at your household contents insurance.

I went down the same road as you and then looked carefully at the household policy, spoke to my broker, clarified a couple of matters (particularly about use in the field and storage in locked cars) and identified that it provided far better cover than any of the 'bespoke' camera equipment policies that I'd looked at.

My experience is that these type of policies may come into their own if the value of your gear is in the £10k/15k and above arena. But my cover is for £6k.

Of course, household contents policies are different. But it's definitely worth checking it out.

[ktuli]

Lynne,

I'm with Donald on this one. I have a separate policy that goes along with my home-owners policy that covers my camera equipment. They cover each item individually and as I add new equipment, I simply email my agent a copy of the invoice and they add it to the policy. The rates are perfectly reasonable (far better than the "extended warranty" policies you can buy in stores), and the peace of mind is just nice to have to know that if something happens I'm fully covered.

I'm in the states, and I use State Farm for my insurance provider. I don't know if that helps at all in the UK, but figured I'd offer.

- Bill

[Bettyboo]

HI Gentlemen,

Many thanks indeed for your comments. Actually, I had made a large assumption that this amount wouldn't be covered without even checking first, DOH!

So off to get the policy out now and as I have to renew that policy in December anyway, there might be some room for negotiations for the future

Many thanks again, might save some money to buy that ring flash I have been looking at!!

Take care.
Lynne

[Ady]

My home contents insurance offers pretty good personal cover but not for all risks or for commercial use.

I know you say you are an amateur at the moment but if you do think about commercial work in the future I would suggest having a look at 'In Focus Photography Insurance' (www.infocusinsurance.co.uk). The policy is underwritten by Hiscox and can be customised to cover everything incuding public and product liability, employers liablility, proffesional indemnity and loss of earnings, through to an all risks policy to cover your equipment, even it it's being used by someone else to shoot an event on your behalf.

Cheers,
A

[Donald]

Lynne - Even if the amount for 'special items' (or whatever your policy calls cameras etc) is okay, double check to make sure about any conditions might affect the cover; e.g. that you can use the equipment at the top of a mountain, standing on one foot, as you overhang a 1000ft sheer cliff face, all in order to get that once-in-a-lifetime landscape.

[Bettyboo]

Just checked and you are spot on Gents,

The total high value cover is £5000 which is fine and I will look to increase that slight when I review in December and any one single high value item cover is £1500 and that is the price of the highest value body I have, the D700, so perfect.

You have saved me unnecessarily spending money for something I didn't need at the moment, so thank you very much indeed, much appreciated, GO CIC

[Bettyboo]

Ady, sorry hadn't checked for other replies before I replied, if that makes sense? Thanks for that information I will definitely start looking at this now for the future.

Thanks again Donald, yes good point and I am going to contact them anyway with an individual list so I will check in more detail for 'fine print'.

Thanks again much appreciated.

Lynne

[Mike Buckley]

that you can use the equipment at the top of a mountain, standing on one foot, as you overhang a 1000ft sheer cliff face, all in order to get that once-in-a-lifetime landscape.

My wife was recently holding my pants and belt with both hands as I was leaning over the edge of a cliff to get a better angle on the bottom of a waterfall. Trust me when I say that the last thing I was worrying about at the time was whether my camera equipment would survive.

[ktuli]

My wife was recently holding my pants and belt with both hands as I was leaning over the edge of a cliff to get a better angle on the bottom of a waterfall. Trust me when I say that the last thing I was worrying about at the time was whether my camera equipment would survive.

I plunge my camera into the ocean as often as possible... so yeah, worrying about whether my camera equipment will survive is something I worry about, but a lot less so with it insured.