Insurance for a camera rental?

[celluloidprop]

I've booked myself a week in San Francisco in June - as it stands I'll take my M2/ZM 50, or my XPro-1... but I kind of want to rent a M9 for the week. As long as I'm on vacation anyway, the expense is easier to justify.

Lensrentals.com offers a damage waiver, but I'm curious if anyone knows of an insurance option that covers me if I get robbed/etc.?

 

[Paul Jenkin]

I'm based in the UK but I am an underwriting manager for an insurance company. I would suggest that you approach your home insurers to see if they are prepared to add the item to your policy and note the interest of the owner of the equipment. Be sure to check any vover limitations about loss / damage in hotel rooms / unattended vehicles, etc. but this might be a more cost-effective option.

 

[sevo]

Hereabouts rentals (with the exception of the primary flat or house you inhabit) are exempt from default liability and property insurance contracts, and as the rental companies don't want to bear the risk that the majority of their clients are either ignorant or forgetful regarding their state of insurance, just about every rental I ever did not only offered a damage waiver, but had it firmly bundled in.

As the waiver is optional in your case, chances are that you are more likely to be already insured. Read up whether you already are insured as extension of your home owners, liability, travel/luggage insurance. If you are not, that waiver probably will be less of a hassle (and overall cheaper, if your time is worth anything) than taking out a separate insurance.

 

[celluloidprop]

I always take the damage waiver, but that doesn't cover loss and theft unfortunately.
I'm about to take out a new renters' insurance policy when I move in a couple of weeks, I think I'll ask Allstate about it.