Insurance

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I've got enough gear now (R-D1, R4A, DSLR, bunch of lenses etc) that I'm a little paranoid about it. Also I have a room full of guitars, amps, drums, and keyboards as well, worth quite a bit more than the cameras, which I've been amassing and restoring for ten years.

Should I just call up my homeowner's insurance company (State Farm) and get some insurance from them? Or are there national companies that specialize in this stuff? How do you all insure your equipment?

 

[sepiareverb]

This comes up every now and again, but everybody I call gives me a quote that says "Forget about insurance Bob." My homeowners won't cover what I have, and since it (the equipment) leaves the house the coverage is astronomical through them. I've given up.

 

[gertf]

I only insure my gear when I go travelling overseas as part of an extended travel insurance.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I have Allstate. Their home insurance policy covers my gear... even if I travel. They'll give me up to $2000 a piece in case of theft (only theft!).

Check with yours.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Check with yours.

Will do!.....

 

[retow]

Insurance means to send your good money to a balance sheet of unknown quality, where it will be "managed" by the same guys who just show us every day how competent they are. But you hope, to get some of your money back should something happen to your gear. Since about 20 years, I prefer to self insure all of my household items, including whatever gear I have accumulated. And for sure the net present value of all of my losses (some lost items only) is substantially below the net present value of insurance premiums I would have paid otherwise.