Insurance

[NikonUser]

Hi there,

I'm just wondering if any of you guys have insured your camera gear for "Theft, Loss and Accidental Damage"?

I have quite a bit of equipment that I would be extremely upset if anything ever happened to it so I'd really like to get it all insured.

I can't really go through home and contents as I don't own the home or contents I'm currently living in.

I have the following requirements

1) I'm not a pro but would still like to be covered if I make a couple of bucks selling images.

2) Would like to be covered all over Australia for Theft, Accidental Damage and Loss.

3) Would like to be covered for the replacement value of my gear, not just market value.

4) There could be other stuff I haven't thought of yet.

Could anyone out there advise me on the appropriate way to go here?

THanks very much

Paul

[redline]

Best to speak to your home insurnace policy co. about getting your stuff covered and read the fine print. usually cheaper than going out to getting them covered sep.

[stubbsy]

Also suggest you do a search on the word insurance. There have been a few threads on this in the last couple of weeks.

[Onyx]

Self insure - ie. set aside say $20 a week against the cost of all your photographic equipment. If you need to make a 'claim' within a year or two, you'd have an amount set aside (which may or may not cover everything), however if you didn't need to make a claim (and touch wood hopefully you won't), you've just got your 'premium' refunded (with some interest if you're clever) which you can then use for new/replacement stuff!

[redline]

say if i have 10k of equipment to insure i would need to "save" 20$ a week for 500 weeks?.
hopfully i won't get robbed of my money in the meantime

[Heath Bennett]

I quite like Onyx's idea here.

Insurance is a gamble anyway, and the insurance companies make a huge amount on it. Do your maths, and decide whether or not you are a clumsy person or simply accident prone. If you can't give yourself an honest answer, ask a close family member, girlfriend or significant other You can probably get an honest opinion that way

My gear is insured through my business insurance, but if I was not making money and part of my living from photography, I would just be careful and take Onyx's advice.

[Alex]

I called my contents insurer (CGU) and asked if they could offer me insurance for my D70 and a couple of lenses, against accidental breakage, theft outside the house, etc. They said it is automatically covered for separately listed items on my contents insurance without any extra payment. Mind you, this is only D70 + kit lens +70-300G and the coverage only works within Australia.

Alex

[fozzie]

Alex,

I am with CGU and if you look at page 42 of the 'listed events home insurance product disclosure statement and policy booklet':

When we will pay

Your valuable items are insured for any accidental damage or accidental loss. The accidental damage or accidental loss must happen within Audstralia or New Zealand. We will also pay if the accidental damage or accidental loss happens anywhere else in the world. Cover away from Australia and New Zealand is limited to 90 consecutive days and starts from the time you leave Australia.

[Alex]

Thanks, Fozzie! Even better then.

Cheers
Alex