Camera Insurance

adrian522

Hi,
I am going on a trip for 1 month, taking most of my camera equipment with me.

I bought the usual standard travel insurance but that only covers you up tp €250 per item.
Now all the camera equipment probably comes in at over €1500. Should I look at seperate insurance or does anyone know of any companies that do this?

Thanks.

eas

have you checked your house insurance policy?

I was surprised to find that my gear was covered under my house policy if damaged on holidays...may be worth a call

Covey

House insurance way to go, unless you have very high value items, say over 5K.

T.

Vmaxer

I would not rely on travel insurance, because I had My camera and Laptop stolen from a Hire car on Holiday this Year and the Travel Insurance would not pay out a Cent. They had in there small print somewhere that valuables are not covered when stolen from a Car! So I thought that the house insurance would cover but not unless I had excess on the policy which I didn't so I lost over 2,000 worth of equiptment and nobody would cover it. So I have learned My lesson and have taken out excess on the House policy to the value of 3 grand for valuables taken outside the House..
You are wise to check this before You go on Holiday sooner than assume that You would be covered like I did..:mad:

Roen

I gave PJT up in Swords a ring about twelve days ago as some of the users here are with them and they said they'd mail me down a quote with all the details of what's covered and what's not. I'm still waiting ffs.

I also asked the girlie on the line if they had a new for old policy, as in if my x year old xxx 2.8 L takes a dive will they replace with a new copy of the same lens or body or just give me the value minus depreciation and she hadn't a clue.

I'm still without insurance. By the way she said about €8000 worth would come to €280 (ish) a year for non professional use.

Covey

Must check mine but I know.

3 named items are free.

After that I pay about €55 per annum. I would have about 3-4 k

T.

nilhg

I have my house insurance with FBD and when I bought my camera i got them to put it on (their term) all risks, €1500 of gear cost about $35pa. They said at the time it will cover me at all times inside an out of the country.

rymus

I got a quote from PJT about a year ago. It was something like €380 for up to €10k's worth of cover. I dont know if the people on the phones up there are too well informed as Roen says.. I specified that I'd be travelling outside the country a few times and would need that covered. She said fine, when I got the policy it said valid only in Ireland!?! I'll have to get onto them again soon before carting the camera over to Canada next year...

paudie

Similar problem with PJT, still waiting for them to get back to me two weeks later.

Was thinking about joining the NUJ, as they have a deal with an insurance company as far as I know. Anybody else have other ideas for commercial insurance?

rymus

yeah but to join the NUJ dont you have to make the majority of your income in journalism?

PJT are wicked slow sending out quotes, I must have been at least a month waiting for mine. Better ring them again today actually... If I'm to have any hope of getting it by christmas

adrian522

Well seeing how I'm leaving tomorrow this crowd in Swords is a no go for me. Should have sorted this out ages ago. I'll try and get in on the folks house insurance, that's about all I can do....

Covey

Why is everyone going to PJT if they are so slow and expensive?

T.

rymus

'cos theyre the only option?

paudie

I think there other options, do a bit of searching around on the web and you'll find some. I think Royal&Son Alliance are the crowd who work with the NUJ, so they obviously do it. I found others but have forgotten now, must start looking again.

Roen

One of the 800 pieces of paper that falls out of one of the photography mags I get is usually for a UK insurer, I must chase it up and see what the craic is.

paudie

I tried that and they seem to only insure those resident in the UK

rymus

yeah tried that myself.. Rang a few and got sick of it and gave up because they didnt want to talk to anyone outside the UK

Roen

Nuts!

kcphoto

I have been attempting to get insurance on and off for a while now and every lead seems to go nowhere.

My experience so far is that all UK companies will only insure UK residents, so forget the leaflets in the mags.

I have contacted pjt by email and phone previously and received no response at all.This may well be the most likely option as most companies don't do photo insurance (for amateurs anyway) but it doesn't reassure you if you had to submit a claim.

Recently I read that towergate.co.uk were covering Ireland also and they do, but only professionals (I was qouted €899 until I told her I was amatuer and they don't qoute amateurs)

Some house insurance policies seem to have an add on option for items outside the home.
Mine doesn't (axa) but I have been told by a fellow photographer that he has his home insurance (for a rental property) with AIB and they allowed him to have additional cover outside the home for his laptop, and photo gear.
This is my next port of call and I will cancel my current policy if AIB come through.

May also give pjt another try.
To be honest, it seems most companies could offer this and just don't want the hassle.

CraggyIslander

camera's should be covered under home and contents insurance. And if its a good policy you can specify items like cameras to be covered outside the house as well.

I'm a tenant myself and always thought it impossible to get insurance (as their all geared to home owners), but with 3k+ of camera lying around cant not have insurance. I've done more digging and found www.123.ie (a broker for Eagle Star, but eagle stars site has no mention of contents only insurance.

I filled out the forms last night (select home insurance and then tenant from the dropdown), they phoned this morning that the policy is in the post Sorted! 123.ie are a broker for eagle star, and no problem covering irish tenants.

rymus

Did you specify each of the contents of your camera bag or the whole kit just as "Camera". I see they require valuations if an item is in excess of €5k..

CraggyIslander

I specified it as Camera plus lenses at 4k (leaving me a bit of room for an extra lens ) If I had L class lenses I'd probably list them seperately anyway. Receipts for camera and lenses should be enough if the total went over 5k I'd imagine tho. I'll post back once I have the policy from them and have seen the small print

rymus

nice one, I'll hang on till then.

kcphoto

Since my previous post I have contacted AXA again as home insurance seems to be the way to go.

They have now added 3k cover for laptop ,camera and lenses outside the home and anywhere in the world (for 60 days).
Charged me nothing until renewal in March, but premium will go up about €50 for next year.

I'm very happy with this now, but annoyed that the guy I spoke to a year ago told me I couldn't add to my policy. Maybe he was wrong or possibly they have changed their policies since then.

macgabhs

I got contents only cover for my rented flat with FBD and put the camera and laptop as all risks so they are covered outside the flat.

CraggyIslander

Well, small print says my 4k camera plus lenses and 2k laptop are covered outside the house 24x7 in ireland, the north, britain, isle of man and channel island... rest of world is max 60 days

Roen

Just got a letter from PJT this morning. €280 for €8000 worth of clobber. I'll scoot out to FBD and see what they can do.

rymus

Just gone through with 123.ie. €5k worth of contents cover and €11k worth of cover for camera gear for €200.22. As Fred says, that includes 60 days cover outside the EU or 24/7 cover within the EU.

Seems like a much better deal than PJT, who offered me €10k worth of cover for €380, even at that only covered within Ireland & the UK. Update us when you've got news Roen.

Roen

Well surprise, surprise FBD don't do camera insurance, but they will cover cameras as part of your house insurance. Because I have my mighty chariot insured with them they are doing house and camera/lenses for €450.
That's non professional use and extends outside Ireland too. It's also a new for old policy so I get the equivalent modern model if I 'forget' one of my lenses one day
I still may try look further afield. Where I don't know but I'll keep looking.

man1

Just rang FBD and got cover for my new camera for only €25.50 a year.
The total value covered is €1100.
I think thats reasonable. Anyone get better than that??

Thats for anywhere outside my home including holidays etc for accidental damage and theft. (my house contents insurance already covers everything inside the home)

Dixons were looking for €270 for a 4 year warranty??????!!!!!!!

sineadw

I'm in the middle of sorting insurance (been paranoid as hell...). Man1 - is there an excess payable on that? That seems an excellent price. You're in Dublin yes? Is that a quote on just the camera or do you have insurance with them already for other things?

Roen

Wow, this is a blast from the past, but very welcome as I put this on the long finger and still dont have insurance.

man1

sineadw wrote:

I'm in the middle of sorting insurance (been paranoid as hell...). Man1 - is there an excess payable on that? That seems an excellent price. You're in Dublin yes? Is that a quote on just the camera or do you have insurance with them already for other things?

Dont think there is excess payable on it, she didnt mention it. Will have the policy on friday, will take a look and get back to you.
I have house insurance with them but this is separate to it. I actually wanted to add it on to it but she said it had to be separate.
I got the refund off dixons for their insurance by the way, they werent too happy either!!! LOL

paudie

I got onto AON, as a lot of photogs in Aus and UK seem to use them and their "cameraman" policy. They don't offer it here.
For €5K of equipment all risk plus 30 days outside the country and 2.7M public liability they quoted €1250, they wouldn't give me a quote without the public liability.

What I've heard from a lot of insurance brokers is to get my home insurers to insure a "studio" in my house (apparently most will do this) then get them to extend to policy to on location.

Only problem is I live with my parents still and have no house insurance policy myself.

Any ideas?

leinsterman

I have my camera gear covered as specified items to a value of €5k (no single item over €1400) ... all on my house insurance with One Direct ... think the underwriter is Hibernian ... but I'm not 100% sure ... also don't know if they do new for old ... must check ... a second hand L lens is almost as expensive as a new one!!

They say I can keep adding items too .. as I build my gear up ... items (including Lenses) under €1000 do not need to be specified.