Advice on camera insurance?

Kurooi · 06-11-2022 3:33pm #1

Any advice on providers of camera insurance? And how much it might cost? Personal use, hobby , I've about €5k worth of kit and I mostly shoot wildlife so find myself quite uncomfortable about getting mugged... Had a look through insurers a lot of the docs and quotes are about home security which for me is less of a concern more so worried about when I take the camera out with me.

Gregor Samsa · 06-11-2022 4:29pm

I was looking into this recently too. I found various providers of "gadget insurance" for a phone or tablet, but very little that would specifically insure a fairly substantial camera and lens kit (mine's at about €16k 😳). This was the only company I found that specifically mentions offering camera equipment to hobbyists:

https://www.camerainsurance.ie/

I haven't used them or even got a quote from them yet, but I might do this week.

Other option is your house insurance. You might need to name the items specifically with them, but check your policy. Back in 2009, I had a DSLR and some lenses (and an iPad, iPod and MacBook) stolen from a holiday apartment in Berlin (about 5k worth of stuff). Someone forced the double-locked door open while we were out at dinner and took everything. Our home insurance paid out on that, even though I didn't have any of the items named on the policy. We had a police report, and an assessor came out to the house and wanted to see receipts or boxes, then they paid out within a week.

Kurooi · 07-11-2022 1:42pm

Hi again Gregor :)

Yeah so that company I looked at and I was a little put off by the terms , like 5 lever mortice deadlock yeah I've a sliding door in the back porch so I'm going to say I likely don't have that on there. That probably invalidates all claims and I'd just be paying for nothing. Then windows, hefty requirement they're key operated but I hardly lock them away. And of course vague wording 'standard construction' might mean they pick an issue over security of an extension. Lastly the yourself and family part effectively excludes many renters.

I might be reading into it too much. That said if I was worried about the property I'd just get contents insurance. My issue is out in the field if I were to get attacked I hear all sorts of nightmare stories about bicycles and I find myself just a bit reluctant to take the camera with me on some trips. I might email them ask to clarify how much cover they offer on that, report back?

Gregor Samsa · 07-11-2022 2:15pm

Hmm, I hadn't actually got as far as reading the assumptions. The mortice deadlock one is strange, since they can only be fitted to wooden doors, which are becoming less popular than composite and PVC. Also the "no previous claims" point is very vague. Do they mean from them? On another policy covering camera equipment? On any insurance policy at all? You'd be right to get clarification on anything you're unsure about - the insurance industry in general isn't known for an "ah, don't mind that, you know what I mean, it's grand" attitude.

As for safety out and about, I supposed it depends on the kind of places you're going to. Personally, where I live and do most of my shooting, it isn't something that even enters my mind. But I was followed one time in Barcelona, when I was shooting with an old Minolta film SLR. I spotted the guy very clearly scoping me out in the crowd. I had a few shots left on the roll, so I very blatantly zoomed in on him and took a couple of shots, then removed the film from the camera and smiled at him as I put it into an inside pocket, to let him know that if anything happened, I could identify him. He ran off. My wife had a point-and-shoot stolen from her hand in Cuba. She was standing at the side of the road with the strap around her wrist, taking a shot of a building, when a moped sped past and the back passenger cut the strap and it sped off. So yeah, if you're in dodgy areas, it pays to be careful, or covered.

And did you get the R7? If so, I hope it's going well :-)

flyingsnail · 07-11-2022 7:23pm

You will find language similar to that in pretty much any insurance policy. If you cant meet those assumptions give them a call and they may be able to work around them, they were able to sort it for me even though my house was too close to a water course.

Kurooi · 07-11-2022 7:53pm

Yeah a lot of assumptions make me on the fence about that one. Typical insurance scam they let me sign up no problem but if I were to ever require the help they will throw 3 volumes of T&Cs in my face.

I did not get the R7, I was in the queue for about a month, then started reading all the negativity around Canon going after lens makers and decided to revaluate. Took you up on your first suggestion :) The Sony A7 iv. The store was perfectly fine with it they had it on hand and gave me back the deposit. Splurged on the lens too Sony 200-600mm. Beautiful kit, I'm not worth it but I'll get there, have a few winter waterfowl trips in November first one this weekend. I'm happy I made the switch, especially the full frame , I got a 28-70mm lens as part of the kit and that's more than enough as an entry to some landscapes/architecture/portraits.

So thank you for the help on that too. Unsolicited Chiff Chaff shot with the A7 iv :)

Gregor Samsa · 07-11-2022 9:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119846552#Comment_119846552

Nice one on the A7iv! I went with the Tamron 150-500 for my Sonys, which I’m happy with, but I really should upgrade to the Sony 200-600, everything I hear about it says it’s a great lens. Maybe in spring. Nice shot of the Chiff Chaff, they’re flighty little fellas.

IrishHomer · 17-11-2022 5:04pm

Sony is great but very big and heavy

CabanSail · 24-12-2022 2:06am

I have had a claim on a Lens Repair on my Home Insurance. IIRC it was my 24/70 F2.8 VR that was damaged on a shoot. My cover includes Accidental Damage and they covered replacement other than the Excess which was AU$700.

When I went over to live in Yangon I only took selected pieces of kit. The scheme covered me for all my possessions up AU$10k. I had my Macbook Pro plus the gear I took which would have been about AU$20k replacement value. I took out a policy which covers gear for repair or replacement value for AU$10k. The great thing about this policy is it only has an excess of AU$100.

I was shooting at an event at the Italian Embassy and a pissed French Tourist bashed his huge watch into the front element of my 16mm Fisheye. It took a chip out of the glass. I took it to the Myanmar Nikon agents and they assessed it as being too expensive to replace the front element. They paid me out for the RRP of the replacement. I added a bit to it and got the 8/15 Fisheye Zoom.

Now I am home in Australia I have kept the policy and it now has my DJI Inspire on the policy (Drones need to specified, no added charge for the first one)

For only €5k of gear I would be shopping around for a home policy that gives accidental cover and is valid for items temporarily removed from the premises.

mark blake · 14-01-2023 3:07am

Get a Rotweiler, best insurance

Advice on camera insurance?

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