Do you guys Insure your Camera equipment?

G

Gene Sung

Veteran
My 7D kit is getting really expensive. I travel a lot and I'm doing a little surfing film in Peru right now. I've been there several times with no problem, but I'm just waiting for when I do get robbed.

What insurance do you guys have for your camera equipment? I contacted my Condo insurance (AMCO/Allied), and they said my Condo insurance would cover it for non-professional use. But it sounds kind of sketchy. I would be willing to pay a bit extra for some good, solid camera insurance.

What do you guys do?
 
If you're traveling to foreign countries, especially if you're doing anything near the water, production and equipment coverages are really tricky.

Buying temporary travelers insurance is a good way to cover you and your equipment while you're abroad. Having the kit in the water might still be another story.

I never leave the USA without at least a trip cancellation / medical evacuation policy in place. The cost of adding your gear is, in my experience, very inexpensive to add to those policies. I'm talking a few hundred bucks for up to a month in a foreign country. If the destination is on one of the State Dept. "naughty" lists, you'll probably pay a higher premium or be harder to insure.
 
What ins companies do you have good experience with this?

I'm guessing a $1700 kit isn't going to cost hundreds/mo to insure?
 
The travel insurance would be temporary insurance for when you go places like Peru. TravelGuard is a well-known company with a quick interface for putting in your itinerary, total cost of the trip (what you paid or expect to pay) and extras.
 
Yes, I cover all my equipment with insurance through my homeowners, I also have 2 Million Dollars of Liability Coverage that can be obtained through the National Association of Mobile Entertainers. I pay $249.00 a year.
People are more willing to allow you to shoot on their property if you have liability insurance.
 
A typical domestic inland general aggregate / liability policy with all the normal riders is going to be useless when you're surfing in Peru. I cannot fathom a homeowner's policy or renters insurance helping either.

Look into the travel insurance for your work abroad. Domestically, if you're doing surf films in particular, you've got to have a marine rider no matter how good your inland policy is. At least if you ever want to file a claim on that wet camera.
 
DavidK said:
What ins companies do you have good experience with this?

I'm guessing a $1700 kit isn't going to cost hundreds/mo to insure?
Click to expand...

With all the accessories, tripod and lenses, it's more like 6k to 7K, which isn't probably that much compared to other's kits, but still a good chunk of change and time invested in putting it together
 
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Keep in mind that I've never filed a commercial claim, so I don't have perspective that goes any further than paying my commercial lines premiums on-time. :)
 
Insurance

Insurance

gene_can_sing said:
What do you guys do?
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For years I've carried an all risk policy with either Fireman's Fund or Travelers. It covers both liability (2 mil) and just about anything stupid that I've ever done, like drop a Halliburton full of Nikons into the Colorado River, left a Sachtler on a construction job site (someone has a great surveying tripod out there somewhere) or had an assistant drive over my camera. Insurance is expensive ($100-$150/mo for full studio/on-location video/photo gear) but over the years it's paid off for me. NC17 and Erik are correct - many, if not most locations are off limits without liability ins if you have a crew and you will need specific riders for specific risks.

If you've ever earned a dollar with your equipment as a pro, any homeowners insurance will void the policy if you try to claim it as personal.
 
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