Travel insurance?

rawfa

rawfa

Veteran
Not sure if this should be here or in another thread, so mods feel free to move it.

Hi guys,

I´m going to take a 22 days trip through Europe and I´ll be visiting Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Portugal (my sister is getting married there). After I´ve left Europe things got really bad...SPECIALLY on these exact countries (I have some friend who had some bad experiences). So I´ve been wondering if it´s worth to get some sort of travel insurance for my gear or not. Am I crazy? Did it really got that bad in the last 3 years since I´ve left?

- Sony Nex7
- Nex 16mm
- SLR Magic 23mm
- NEX 50mm
- Tamron NEX18-200mm
- 4 batts
- Several sd cards

If I was to go for the insurance would it really be worth it to insure absolutely everything or only the more expensive stuff?
 
"Did it really got that bad in the last 3 years since I´ve left?"

Well... you'll be visiting 5 countries of Europe which are bankrupt or in really bad shape in term of economy. Which makes your equipment even more valuable for local thieves and such. So insurance may seem like a good idea. Just make sure it covers replacement, not used equipment market value. And checking if there is a deductible, and if yes how much, is also a good idea. That said, the equipment you're taking with you fits in a small bag that you can always have with you. I did travel to these countries, except for Croatia, several times with 2 Leicas and 5 lenses, tucked in an anonymous-unbranded-'unphotographic' looking shoulder bag and never had any problem. Another thing I do: when alone in places which are or seem not really safe, I take out a camera to shoot whatever I want to shoot, and put it back right away into my bag before moving on. No need to display something that may be coveted...

L.

 
novoluc said:
"Did it really got that bad in the last 3 years since I´ve left?"

Well... you'll be visiting 5 countries of Europe which are bankrupt or in really bad shape in term of economy. Which makes your equipment even more valuable for local thieves and such. So insurance may seem like a good idea.

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People have lost their jobs in Southern Europe, not their morality. It's still far, far safer than the US or Brazil. Check the crime rates for yourself. That said, only idiots travel without insurance.
 
"That said, only idiots travel without insurance."

With all due respect, this is quite a bold statement.

As far as crime rate, the countries in question in the original post may be safer than the U.S. in terms of violent crimes, but I doubt that Italy for example is safer when it comes to visitors/tourists and theft. I happen to be from Europe, with family in Italy and Spain. I visit quite often, and have frequent feedback regarding politics and economy and social situations, and I do not agree with your generic comment about morality and economic situation.

L.
 
novoluc said:
"That said, only idiots travel without insurance."

With all due respect, this is quite a bold statement.
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No it's not. It's standard operating procedure. I travel all the time and wouldn't dream of leaving home without insurance. And that goes if I'm going to the Syria or Switzerland.
novoluc said:
As far as crime rate, the countries in question in the original post may be safer than the U.S. in terms of violent crimes, but I doubt that Italy for example is safer when it comes to visitors/tourists and theft.
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According to the the UN it is. Considerably safer in fact. Go check for yourself.
novoluc said:
I happen to be from Europe, with family in Italy and Spain. I visit quite often, and have frequent feedback regarding politics and economy and social situations, and I do not agree with your generic comment about morality and economic situation.
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Are you saying the people of Southern Europe have lost their morality due to the recession? Now, that is a bold statement...
 
I think crime is bad almost anywhere in large cities especially if you are "off the radar" and leave the tourist areas. In the country it is different and its pretty safe most of the time. Tourists are frequently not aware of their surroundings. They naturally are attentive at home but may venture into places or at times of day they would not normally go when they travel. Add being quite distracted by the surroundings and therefore much more of an easy target. In some places in the world people still can leave their front door unlocked or their car running with the doors unlocked, but typically you don't want to do that in a major tourist area! In large cities they recommend keeping a low profile and to me that's key. Don't do stupid stuff; drink too much, do drugs, go down dark alleys, or leave out or flash around expensive gear. There are quite a few inexpensive devices which can help keep gear secured, but keeping a low profile is the most important. Same thing applies to a smart phone too. They are a high theft item. Don't just use it and put it in your pocket like you may do normally. Have it in a zippered heavy duty bag tucked away (thieves will use a razor to grab if its out in the open) or something hard to get into and only use it if you have to or when you are completely aware of your surroundings. Just walking around with it out on a busy sidewalk could lead to someone grabbing it disappearing rather quickly. Instead make use of it in a restaurant etc. Also, travelling with someone and even better a few attentive (sober) adults is even better. When my wife and I travel, she watches the people around me and I her. I love to travel and I have heard several stories, but in most of them the people knew they were taking a risk they should not have. If I was not carrying gear with me I would make sure I had a lockable bag that I can chain to a bed in the hotel. I would always wear a camera strap around my neck or attached securely to my body. If I wore a knapsack, that too better not be easy to open by someone standing behind me. On the other hand, you are talking about an NEX7 which will not really get much attention in those countries. Something like a Cannon 5d Mark III with a large telephoto would. I would personally keep a 5d camera hidden unless I am in a tourist area with a good police presence or out where there are no people.
 
"Are you saying the people of Southern Europe have lost their morality due to the recession?"

No I am not. You just make a generic statement like if what I said was to be applied to an entire population or not at all.
I am not thinking in black OR white.
So... in simple terms: I do not think that a rise in criminality in a given nation means that all the people "have lost their morality".
What I am saying is that when an economic situation is creating some serious or severe hardship crime rates, including petty ones, rises. In places where tourists and visitors have been traditionally targets of thieves, that will increase in period of hardship.
If the original poster was planning to visit Switzerland or Sweden or Japan, for example, I would not have posted what I did in the first place.

As for traveling extensively, you are not the only one, and our opinions and experiences might diverge.

L.


 
novoluc said:

What I am saying is that when an economic situation is creating some serious or severe hardship crime rates, including petty ones, rises.
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Yes, it rises, but not by much - between 2% and 8%. Again, go check the figures, they are freely available.
novoluc said:
As for traveling extensively, you are not the only one, and our opinions and experiences might diverge.
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Actually, you might find more convergence than divergence.
 
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