andrewrx7 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) Hi there, I had a quick search for insurance but only found one hit, so sorry if this has been asked before and I've missed it. What do people do about insuring equipment, in storage and at a gig? And who do you use? Do you rely on "house insurance or do you use something specific? My situation: until recently, we had thought all my gear was covered under house insurance, both stored at home and when I take pieces out for a gig. We have now found out that this was not the case. We have a secure building not attached to the house, in which the gear is stored. The maximum the insurance company will cover for all contents in this building is only £5k. They also do not cover for when the gear is out and about. We were advised by the insurance broker to take out a seperate policy specifically to cover the music gear, both at a place of storage and while in transit. He recommended Music Guard, as he was a DJ and had looked into this area from his personal point of view. Any used Music Guard? Are they OK? Any other recomendations as alternatives? An example of a quote from teh Music Guard web site, for £8k cover, premiums were about £160/yr. Drops to about £130 for £6k cover. Any comments on what other people do would be appreciated. Thanks, Andrew Edited August 16, 2012 by andrewrx7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I've heard good things about Music Guard, but they couldn't help me as they wouldn't accept valuations from anyone who was clued up enough to know what it was. I gave up on E&L insurance, who are huge in instrument insurance when I couldn't get any of them to answer the phone for a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I've been using Music Guard for the last couple of years and have been spending approx £300 a year for £17k of cover, with 25% covered out of the house. Be careful as over £15k and you need to meet more stringent security requirements. I'm thinking of moving on as I'm sure there's cheaper available elsewhere, and I've shifted one of the more expensive items recently so the amount of cover will be less. Other's I've about that BCers might be able to comment on: Endsleigh, [url="http://www.endsleigh.co.uk/Home/Pages/musical-instrument.aspx"]http://www.endsleigh.co.uk/Home/Pages/musical-instrument.aspx[/url] Allianz, [url="http://www.allianzmusicalinsurance.co.uk/"]http://www.allianzmusicalinsurance.co.uk[/url] New Moon, [url="http://www.newmooninsurance.com/musical/"]http://www.newmooninsurance.com/musical/[/url] Lark, [url="https://www.larkinsurance.co.uk/private-clients/musical-instrument"]https://www.larkinsurance.co.uk/private-clients/musical-instrument[/url] E&L, [url="http://www.eandl.co.uk/musical-equipment-insurance/"]http://www.eandl.co.uk/musical-equipment-insurance/[/url] And that's just from one page of googling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 [quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1345119897' post='1773770'] I've heard good things about Music Guard, but they couldn't help me as they wouldn't accept valuations from anyone who was clued up enough to know what it was. [/quote] Who would they accept valuations from? I've got certificates from Vintage And Rare that were ok with MG at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I just left music guard simply cause I'm skint and not convinced they'd pay out anyway. I'm going to talk to endsliegh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydentaku Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Home insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I'm in my 3rd year with Musicguard. I pay about £11 a month for £5k worth of stuff. Never had to claim but I figure it was worth covering stuff as I'm out playing a fair bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I also searched a while back for info on gear insurance on here and didn't find much. Maybe the mods could find some company to talk to the forum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commando Jack Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 At the time I got my home insurance the advisor told me that my gear was automatically covered in the contents insurance, excepting individual items over £1000, which you have to declare and add indivually to cover them. I specifically asked about paid gigs and he said I was covered. He was a guitarist himself with a couple of Gibsons so I took his word for it, but I've never had to invoke it. It was Nationwide Building Society btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydentaku Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 This is essentially the cover I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I have used Allianz in the past, their rates were decent but never claimed from them. I keep meaning to look into New Moon to get my bass covered but I'm not gigging at the moment so the bass never leaves the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 If i were you i would ask someone who has made a successful claim. I was insured for a couple of years but after asking some questions of the insurer decided against it. Why? Because the instrument is not insured in your car and in some cases its not insured unsupervised (whatever that means). So it ends up that the only thing the instrument is insured for is accidental damage - if supervised. Its up to you but for me i am more concerned with gear being nicked from the car than anything else. All my gear is itemised and fully covered on home insurance though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) [quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1345122594' post='1773828'] Who would they accept valuations from? I've got certificates from Vintage And Rare that were ok with MG at the time. [/quote] I asked Vintage & Rare on the basis that MG surely wouldn't deny their expertise. Unfortunately V&G said they didn't know enough about John Birch to give a valuation. On sheer appreciation the last valuation figure I had off E&L (who took my word for it) had escalated to £4600, for which they charged £82 a year. They wouldn't cover it outside the house. Edited August 16, 2012 by Big_Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I've just got online quotes from New Moon and Allianz. New Moon comes in it about £200 less than Allianz and MusicGuard's renewal quote. Is there something obvious that New Moonh don't protect for that the others do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPBass Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 (edited) I've just spoken to Musicguard and taken out a policy on 20k for £350 which includes 50% mobile and unattended vehicle provided the vehicle has Thatcham category 1 alarm. Advised that proof of ownership is a time stamped photograph of you and the instrument with as much identifying info on show, even including the serial number held up on a placard. My valuations were pretty simple so they accepted replace with new or equivalent up to agreed valuation. I found them very helpful and easy. Edited September 7, 2012 by Voodoosnake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I use Musicguard, haven't had to make a claim (touch wood) but I never had to provide any professional valuations for my stuff. Although I did have to provide photographs and a serial number for my Barefaced Cab (which don't have serials usually), fortunately Alex was very accommodating with a marker pen on the inside of mine so now it has one Not had any problems with them, usually very helpful (I change gear alot!) but like I said, until you have made a claim you don't know! I would avoid Adrian Flux like the plague after they gave me £4,000 for my 'agreed value of £15,000' classic car write off! Still paying for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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