Insurance warning if you keep your equipment in a vehicle in a garage.

[winterfire666]

i use New moon insurance the premiums are great and the cover seems very comprehensive (even in the small print)
although luckily i have not had to claim.
i dont remember all the details but it covers me worldwide and at the time of me looking it looked like the best cover by far for the money.
i did loads of research too as i needed good cover for my custom Xylem.

[BigRedX]

Last time I looked at specific musical equipment insurance, about the only time it would be covered, in the context of being used in a working band, was while I was playing it on stage...

[Annoying Twit]

After seeing the thread title, I'm just happy that the OP's gear hasn't been nicked. When I saw the title, I was thinking this might be a thread where the gear had been nicked, and the insurance company was refusing to pay out. I'm reminded of the very sad story of the forumite who lost a lot of gear in a storage unit fire.

[CamdenRob]

So has anyone made a successful claim after having a bass nicked at a gig?

[Jazzjames]

Just to echo some thoughts by other members- allianz are a good insurer, they seem to be very reasonable from my experience. Allianz will cover equipment left in an unattended car but it costs more. It would have been another £200 a year for me.

Endsleigh on the other hand will work hard to get their way out of paying for your claim, so leaving it in a vehicle even if the vehicle is parked inside a locked garage would probably be enough for them to say they won't pay.

Don't try and think you can get one over on them on a technicality- they will find out and not pay. Is it worth a little extra carrying at the end of the night to make sure your gear is safe and insured? Yes.

Edited November 25, 2014 by Jazzjames

[discreet]

[quote name='Jazzjames' timestamp='1416922025' post='2615024']
Is it worth a little extra carrying at the end of the night to make sure your gear is safe and insured? Yes.
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more - even when the house is left unattended I always lock my most valuable gear away every time. And it has to be every time - because the one time you forget or can't be bothered is when your stuff will get nicked! Sod's Law.

[coffee_king]

[quote name='Jazzjames' timestamp='1416922025' post='2615024']
Just to echo some thoughts by other members- allianz are a good insurer, they seem to be very reasonable from my experience. Allianz will cover equipment left in an unattended car but it costs more. It would have been another £200 a year for me.

Endsleigh on the other hand will work hard to get their way out of paying for your claim, so leaving it in a vehicle even if the vehicle is parked inside a locked garage would probably be enough for them to say they won't pay.

Don't try and think you can get one over on them on a technicality- they will find out and not pay. Is it worth a little extra carrying at the end of the night to make sure your gear is safe and insured? Yes.
[/quote]

You may find you are wrong there I'm afraid. Unless you only have accidental damage cover, then as far as I'm aware your equipment is always insured stored in a vehicle (As long as its not on show) if its "Away from your home".
Whats the cover for otherwise?

[Jazzjames]

[quote name='coffee_king' timestamp='1416926249' post='2615104']
You may find you are wrong there I'm afraid. Unless you only have accidental damage cover, then as far as I'm aware your equipment is always insured stored in a vehicle (As long as its not on show) if its "Away from your home".
Whats the cover for otherwise?
[/quote]

I've just looked at my Allianz policy document and I am correct. I could have paid for it to be insured in my car unattended, but it was more so I removed it. Note if I have a crash with it in the car, it is covered. I wouldn't leave my bass or my amps/cabs in the car anyway, as it's a hatchback so easy access to any part of the car. Also, the cold and damp aren't exactly good for any gear.

What's the cover for? many things... damage or theft from my home or where I am playing/staying, damage by any other person, if it lost e.g. airport. And I'm sure more things that I can't recall right now. I've had friends have their instruments destroyed by airlines, and also one friend who's bass was stolen from the stage of Pizza Express in Soho. I don't want that to happen to me, but if it does, then I am covered.

[sarah thomas]

I use Allianz too and can leave my bass in an unattended car as long as it is covered with a blanket or suchlike. It costs about £4.50 a month for £2, 500 worth of bass. It could be that an upright bass is less nickable in the first place. Another option is to join the Musicians' Union which will also give you public liability insurance.

[coffee_king]

Hey
Scenario - You need to take a dump on the way to/from a gig? You pull into a service station, or anywhere there is a toilet.
Your not about to lug all your gear into the loo with you are you, so it has to stay in the vehicle (Not visible in the boot).
But your not insured for that.

You stop over for a gig somewhere. Where is the gear going to be stored?
With my insurance it can be in the vehicle or in a locked room and its fine.

But what if your not staying at the venue? Where's it going to be kept so its insured?
Lump it all into a hotel room after having loaded it all into your vehicle earlier, to then load it all back into the vehicle again in the morning?

Regarding "Theft from stage" Good luck claiming againt anything that. The T&Cs for that are very clear for me that I MUST NOT LEAVE THE ROOM while my gear is there. - But OK, prove I wasnt in the room eh?
So theft when exactly? Apart from loss at an airport? I'm only insured in the UK so no doubt they would claim it was lost OUTSIDE the UK?
Damage? Fair enough, but apart from an amp or guitar falling over and breaking (20 years and this has never happened to me) when else would it get damaged?
It is all ridiclous. But I would DEFINTELY consider the extra cost to have it insured in your vehicle. As far as I'm concerned thats the most likely place it will ever get stolen from.

All I'm trying to say here is CONSIDER exactly when things can get stolen, damaged etc and then read the T&Cs and you'll generally find your not covered that much at all.

Peace out.

[coffee_king]

[quote name='sarah thomas' timestamp='1417013041' post='2616080']
I use Allianz too and can leave my bass in an unattended car as long as it is covered with a blanket or suchlike. It costs about £4.50 a month for £2, 500 worth of bass. It could be that an upright bass is less nickable in the first place. Another option is to join the Musicians' Union which will also give you public liability insurance.
[/quote]

Public liability insurance has nothing to do with insuring your equipment.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1416761814' post='2613281']
So has anyone made a successful claim after having a bass nicked at a gig?
[/quote]

I'm guessing from the lack of responses this is a no then?

When I've looked into specific insurance for my gear before there were so many exclusions it didn't seem worthwhile... not covered if your in a different room etc... Am I supposed to put my bass in a gigbag after soundcheck and carry it around for hours until we play?

My gear is unlikely to get nicked whilst I'm playing it, I need cover for the times it's vulnerable.

Edited November 26, 2014 by CamdenRob

[discreet]

[quote name='coffee_king' timestamp='1417013372' post='2616085']
Scenario - You need to take a dump on the way to/from a gig? You pull into a service station, or anywhere there is a toilet.
Your not about to lug all your gear into the loo with you are you, so it has to stay in the vehicle (Not visible in the boot).
But your not insured for that.
[/quote]

I wouldn't take the risk and just bake it until I got home.

[Skol303]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1417014034' post='2616101']
I wouldn't take the risk and just bake it until I got home.
[/quote]

And there's me thinking that particular expression was exclusive to us up North. I learn something new every day

[coffee_king]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1417013920' post='2616097']
I'm guessing from the lack of responses this is a no then?[/quote]

I have a friend still going through a theft from the boot of his car at the moment. We both doubt they will pay up.

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1417013920' post='2616097']
When I've looked into specific insurance for my gear before there were so many exclusions it didn't seem worthwhile... not covered if your in a different room etc... Am I supposed to put my bass in a gigbag after soundcheck and carry it around for hours until we play?

My gear is unlikely to get nicked whilst I'm playing it, I need cover for the times it's vulnerable.
[/quote]
100% agree with you.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1417013920' post='2616097']
My gear is unlikely to get nicked whilst I'm playing it, I need cover for the times it's vulnerable.
[/quote]

Ditto, but I've decided it's never particularly vulnerable. Mrs FF comes to all my gigs, so gear is never unattended while loading in or out. Even so, we've often nipped out for a bite to eat after sound checking, but it depends on the venue and if the other band members are hanging around - basically, size up the particular circumstances. Doesn't mean I won't get caught out eventually but so far so good and for gear worth well under £1000 (I'm assuming no one is going to steal cabs from a stage) I reckon I'm in-pocket after all these years.

[Jazzjames]

[quote name='coffee_king' timestamp='1417013372' post='2616085']
Hey
Scenario - You need to take a dump on the way to/from a gig? You pull into a service station, or anywhere there is a toilet.
Your not about to lug all your gear into the loo with you are you, so it has to stay in the vehicle (Not visible in the boot).
But your not insured for that.

You stop over for a gig somewhere. Where is the gear going to be stored?
With my insurance it can be in the vehicle or in a locked room and its fine.

But what if your not staying at the venue? Where's it going to be kept so its insured?
Lump it all into a hotel room after having loaded it all into your vehicle earlier, to then load it all back into the vehicle again in the morning?

Regarding "Theft from stage" Good luck claiming againt anything that. The T&Cs for that are very clear for me that I MUST NOT LEAVE THE ROOM while my gear is there. - But OK, prove I wasnt in the room eh?
So theft when exactly? Apart from loss at an airport? I'm only insured in the UK so no doubt they would claim it was lost OUTSIDE the UK?
Damage? Fair enough, but apart from an amp or guitar falling over and breaking (20 years and this has never happened to me) when else would it get damaged?
It is all ridiclous. But I would DEFINTELY consider the extra cost to have it insured in your vehicle. As far as I'm concerned thats the most likely place it will ever get stolen from.

All I'm trying to say here is CONSIDER exactly when things can get stolen, damaged etc and then read the T&Cs and you'll generally find your not covered that much at all.

Peace out.
[/quote]

Toilet breaks- park at the front where all the people are. I admit this is strictly speaking unattended but only for 2 mins. I take the risk on this rare occasion. Petrol stations are good because of all the cameras.

Hotels- yeah I take the gear in with me. Electric bass, class d head and lightweight cabs not a problem. I don't tend to take on gigs that are far away anyway so this doesn't happen often.

Flying/travel- i'm insured worldwide.

Damage- i had someone bump into me in the street while I was walking home with my upright, put a hole in the bass £650 damage- no problem claiming. I also saw a tech in ireland drop a hammer through a 50s Martin acoustic. Good job the owner had it covered for accidental damage.

[discreet]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1417014634' post='2616116']
And there's me thinking that particular expression was exclusive to us up North. I learn something new every day
[/quote]

Hee, hee. I'm a creature of habit, me. I don't really like crapping anywhere but my own bog.
With the exception of an en-suite in a nice hotel room, obviously. But there's no way I'd crap in public bogs.

Edited November 26, 2014 by discreet

[Guest BeardyBob]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1417013920' post='2616097']
My gear is unlikely to get nicked whilst I'm playing it, I need cover for the times it's vulnerable.
[/quote]

This is exactly what I've struggled with! I've had Endsleigh cover in the past, £100/year for £2k gear - but figured it wasn't worth it because of the "vague" surrounding the times I need it.

Here's where I'm coming from...

1) our transit doesn't have a "divide" between rear-seats & storage area. While the gear is totally out of sight, there's no separated/manufacturer fitted storage area as such...

2) sometime's it's plain impractical to NOT to leave gear in unattended vehicle

3) we all rent in shared houses so don't have home insurance as such

4) of course we leave gear setup on stage, or in "communal" cupboards etc & can't always be monitoring it with 100% attention


I expect most gigging musicians are in this position & while I'd expect to pay more for this, expect such cover does exist?

...Anyone know who to talk to?! Allianz seems the best shout so far?

Also, what do you think about cover for your personal equipment versus cover for the _band's_ equipment?

[coffee_king]

This is exactly what I've struggled with! I've had Endsleigh cover in the past, £100/year for £2k gear - but figured it wasn't worth it because of the "vague" surrounding the times I need it.

Here's where I'm coming from...

1) our transit doesn't have a "divide" between rear-seats & storage area. While the gear is totally out of sight, there's no separated/manufacturer fitted storage area as such...

[b]Have you thought about trying to make one? What van do you use? I'm sure they must make a "Bulkhead" for most vans out there?[/b]


2) sometime's it's plain impractical to NOT to leave gear in unattended vehicle

[b]Totally but out of site in a locked vehicle you ARE covered.[/b]


3) we all rent in shared houses so don't have home insurance as such

[b]This is not what this thread is about. But if you live in a shared house surely you have contents insurance, so then an amount will be covered?
If not then more fool you. [/b]



4) of course we leave gear setup on stage, or in "communal" cupboards etc & can't always be monitoring it with 100% attention

[b]Yep, this is an issue. But NO insurance company will insure you to set your gear and walk away from it.
Its a risk you have to take.
You could maybe set up a small video camera on stage soewhere if your really worried? Just a thought.[/b]



I expect most gigging musicians are in this position & while I'd expect to pay more for this, expect such cover does exist?

...Anyone know who to talk to?! Allianz seems the best shout so far?

[b]Every insurance company out there is as bad as the next. They will do WHATEVER THEY CAN to NOT pay out.[/b]


Also, what do you think about cover for your personal equipment versus cover for the _band's_ equipment?

[b]You insure your stuff, let everyone else insure their stuff. You'll find that theres no real discount for having everyones gear insured together rather than seperate. It all pretty mich work on a percentage of the total cost of the gear.[/b]

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1416508681' post='2611032']
Last time I looked at specific musical equipment insurance, about the only time it would be covered, in the context of being used in a working band, was while I was playing it on stage...
[/quote]

Looking at the pictures from some of your gigs that may well come in handy some day!!