Instruments unattended in vehicle

[alyctes]

Occasionally I used to leave a bass, in a black hard case, after dark, across the back seats of my car (which are black), in a supermarket car park. After practice, never after a gig. Still a risk, but quite small.

The problem with leaving anything evidently nickable in your car is that even if you're not out any cash, you still have to get the car repaired. And I wouldn't want to explain why it was broken into to the insurance company.

[RockfordStone]

i never leave basses in the car, i think i have only left gear in the car overnight once whilst on tour, and back then we had a van and a pickup with blacked out load area.

when packing away or unloading at gigs there is always someone watching the cars and we don't pack away until we are ready to leave.

that said, i believe my insurance does have an unattended car option, but i bet it's loaded with clauses before they would pay out.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1465927934' post='3072223']
Once bitten, twice shy.
[/quote]

That's OK, the bass doesn't come in until late in the first verse ...

[4 Strings]

Unless they rip the tail gate off, pretty difficult to get anything out a window anyway. Any nudge of the car and the alarm goes loopy.

Our gear insurance is simple, if it's covered, it's covered. Have a barge of an estate to get loads of stuff in and carry around a blanket sort of thing which I can pass over it all to cover it up. Our insurance is then (apparently) at work if its covered out of sight.

Sometimes leaving gear in the car is unavoidable, (services stations and cafes en-route, having just arrived at a venue and getting organised etc) but, if there's the opportunity, my bass comes out.

[4stringslow]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1467155556' post='3081612']
Our gear insurance is simple, if it's covered, it's covered. Have a barge of an estate to get loads of stuff in and carry around a blanket sort of thing which I can pass over it all to cover it up. Our insurance is then (apparently) at work if its covered out of sight.
[/quote]

How could the insurance company ever know if the stolen item was covered up or not?

Or, perhaps more importantly, how could a theft victim ever prove to the insurance company that the item was covered up?

[M@23]

It's sometimes unavoidable. If you've toured or gigged a lot you will have had to stop fuel or a pee or food on the late drive home... Just get proper insurance and take the necessary precautions where possible.

[lollington]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1465893327' post='3071829']
my contents insurance covers stuff left in the car as standard. I wouldn't normally leave a bass in there, but if I've got a gig in the evening and a business meeting on the way, I'll probably not take it in with me, just try and hide it as best I can.
[/quote]

Be careful, if you get paid for gigs then your house insurance probably won't cover your music equipment in that event.

[scalpy]

What's better? Finishing the gig and getting your bass under lock and key in the vehicle straightaway (what I try and do) or leaving it, let's be honest, partially attended as the singer watches over it whilst 'networking'?

[Kevin Dean]

All my stuff is insured via my home contents insurance , I pay about £30 extra , this includes if nicked from a venue .

[Lee-Man]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1465907663' post='3071973']
Check out New Moon Insurance, too.
[/quote]

+1 for new moon

[4stringslow]

Has anyone had any experience of making a claim for gear stolen from a car?

Just wondering about the basis of the company recommendations in this thread.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1467220959' post='3082075']
How could the insurance company ever know if the stolen item was covered up or not?

Or, perhaps more importantly, how could a theft victim ever prove to the insurance company that the item was covered up?
[/quote]

Good point, I suppose photos. Never really thought about, just leave the cover in the car and pull it across. If it was down to me to prove it was covered before they pay out, probably find that I have no useful insurance.

It's up for renewal (along with the public liability insurance) so I'll ask.

[4 Strings]

Been playing for many, many years, don't know anyone who's had any gear stolen from a car.

Struggling to recall anyone who's had anything stolen.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1467309465' post='3082751']
Struggling to recall anyone who's had anything stolen.
[/quote]

I have quite a few people that have had, ie, friends of friends. Noone that had had anything stolen from vehicles though, just at gigs. I never leave my stuff unattended.

[blue]

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1465842056' post='3071510']
Time and again, In reports of instruments being stolen, it seems to be the case that they were left unattended in a vehicle. What are the legitimate reasons for doing this and why do people continue to take such a chance when, presumably, they are aware of the risk of theft?
[/quote]

Even at the safest coolest places we play, we always have several eyes on our vehicles. Hit that lock button even if there's only a pick in your car.

Blue

[bassist_lewis]

A pro keyboard player friend of mine thinks nothing of leaving his gear in his car because he has insurance that covers it (Allianz, apparently). I intend to do the same but insurance isn't much use when my cab would take 6 weeks to replace, my bass would take a year (assuming he was still building) and the company that made my amp doesn't exist anymore 😮

[Bilbo]

I lost a GK MB150S and an SWR electric Blue cab stolen from my car at the Aust Services by the old Severn Bridge. We were inside buying food.

The saxophonist was in the car at the time. They took it from the boot without him realising it wasn't us.

[TimR]

My brother spoke to his household insurers and they just extended his household insurance to cover everything. If you're paying a large amount for house insurance it's no real risk to them, even if you're doing it for 'hire or reward'.

I know someone who had his van stolen with all the gear in it.

I know a keyboard player who used to leave his keyboard on the back seat on the grounds it was too heavy for a casual their to carry away. It was eventually stolen and he had to give up gigging for a long time until he could afford to replace it.

I think the biggest risk is when someone who gets friendly at a gig "is in a band. Knows what Theyre doing, helps coil up cables and carry stuff out" suddenly disappears with a hard case or bag of pedals. It's very easy to drop your guard at the end of a gig when the hard work is done. That's the point where I'll grab a pint while I'm packing down.

.

Edited July 2, 2016 by TimR