Musical equipment insurance

[mowf]

Hello,

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good company to use to insure my bass gear (or ones to avoid)? I'm not really gigging these days so just for home cover.

[BassBunny]

If it's just home cover, speak to your home insurance company. Might be better than a specialist company.

[casapete]

1 hour ago, BassBunny said:

If it's just home cover, speak to your home insurance company. Might be better than a specialist company.

This ^^^
 

I have cover for my gigging instruments, and have my stuff I don’t gig with down

as named items on my home insurance. Works fine for me, although ( as is the norm

with any insurance cover) be sure to check all the small print.

[WinterMute]

Mine are insured on the house contents, the 2 I use for rehearsals or gigs are insured away from the home, the others just in the studio at home, the policy covers everything under £1500, with the other stuff as named items. Just make sure you name anything expensive you intend to use away from home, and note that it's very unlikely to be covered if left unattended in a car etc.

 

It does get a bit expensive if you have a studio full of pricy kit, but it's all on new for old, and I really couldn't afford to replace it all if it was nicked or the house caught fire.

[SimonK]

Hmm - can't be many bassplayers called Mowf in this world - did you used to play for Powerbulge in Southampton?

[mowf]

2 minutes ago, SimonK said:

Hmm - can't be many bassplayers called Mowf in this world - did you used to play for Powerbulge in Southampton?

Yep, that's me.

[bassbiscuits]

I use Musicguard insurance. Have done for about 20 years. Mind you, at £200 a year that comes to £4k which is probably more than my entire rig is worth anyway. Hmm. 

[toneknob]

New Moon here, very easy to deal with although I've never had to make a claim. What I like is that you can specify home/uk/worldwide etc cover per item. I use them for all big ticket items (basses, guitars, amps, synths) but other bits and bobs (eg pedals, other accessories) are on the household contents insurance.

 

[Cliff Edge]

I had this very conversation recently with my household insurer. The upshot was everything is covered in the house, and out, for items under £2000. Anything over that figure should be itemised. There was no extra premium involved. But as mentioned above, not covered if left unattended in a vehicle. 

[casapete]

6 minutes ago, Cliff Edge said:

I had this very conversation recently with my household insurer. The upshot was everything is covered in the house, and out, for items under £2000. Anything over that figure should be itemised. There was no extra premium involved. But as mentioned above, not covered if left unattended in a vehicle. 

I think there isn’t a ‘standard’ policy i.e. all insurers will vary in what they will or won’t insure so best to check.

Mine covers stuff that isn’t being used to make a living, but not items which are for instance. Just like

motor insurance for musicians, it’s a complicated scenario. 

[Buddster]

Another nod to New Moon Musical Insurance. 

[SimonK]

So to answer the question - I have everything worth more than £2000 explictly itemised on home insurance, and it also covers it out of the house (but not if left unattended or in a vehicle).

 

For nostalgic purposes - sad to hear you've stopped playing of late - do you still have the fur lined pedal board? I think the most fun I had doing sound was the one or two occasions that you had no one except me to run the desk for you!

[Rosie C]

I have a "musician's" policy - it's about £6 a month, and covers my more expensive instruments, the PA, plus 3rd party cover in case someone's injured by my kit. It cover unattended in the car as long as things aren't visible - which in practice means not covered unless I had a van.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2024 by Rosie C

[Burns-bass]

Musicians Union worth a look.

 

Home insurance is fine if you’re doing it purely for pleasure. Covers bands where you earn cash can be classed as professional use and you’re not covered.

[Richard R]

47 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

I have a "musician's" policy - it's about £6 a month, and covers my more expensive instruments, the PA, plus 3rd party cover in case someone's injured by my kit. It cover unattended in the car as long as things aren't visible - which in practice means not covered unless I had a van.

 

Or maybe a big blanket?

Out of interest, who is the insurer?

[Owen]

4 hours ago, SimonK said:

So to answer the question - I have everything worth more than £2000 explictly itemised on home insurance, and it also covers it out of the house (but not if left unattended or in a vehicle).

 

For nostalgic purposes - sad to hear you've stopped playing of late - do you still have the fur lined pedal board? I think the most fun I had doing sound was the one or two occasions that you had no one except me to run the desk for you!

I had this very conversation the other day with my home insurers. They were happy to put my kit on my home policy but they had to be counted within my overal contents policy. So if my contents were insured for £100 and I told them my 17th Century Double Bass was worth £80 then the rest of my contents would only be insured to the value of £20. Obv, these are not proper numbers. 

 

Sadly, I also need to rethink my insurance policies.

[AndyTravis]

Allianz have covered me for years - since touring days.

 

my entire rig from straps (some expensive bits of leather) to my basses…

 

in the house, out of the house, unattended car, worldwide ETC

 

think it’s £6 a month.

 

when I really whittled my basses back a few months ago, it was an enormous £3.70 a month.

[Rosie C]

10 hours ago, Richard R said:

 

Or maybe a big blanket?

Out of interest, who is the insurer?

 

Allianz & yes, some sort of blanket might meet their guidelines!

[mowf]

Thanks all, that's been helpful. I'll talk to my home insurers first thing, and then go out and buy a big blanket.

[wateroftyne]

New Moon for me. Never had to claim, but I've heard positive reports from people who have.

 

(and they'll cover your gear when it's unattended in the car)

[Dad3353]

16 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

... (and they'll cover your gear when it's unattended in the car)

 

With a blanket..? 

 

...

 

 

Edited April 4, 2024 by Dad3353