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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Insuring camera equipment
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11/26/2007 09:33:58 AM · #1
Does anyone have good recommendations for camera/equipment insurance? I can add insurance under my business thru the same people I get home owners insurance from, but I wondered about cost and if anyone had good luck somewhere else?
11/26/2007 11:16:09 AM · #2
Your best bet is to have insurance through one of the pro photographer associations like (ASMP, PPA etc.)
11/26/2007 11:24:52 AM · #3
I have mine insured with my homeowners insurance (USAA) for about $140 a year for about 5K or so worth of photo gear.
11/26/2007 11:30:31 AM · #4
If you have your gear insured through your homeowners policy and file a claim, if they discover you use that equipment as part of a business, the insurance company can deny your claim, and if they can, they probably will. That effectively leaves you uninsured.

Not to mention the liability issue. Your homeowners liability insurance will not cover any liability you incur as part of your business.

11/26/2007 11:44:06 AM · #5
If your camera ever leaves the studio, don't tell them about it. My attempt at acquiring camera insurance through State Farm was denied because I take my camera on hikes in the mountains.
11/26/2007 05:41:59 PM · #6
Hill & Usher.

//www.packagechoice.com/
11/26/2007 06:02:07 PM · #7
Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Your best bet is to have insurance through one of the pro photographer associations like (ASMP, PPA etc.)


The associations have recommended insurance agencies to go through, but the associations themselves don't do the actual insuring. Hill & Usher is one of the agencies. PPA goes through Seabury & Smith.

https://www.personal-plans.com/ppa/

Message edited by author 2007-11-26 18:03:01.
11/26/2007 06:09:58 PM · #8
Rule #1 - Do Not lie to the insurance company. One of two things will happen - you won't be covered or you'll be charged with insurance fraud. Either way a dumb move.

If you are making money then you're homeowners probably won't cover you, but call and ask. My homeowners (erie) will - and very very very cheaply (like $50/year) but the catch is I have to do all my business at my house. As soon as I step foot off the property i have no coverage...hard to shoot weddings that way.

I looked at a lot of the companies out there including the coverage you can get with wedj.com and PPA. The cost is about the same - $500-600/year for $1 to 2 million liability and 15,000 in gear coverage. Less coverage was no cheaper (essentially this is the minimum coverage).

Beyond that all and ask, and READ their policies. Some cover you/gear in teh US only, others north america and others the world. What coverage do you need, what is important to you and your circumstances?

I got business insurance with Zurich - my non-camera gear is covered as well (computers, studio lights, props, samples, etc) as well as cash on hand, while in transit, etc. I'm covered for lible in ads, theft by employees and a whole lot more. If my basement drains back up I'm coverd for damagaes as well as loss of income, they'll rent me space to keep my business going, etc. They didn't require me to list every serial number for every lens, body, light, etc. Most companies do. It's almost a job by itselft to keep that up to date!
11/26/2007 06:45:46 PM · #9
Originally posted by virtuamike:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Your best bet is to have insurance through one of the pro photographer associations like (ASMP, PPA etc.)


The associations have recommended insurance agencies to go through, but the associations themselves don't do the actual insuring. Hill & Usher is one of the agencies. PPA goes through Seabury & Smith.

https://www.personal-plans.com/ppa/


Well, yes...

You do have to be a member to qualify for the rates and packages the association has negotiated.
11/26/2007 07:49:21 PM · #10
i pay 250$ for home base small business insurance of 20000$ as a rider ontop of my other home insurance
the limitations are they only cover a max of 2500 out of the country
.
they do not cover my work outside my premises (gallery's & such) (but do while i am transporting to+fro..)

there are many iffs .. ie if i claim more than twice they may refuse to give me house insurance .. i can not sell outside of the country, it is not all peril, no mysterious losses, & i can't make more than $50,000 attributed business income+ etc etc ....

in my mind it is only good for catastrophic bad things (fire / theft & etc) of everything at once .. small things (theft a single lens) it would not be worth it .. and i would have to think hard to put in a claim if i lost my camera bag (~4k+ $ at any one time) ...

11/26/2007 08:23:10 PM · #11
Originally posted by virtuamike:

Hill & Usher.

//www.packagechoice.com/


Thanks for the link. I've filed an application ... it'll be interesting to see what they propose.

11/26/2007 08:56:48 PM · #12
So what about laptops. Do these fall under home or business. Especially since it goes back and forth, just like my camera.
11/26/2007 09:55:19 PM · #13
Originally posted by Monique64:

So what about laptops. Do these fall under home or business. Especially since it goes back and forth, just like my camera.


If you use it for business, the insurance company will consider it a business asset.
11/27/2007 03:36:19 AM · #14
Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Originally posted by virtuamike:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Your best bet is to have insurance through one of the pro photographer associations like (ASMP, PPA etc.)


The associations have recommended insurance agencies to go through, but the associations themselves don't do the actual insuring. Hill & Usher is one of the agencies. PPA goes through Seabury & Smith.

https://www.personal-plans.com/ppa/


Well, yes...

You do have to be a member to qualify for the rates and packages the association has negotiated.


Not always. Hill & Usher is the agency for WPPI and NAPP, but you don't need to be a member in order to get the rate.
11/27/2007 08:36:43 AM · #15
Originally posted by The Eskimo:

I have mine insured with my homeowners insurance (USAA) for about $140 a year for about 5K or so worth of photo gear.

We have USAA also and I called them shortly after upgrading to new equipment a month or so ago (I was amazed how much my photo gear was worth after adding it up!). They told me I was covered under homeowners for things like theft, fire, etc...

I was ready to pick up a rider policy, but after asking numerous questions was told my concerns were covered under the homeowners policy.

Hmmm...I wonder where our homeowner policies are different under USAA?
11/27/2007 09:15:03 AM · #16
I checked with my home owners company for business insurance to cover gear and liability. Its about $240 a year to cover 10k worth of equipment and a 1 million dollar umbrella liability policy.
11/27/2007 09:54:25 AM · #17
I bought Small business insurance through the same Company that covers my Garage Door business. It cost $399 a year and includes a million dollar personal liabilty and umbrella. It covers me everywhere I take my gear..including lights, computer and printer. If I take my camera to the beach and it gets damaged by a wave, or if its taken out of my car, or I drop it off a cliff...etc. I am covered. Short money since I also added up everything I own and I was shoked at how much I have invested to this point.
12/07/2007 11:46:35 AM · #18
Originally posted by dwterry:

Originally posted by virtuamike:

Hill & Usher.

//www.packagechoice.com/


Thanks for the link. I've filed an application ... it'll be interesting to see what they propose.


I've used Hill and usher for about a year now and no problems. About $500 a year. I know a lot of people want only to insure their equipment in case of fire and theft, which a homeowners policy will cover (look out for the deductable). My largest concern is liability. What if someone trips over my light stand and blows out their knee? what if my camera messes up during a wedding and they sue me for half a million $$. That is what the dedicated photography insurance agencies can do for us. Or for me anyway.

Message edited by author 2007-12-07 11:47:43.
12/07/2007 12:15:20 PM · #19
Originally posted by doug61853:

Originally posted by dwterry:

Originally posted by virtuamike:

Hill & Usher.

//www.packagechoice.com/


Thanks for the link. I've filed an application ... it'll be interesting to see what they propose.


I've used Hill and usher for about a year now and no problems. About $500 a year. I know a lot of people want only to insure their equipment in case of fire and theft, which a homeowners policy will cover (look out for the deductable). My largest concern is liability. What if someone trips over my light stand and blows out their knee? what if my camera messes up during a wedding and they sue me for half a million $$. That is what the dedicated photography insurance agencies can do for us. Or for me anyway.


That's about what they quoted me, but when that's approximately what I make per year on photos at best and most years have negative income, $42/mo is difficult to swallow. And I can't cover it under my homeowners since I'm "too professional", and how dare I step foot outside my front door, with it since State Farm believes that makes it completely uninsurable. Makes me want to kick and scream. :P
12/14/2007 10:55:09 PM · #20
Anyone got any pointers for getting covered while traveling abroad?
This was pretty useful, but wanted other opinions.

Message edited by author 2007-12-14 22:58:38.
12/14/2007 11:16:03 PM · #21
Originally posted by virtuamike:

Hill & Usher.

//www.packagechoice.com/


By the way, I finally got a quote back from them a week ago. About $750/year for all of my cameras (2-20d's, 1-5D, 1-Mark III) and studio equipment (lights, backgrounds, stands, etc), plus lots of other little things it covers. It doesn't sound too bad to me for all that I have to insure.

12/15/2007 12:08:25 AM · #22
Originally posted by Rebecca:

Originally posted by doug61853:

Originally posted by dwterry:

Originally posted by virtuamike:

Hill & Usher.

//www.packagechoice.com/


Thanks for the link. I've filed an application ... it'll be interesting to see what they propose.


I've used Hill and usher for about a year now and no problems. About $500 a year. I know a lot of people want only to insure their equipment in case of fire and theft, which a homeowners policy will cover (look out for the deductable). My largest concern is liability. What if someone trips over my light stand and blows out their knee? what if my camera messes up during a wedding and they sue me for half a million $$. That is what the dedicated photography insurance agencies can do for us. Or for me anyway.


That's about what they quoted me, but when that's approximately what I make per year on photos at best and most years have negative income, $42/mo is difficult to swallow. And I can't cover it under my homeowners since I'm "too professional", and how dare I step foot outside my front door, with it since State Farm believes that makes it completely uninsurable. Makes me want to kick and scream. :P


You're still insured...self insured.


12/16/2007 05:54:40 PM · #23
Originally posted by Monique64:

So what about laptops. Do these fall under home or business. Especially since it goes back and forth, just like my camera.


It's a potentially gray area. If something happens to it (or a camera) were you on vacation or on a photo shoot? Was it stolen from your car outside 7-11 or a church during a wedding you were photographing? When the house caught on fire was it in the studio, office or bedroom? Most insurance companies aren't looking out for you the policyholder, but for the owners of the insurance company and will try their best to pay as little as possible based on the letter of the policy. So ask THEM about this and you'll know how they'll handle it. If you don't like the answer at least you'll know before it's too late.

Business insurance covers computers and office equipment up to a certain value as well. What's it all worth - hardware, software, data, etc?
04/11/2014 12:32:56 PM · #24
I know you guys probably already know of this company, but I just just bought some new lenses and wanted to get proper insurance. I found Film Emporium online and they where most helpful. Might be worth looking into. They have lots of good information on their website.

FilmEmporium.com
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