Photographic Equipment Insurance.

[dk]

Well, after what has just happened I have been thinking about taking this out now that my camera equipment is getting quite expensive.

Basically, I was trying out my new 10-22 lens and the manhole cover i was standing on collapsed down the hole as it was secured properly, my camera went flying out of my hand as my foot nwent down the hole and luckily the first few tumbles were on grass but then it bounced a couple of times on the tarmac.

Luckily the body is protected by my canon case, it has a bit that secures to the bottom of the body to attach into the main casing, the lens took the brunt of the bounce though. Luckily again it seems to have been the hoya filter that took all the force, thats a damaged, when i took it off it was pretty tough to get off and the inside thread has broken, luckily at £35 thats the cheapest part of the camera, even if the filter is only 5 days old lol.
Luckily I haven't got my 50d body yet, thats next week so i was using my 350d.

Anyway, apart from the filter, everything else seems to be ok.

So this got me thinking, especially with my trip to peru coming up, should i take out some camera insurance? has anyone else got it on here?

I worked out that i need around £3000 of cover with unattended car and worldwide cover i think (50d body £1k, 70-200 F4 L £500, 10-22 £500, 17-55 f2.8 £700 350d body £300).

From a search i found these guys

http://www.eandl.co.uk/camera-insurance/

£80 for the £3k of cover, the 10% for unattended car and £40 for worldwide cover, so around £120 for the year.

Is that a bit OTT or are other people doing the same?

thanks!

 

[Clart]

Mine is covered on my house insurance, but then again its not worth as much as that.

 

[Hixle]

When I was at college I borrowed over 5k's worth of video camera equipment (inc lights, mics) to take to London to film EMF's reunion tour. I just insured it under the house insurance. I just declared it and they didn't put up the premium at all. Not sure about abroad cover though.

 

[dunganick]

I use photoguard as i need the 5m Public liability cover too.

So far never claimed, but £1600 of camera costs me £18 a month i believe, with car cover, 5m public liability etc.....

 

[Clart]

why do u need 5m public liability?

 

[dk]

I use photoguard as i need the 5m Public liability cover too.

So far never claimed, but £1600 of camera costs me £18 a month i believe, with car cover, 5m public liability etc.....

i looked at photoguard but they wanted double for the same cover, over £230.

the one above gives me 1m of public liability, not that i need it.

 

[MaLicE]

u stood on a manhole cover and broke it ?

 

[dk]

u stood on a manhole cover and broke it ?

no, was a small sort of drain cover about a foot square and i was standing on the corner of it and it hadn't been set right so it went down as the other corner came up and my foot went down.

Not really the point of this thread, but thanks for the interest.

 

[MaLicE]

god i wish i had been there to see it lol! must of been the weight of that fancy new lens that did it donkey kong

 

[dk]

god i wish i had been there to see it lol! must of been the weight of that fancy new lens that did it donkey kong

there was no one else around, i was by myself so no embarassment.

i'm sure you can see the funny side of nearly smashing your camera and 5 day old lens, i nearly pissed myself with laughter, hope it never happens to you..........

 

[MaLicE]

god i wish i had been there to see it lol! must of been the weight of that fancy new lens that did it donkey kong

there was no one else around, i was by myself so no embarassment.

i'm sure you can see the funny side of nearly smashing your camera and 5 day old lens, i nearly pissed myself with laughter, hope it never happens to you..........

written off a camera and a lens that was my own propperty... so i know how it feels... was at a shoot and watched an assistant drop a hasselblad h3d in a river... with lens and a mag fiber tripod... thats over 30k's worth of equipment dunked in water... i saw the funny side to that too... infact i got sent off the shoot for a breather with the pro photographer as we were laughing so much i then told the guy he would have to pay to replace it he shouted NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO and burst in to tears which made it even more funny...

personally dave unless your using equipment for your business or as a profession i would stick to household insurance...

 

[dk]

don't think it covers items like expensive cameras though and not when abroad, so i thought it would be best to separate it, also if i made a claim it then wouldn't make my whole household insurance go up etc.

 

[dunganick]

why do u need 5m public liability?

work at race circuits etc.. wont get near most of them without 2m, MSV want 5m.

 

[Revels]

don't think it covers items like expensive cameras though and not when abroad, so i thought it would be best to separate it, also if i made a claim it then wouldn't make my whole household insurance go up etc.

Wont your holiday insurance cover that?

 

[ukaskew]

E&L get awful press, there was a huge Insurance thread on a photography forum a while back and hardly anyone had a good word to say about them.

Until that point I was going to go with them (they were cheap!), I've used www.photoguard.co.uk for a couple of years now, no claims but I know plenty of people who have and it's been fairly smooth.

 

[dk]

don't think it covers items like expensive cameras though and not when abroad, so i thought it would be best to separate it, also if i made a claim it then wouldn't make my whole household insurance go up etc.

Wont your holiday insurance cover that?

not 3k's worth of camera equipment, maybe a £200 sony PAS.

And having tried to claim on holiday insurance earlier this year i know that they are extremely difficult to get anything out of, they have clauses here there and everywhere to avoid paying out, they will literally do anything to not pay you, as i found out.

 

[dk]

E&L get awful press, there was a huge Insurance thread on a photography forum a while back and hardly anyone had a good word to say about them.

Until that point I was going to go with them (they were cheap!), I've used www.photoguard.co.uk for a couple of years now, no claims but I know plenty of people who have and it's been fairly smooth.

hmm, i see, £230 is quite a lot of money for a year though, my car insurance is only £450

 

[MaLicE]

dave... i dropped my camera and claimed on house insurance... 2 weeks later i had a 2800 camera body and 500 towards a lens... it cost me 100 quid excess and the insurance didnt go up!

plus if your gonna go the route of a dedicated insurance... 230quid a year is alot less than 3000 if you drop the lot!

there was a guy on dp review who dropped his bag off a cliff... he had 2 nikon d2x's (at the time over 2k a piece) and about 10k's worth of glass and flashes etc... photoguard not only replaced it they replaced it with the new models, he got an upgrade to 2 d3's and all new glass...

 

[unofficialPete]

+1 for Photoguard, am paying £12 per month, far cheaper than my car insurance and my gear is worth many times more than my banger. Thats only a few quid more than phone cover, which is a rip off. Also hear good things about them should things go wrong unlike other companies who prefer to drag their feet and wriggle out...

 

[andywright182]

anyone know if companies like e and l would replace on a new for old basis? My 400d is playing up a bit so gonna get it on insurance before it goes completely. Since the 400d isnt in production anymore, what would they replace it with?

 

[Ian]

f0xy broke his 350d and he was offered a 450d as a replacement, as both the 350d and 400d were out of production. I don't know who he was insured with (house insurance I believe), but I imagine you would be offered the 450d. He took the money and got a 40d instead I think.

 

[Jungle_Jim]

no, was a small sort of drain cover about a foot square and i was standing on the corner of it and it hadn't been set right so it went down as the other corner came up and my foot went down.

Not really the point of this thread, but thanks for the interest.

Where theres blame theres a claim , get onto your local council about it.

 

[andywright182]

added everything to the home insurance. premiums were the same as a specialist insurer but I can also get my mobile etc covered as well. bonus is hey do on a new for old basis so my 400d might have an accident in a couple of months

 

[ukaskew]

I've gone with adding it to my Home Insurance as well this year, got £5000 worldwide possessions cover for about £23 extra.

 

[andywright182]

mine was an extra £3.20 per month for up to £2500. Only thing that worries me is if my 400d breaks they replace it with a 1000d. i would be mortified!

 

[dk]

i'm shafted on home insurance, can't get it for a decent price as i flatshare with someone and very few insurance companies will touch you for some reason.

So I have insured the expensive stuff, the camera equipment with photoguard.

 

[dk]

mine was an extra £3.20 per month for up to £2500. Only thing that worries me is if my 400d breaks they replace it with a 1000d. i would be mortified!

why, they are essentially the same camera, so its pretty much like for like.

they probably wouldn't know that though so you would get the new version i bet, being the 450d etc.

 

[andywright182]

why, they are essentially the same camera, so its pretty much like for like.

they probably wouldn't know that though so you would get the new version i bet, being the 450d etc.

essentially but the 400d is a has a better spec IMO wouldnt be worth putting my premium up for a replacement of the same/lower spec camera. If they did that I would just insist on a cheque to the value of the 1000d and put it towards another camera. All ifs and buts though

 

[dk]

essentially but the 400d is a has a better spec IMO wouldnt be worth putting my premium up for a replacement of the same/lower spec camera. If they did that I would just insist on a cheque to the value of the 1000d and put it towards another camera. All ifs and buts though

i'd say the 1000d slightly pips the 400d actually!

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos1000d/page2.asp

liveview and a few other things extra.

 

[White16valver]

dave... i dropped my camera and claimed on house insurance... 2 weeks later i had a 2800 camera body and 500 towards a lens... it cost me 100 quid excess and the insurance didnt go up!

plus if your gonna go the route of a dedicated insurance... 230quid a year is alot less than 3000 if you drop the lot!

there was a guy on dp review who dropped his bag off a cliff... he had 2 nikon d2x's (at the time over 2k a piece) and about 10k's worth of glass and flashes etc... photoguard not only replaced it they replaced it with the new models, he got an upgrade to 2 d3's and all new glass...

I bet that was an 'accident' lol

 

[andywright182]

emailed photoguard about the camera and got this response

In the event of a claim we would accept clear photographs as an alternative to original receipts.

Our cover is for theft and accidental damage but not loss or breakdown. You would be required to insure for the cost to buy as new today for the same or newest equivalent model available that you would be happy with through a UK supplier, we arrange new replacement items rather than cash/cheque settlements. You could also amend your equipment to be insured throughout the year should you change your equipment.


We trust the above clarifies however please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance.

From that it sounds as if I take cover and my 400d has an accident then sounds like i would get a 450d or similar. if it hppens to stop working of its own accord, a trip dow the stairs will rectify this to claim on accidental damage

Might be worth the £4.05 per month for £1000 worth of cover (inc lenses)

 

[andywright182]

Have insured my camera with photoguard now as well as adding to home insurance. Very happy with all the levels of coverage and costing me less than £5 a month all told