I've had exactly the same frustration. At best, you can insure it at home (which defeats the purpose). Also check the policies very carefully. Most contents of home policies have a cap on a general category (usually called 'audio-visual' or something similarly vague). You may be limited to 25% of replacment value, or a certain RAND value in TOTAL if ALL your audio-visual is stolen, etc. Start pressing the broker on whether a guitar or amp is regarded as "audio-visual" equipment, and you'll get insurance-speak but no answer. >

At the moment, any performer who travels with a PA and equipment to a gig risks total destruction of anything between R 5 000 and R 150 000 every time he/she pulls out of the driveway.

Glad you've thrown this one out there. Our GFSA members are such a varied bunch, there's bound to be one who toils in the insurance industry by day (or knows someone who knows someone ...) 8)

The real issue here is the absence of a strong musicians' union in RSA (If I'm wrong about that guys, please advise. I'm under correction, here). Politicians lobbied the banks to grant homeloans in so-called "red-line" areas contrary to all sound banking principles, the Defence Force got the insurance companies to waive the "war risk" exclsuion clauses in life policies for peacekeepers deployed in conflict areas, etc. Musicians should have an unified voice and lobby the insurance companies (they have something like the Life Offices Association as a nodal interface) to either change their approach, or (more realistically) create a special policy for travelling musicians. They can design it so that the premiums are loaded to still make financial sense to the company, but at least provides some cover to the muso (who presently has NO cover). Many musos would be willing to pay for a measure of protection. My fear is just that the insurers may build so many exclusion clauses into such a policy so as to make it exist on paper but have no real value to the musician.

I'm with a broker - African Independent and my stuff is covered (or so they tell me) - I just had to specify the items above R10K. Raised the premiums a bit, but worth it.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: I'm with a broker - African Independent and my stuff is covered (or so they tell me) - I just had to specify the items above R10K. Raised the premiums a bit, but worth it.

Thanks, Alan. Will check into that.

When you insure your items, Do you have to give the serial numbers of your equipment? Just wondering cos i had to give serial numbers for some of my gear but haven't for the others so if its true i should submit the rest.
But then again my stuff is only insured for inside the house. When i take stuff outside, is worrying time

I used to work for an insurance company and this it how it works with them:

On your household policy you get covered for "unspecified portable possessions" for up to R3000 I think. Then if you have a laptop and stuff worth more than that you need to insure that as "Specified portable possessions" (Musical instruments fall under this category). There you specify everything and give the serial numbers of everything. Also remember to insure for replacement value and not what it cost you when you got it. (Prices have gone up alot recently and thus a good time to double check if your still correctly insured).

If you want to Riaan, I'll PM you the name of the company etc...

CDee wrote: IIf you want to Riaan, I'll PM you the name of the company etc...

Thanks, CDee. Will appreciate that.

They didn't ask for serials or anything, but I keep them anyway.

@CDee - no harm in posting the name if they are willing to insure our gear. IIRC my policy is underwritten by Hollard (I'm a bit vague on that though). Yeah - we had to specify laptops too.

Well, the company is Auto & General. African Independant is a broker for them aswell. You can also try Budget insurance and Dial Direct.

If you want online quotes go to www.hippo.co.za. They'll give you a call and save you the sharecall rate. You can also go to their individual sites and get quotes from there.
www.autogen.co.za
www.budgetins.co.za
www.dialdirect.co.za

Make sure you tell them that you use it for gigs and stuff.

I hope this helps.

(Just for the record, I have no affiliations with them anymore)

I've also got household insurance with a broker: www.philcooper.co.za

My guitar, amp & Tanya's camera equipment is covered under "all-risk" which means it's kak-expensive but it's covered for theft or accidental damage if we take it out our house. Very useful, even though it's expensive.

We make sure we only specify the stuff we take out the house, though. So if you have a big amp at home (in your garage) and one you travel with, just insure the one you travel with and don't take it out your house!

Riaan C wrote: I've had exactly the same frustration. At best, you can insure it at home (which defeats the purpose).

My Morgan is specified in our household insurance - not included under one of the standard covers. Serial number is noted, and I had to provide a valuation certificate stating REPLACEMENT value.

Now is that self defeating? Well we got burgled a couple of months ago. If the guitar had been damaged or stolen I would have had coverage. So it's not a total waste.

Bob Dubery wrote: Now is that self defeating? Well we got burgled a couple of months ago. If the guitar had been damaged or stolen I would have had coverage. So it's not a total waste.

You're right, of course, Bob. But the original post and that particular part of my reply was directed specifically at the guys who have to move all their guitar equipment and mostly a PA (speakers, mixer, crossover, power amps, etc = tens of thousands in most cases) as well from their home, on our accident-prone roads and in and out of pubs and clubs and back home again on an almost daily basis. That is surely a much higher risk environment and commensurately the home-based cover is diminished in value for those of us who are exposed to that total risk context. But your point is well made and taken. ?

@ Norio: Got it - so "all risk" is the one to look for.

Wow, so much good advice (and practical options) in such a short time. I love GFSA! ?

Riaan C wrote: But the original post and that particular part of my reply was directed specifically at the guys who have to move all their guitar equipment and mostly a PA (speakers, mixer, crossover, power amps, etc = tens of thousands in most cases) as well from their home, on our accident-prone roads and in and out of pubs and clubs and back home again on an almost daily basis. That is surely a much higher risk environment and commensurately the home-based cover is diminished in value for those of us who are exposed to that total risk context.

Sure. Have a prang or your car broken into and you lose not only your treasured possessions but the tools of your trade.

There must surely be a way for a craftsman to ensure the tools that he must carry with him.

Hi guys, thanks for all the honest replies and info. I do keep a list of all musical equipment with serial numbers as an addendum to my current policy, but as stated is only covered while in my house. As Riaan C noted the problem is in transit and at venues.
Alan, I will definitely check out your broker and Auto & General as well.
I have seen UK insurance companies advertising insurance in Guitarist magazines so I was just wondering why it is not available in SA?
Well at least it seems as if most of you are in the same predicament.

@ Werner:

Do keep me posted if you find a great deal. I'll do the same.

...keep us all posted... ?

I have all my gear insured under "all-risks" with Outsurance...

I know there are certain instances when gear is not covered, like standing unattended outside (!), or left visibly in your car... gotta hide those stacks guys! So it is a good idea to check the insurance clauses. I should probably do that again.

I don't think I am paying that much for it, considering the actual value of the gear.
I don't have the serial numbers of my gear, but have a picture of each item... which might or might not help.

Good topic.

kayDUB wrote: ...like standing unattended outside (!), or left visibly in your car... gotta hide those stacks guys!

LOL ?

kayDUB wrote:
I don't have the serial numbers of my gear, but have a picture of each item... which might or might not help.

You should record the serial numbers. It may not make a difference for insurance purposes, but it does help the police. Say they get a tip off and they bust some guys with a whole bunch of gear - unless they catch them red-handed it's hard for the cops to prove that the goods aren't somebody else's. But if you've reported the case, and the cops have the serial numbers and equipment with the same serial number is found then they have some hard questions to answer.

I know, I know... but in the case of the recent burglary that I mentioned earlier the cops responded promptly, politely and efficiently (the guys who came to take our statements even coached us on how to preserve evidence until the fingerprint team arrived). But had we recorded the serial numbers of the TVs, computers etc? We had not.

A few days later the cops bust a gang in our neighbourhood. Bored kids as it turned out. The police had enough to make a case but were they the guys who hit our house? Without serial numbers to specifically identify our belongings they couldn't be charged with our burglary, and assuming they had our belongings we would not have been able to positively identify them and claim them back.

So record the serial numbers.

Bob Dubery wrote: So record the serial numbers.

Good advice!