Insuring your valuable guitars and equipment

Werner-Carstens · 2009-01-22T09:13:18+00:00

Hi all. I would like to hear what your experiences were regarding insuring your musical equipment as I have been frustrated by this endlessly. I contacted 3 different insurance companies in South Africa to insure my guitars and amps but all of them declined because it falls under "high risk" items. At present all my musical equipment are covered under the normal household contents but the moment I take it out of the house it is not insured anymore. That means that if it gets damaged in transit or at a venue it is not insured!! Have you had the same experience? If not, can you please give me contact details of a company that is willing to insure instruments in transit as well as on location while performing? Any info will be appreciated.

Riaan

So record the serial numbers

Also, it's unlikely that a guitar thief would keep the gear for himself, he would sell them. And only a guitarist would be interested. That's were this forum is so valuable - if your gear gets stolen, report it here so the rest of us are aware of it.

Rudolf

Eiish! I went through this whole ordeal a few years ago to get my big helicopters insured against theft/fire and road accident damage, the usual story if you put the thing in the car etc. I originally got going with one of the more famillier companies but 5 months down the line when I needed to add the 3rd and new heli my mom got me for my world champs trip the consultant decides to tell me they can't insure it. After paying specified items premiums all this time for the other two machines? I asked them what would have happened if something did go wrong and I had to claim and when the guys stuttered I told upper management there in goeie Afrikaans they will refund my premiums in full or I'm taking them down. I got refunded so all's good but yea, just shows you. You have to be REAL carefull. I eventually went back to my old insurance (Glenrand MIB), told em the whole ordeal and they took a step forward for me and changed their policies after I explained the whole scenario to them. Now I pay about 1/8s I did with the scum company for each machine and they gave me a good deal on the car/house stuff also.

Insurance is such a pain. Insuring a guitar I can't foresee too much trouble with, try explaining to the guy you wanna insure your R40k model toy!

kayDUB

Just to give some feedback, I phoned my insurance company and they verified that they do in fact cover my gear anywhere in the world, at gigs standing on stage and in transit. Hopefully I'll never have to put them to the test and claim!
:yup: (doesn't this smiley remind you of Peanut?)

AlanRatcliffe

Get it in writing...

Rudolf

Ditto that! A properly adressed, signed letter on an official letter head is all the court wants to see.

kayDUB

A valid point...

Rudolf

Neeeeeeeeeeeeeauw!

Dirk

I've got all my gear insured through Outsurance. They're all specified items and its not very cheap. But they even cover damage (Like when you smash your axe against your amp at the end of a good gig) NOT..

It's an expensive hobby, but, MAN, so rewarding!!

JK

Just got a quote on dial direct- R19 000 insured equipment (Guitar + 2 amps) for R85 a month

Dirk

Thanx for that one JK, I must give them a shout. Mine is currently around R600 for about R60 000 equipment.

Preshant

I'm also in the process of insuring my guitar, and the insurance company needs a valuation certificate. Do you guys know if i can get this a just any music shop or do i need to go somewhere specific to get a valuation?

AlanRatcliffe

If it's a vintage item, get a proper appraisal done by George Gruhn over the Internet. Otherwise, most stuff, a shop can do it for you - just needs to be on their official quote form (or valuation form, if they have one). If it's a lot of items, do the research yourself beforehand, list everything, find replacement items and note the exact models down (you'll often find you have to look for modern equivalents for what you have as it may not be a current product. This way the guy at the music store just has to look up prices and not spend tons of his time looking up equivalents - he is using time he could be using to sell when he does this, so make it easy for him and he may not hate you ?

Preshant

Thanks Alan. It's not a vintage item so i reckon i'll get it sorted at a music store.

Riaan-Combrink

Preshant wrote Thanks Alan. It's not a vintage item so i reckon i'll get it sorted at a music store.

And buy a set of strings so they don't hate you!!!!!! ? ? Their time is money ...

Dirk

I just tried Dial Direct. They were R200 more expensive than Outsurance. Guess I'll have to keep on trying.

Shawnvs

Im guessing if there are any clever insurance people watching this forum, there are a heap of musos that will benefit from affordable cover.

Whoever posts the company link here will probably get a really good bonus. *hint to broker*

Dirk

Shawnvs wrote Whoever posts the company link here will probably get a really good bonus. *hint to broker*

Not sure if it's against the rules. :-\

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