Yep, just a kid. I insured my TR6 with USAA in 1975, after basic training at Lackland. 
Photography Equipment Insurance Options (retitled discussion)
- Thread starter Hooligans Imagery
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Flyboy
Active member
One thing to be aware of...there is a clause in most, if not all Homeowner's policies that states coverage is secondary to any other coverage carried on the property.
choochoo1414
New member
I have Allstate and for my particular policy my agent wrote the following:
“For your personal property coverage on your policy it would only be covered for losses like; Fire, water damage originating within the home, smoke damage, theft, damage due to falling objects. You would have to pay your deductible as well.
Things not covered would be; Loss, mysterious disappearance, accidental damage due to drop. HOWEVER, if you were to schedule items specifically on your policy (most common is jewelry) then all the same things above is covered but now also loss or mysterious disappearance is covered. And now there is NO Deductible. Damage due to your negligence like dropping is still not covered. There is no coverage that I can add that would cover this.
If you travel outside of the country you would still have coverage of only theft and minus your deductible under your normal home policy personal property coverage.”
So even with a rider accidental damage isn’t covered.
I went with a camera specific policy from RVNA for $167/year with $10,000 coverage(replacement cost) and $500 deductible. They focus on professional photogs but I just got the property insurance portion. The only thing they don’t cover is travel on water.
p.s. if you have State Farm it looks like you can purchase a rider called a Personal Articles Policy that covers direct physical damage and accidental loss...
“For your personal property coverage on your policy it would only be covered for losses like; Fire, water damage originating within the home, smoke damage, theft, damage due to falling objects. You would have to pay your deductible as well.
Things not covered would be; Loss, mysterious disappearance, accidental damage due to drop. HOWEVER, if you were to schedule items specifically on your policy (most common is jewelry) then all the same things above is covered but now also loss or mysterious disappearance is covered. And now there is NO Deductible. Damage due to your negligence like dropping is still not covered. There is no coverage that I can add that would cover this.
If you travel outside of the country you would still have coverage of only theft and minus your deductible under your normal home policy personal property coverage.”
So even with a rider accidental damage isn’t covered.
I went with a camera specific policy from RVNA for $167/year with $10,000 coverage(replacement cost) and $500 deductible. They focus on professional photogs but I just got the property insurance portion. The only thing they don’t cover is travel on water.
p.s. if you have State Farm it looks like you can purchase a rider called a Personal Articles Policy that covers direct physical damage and accidental loss...
I've never seen any insurance that will cover wear and tear.
Insurance is not like this at all
Insurance companies calculate the chance of having a claim, and collect premiums from perhaps 1000 policy holders to pay out perhaps 10 claims - if their average calculation is right.
They still need enough left in reserve to meet Government legal reserve requirements and hopefully to make a profit.
In the background there are Burning Cost claims such as modest damage to equipment claims - which an Insurance Company normally pays 100% out of their own reserves.
There are much less frequent Catastrophe Cost claims such as injuring a third-party with a tripod. In exceptional cases a single claim rmight run to $1 million.
Part of the Catastrophe Cost risk is spread amongst several re-insurers so that one company does not go out of business if it has three Catastrophe Claim losses in a single year.
Thank you for this. This adds a new player, RVNA, and it appears to be a good deal. I was quoted $200 for 15,000 of coverage and no membership is required.
Also the website says it covers accidental damage.
I didn't see the travel on water exclusion in the FAQ, but there is a limit on unattended vehicles unless the vehicle was locked, with alarm and a forced entry.
This appears to be the best insurance so far.
I have retitled this thread and am providing a summary in the original post for ease of reference in the future.
Coverage varies widely by carrier. A few years ago my wife had a camera bag with a lens stolen while in Venice. Cincinnati Insurance had it covered on homeowners and paid the full listed amount immediately and without issue including the cost of the camera bag and filters - all scheduled. With each policy you have to understand exactly what is covered - gear in an automobile, drops, dunks, lost gear, negligence, etc. Theft makes up a minor portion of losses. Accidents and drops is material, but not big dollar loss. I'd recommend deductibles of $250-500 just to eliminate small claims - and avoid making small claims if possible.
choochoo1414
New member
Regarding the Travel on Water exclusion with RVNA, here's a section from their insurance application...
"Do you understand and agree that you do not now, and will not during the policy period engage in any On-the-water, Pornographic, Underwater, and/or War Photography / Videography?"
I think, though, that I need to investigate that underwater pornographic filming...
"Do you understand and agree that you do not now, and will not during the policy period engage in any On-the-water, Pornographic, Underwater, and/or War Photography / Videography?"
I think, though, that I need to investigate that underwater pornographic filming...
Especially when the definition of said content is ‘you know it when you see it’… legally, it seems a bit problematic to me.First time I’ve seen a disqualifier clause for porn.
I received some sample contracts which I am making available to people.
Property and Liability Policies Link for ProPhotographers Insurance by RNVA
Page 28-29 of the Property Policy - Coverage D are the main provisions and they seem pretty broad to me.
Property and Liability Policies Link for ProPhotographers Insurance by RNVA
Page 28-29 of the Property Policy - Coverage D are the main provisions and they seem pretty broad to me.
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USAA scheduled camera, lens and accessories coverage (Valuable Personal Property, from their website):
- Drops and breaks - You drop your favorite camera, and the lens cracks. (What if it’s not your favorite camera???)
- Lost items - You go through your camera bag and realize your DSLR stabilizer is missing. (Whatever that means!)
- Theft - Your new video camera disappears at a friend's wedding reception. (They told you that you should’ve stopped after the second glass…)
- Coverage is for repair or replacement cost, at current value; your choice.
- A claim will not increase your premium, as with homeowners.
- Includes items that disappear from your vehicle.
- Personal gear only, not for business work, even part time ‘gig’ or ‘side hustle’.
- Coverage any where in the world. (Maybe not N. Korea, though…?)
- Drones, under 10 lbs., can be covered under their Technology Coverage Endorsement, along with your phone, table, Xbox, VR goggles etc.
- Zero deductible.
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Update from PPA which I have added to the first post:
Per PPA if you have the included basic coverage you MUST file a police report for a loss. If you have the Plus you don't need to as that is the mysterious disappearance coverage. They also confirmed the basic PhotoCare policy comes with a $350 deductible to fully replace an equipment item and $50 to repair an item. For the PhotoCare Plus policy the $250 deductible applies to either a loss or repair.
I believe the ProPhotographers Insurance by RNVA is the best policy - covers those earning from photography and those not, and you don't have to schedule your items. With the $500 deductible though most repairs won't get covered. The low price covers this risk.
Per PPA if you have the included basic coverage you MUST file a police report for a loss. If you have the Plus you don't need to as that is the mysterious disappearance coverage. They also confirmed the basic PhotoCare policy comes with a $350 deductible to fully replace an equipment item and $50 to repair an item. For the PhotoCare Plus policy the $250 deductible applies to either a loss or repair.
I believe the ProPhotographers Insurance by RNVA is the best policy - covers those earning from photography and those not, and you don't have to schedule your items. With the $500 deductible though most repairs won't get covered. The low price covers this risk.
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Anyone with experience filing a claim through PPA? I haven't read the entire thread yet so apologies if the info is there, but I'm curious as to the claim part of ANY provider. I've heard many horror stories about denied claims for really stupid reasons. Even the insurance you can buy from the likes of B&H have been denied with people just getting the premium refunded (not what I would want after a loss). A family member just got denied on an extended warranty claim because they couldn't prove they got an oil change at the specified interval...and the claim had nothing to do with the engine/oil.
This stuff happens all the time and it's not talked about much. You just hear a few "worked ok for me" stuff which is just salt on the wound for post-loss discussions.
It's for those reasons that I tend to stick with mainstream providers, even if it's a bit more expensive. Not guaranteed, but better chance of not getting screwed for something trivial.
I currently have a Personal Articles Policy with Statefarm. It has nothing to do with my homeowners policy (i.e., not a rider, etc.). I'm paying $300 annually for just shy of $20k worth of equipment, no deducible. The policy has some obvious exclusions (nuclear radiation, war zones, etc.) but nothing glaringly petty. Also, this is for non-professional coverage only so I suppose if they found out after a claim that I ever in my life accepted $$ for a photo taken with the insured equipment, they could deny the claim. But that wont happen as I do not sell, trade, or otherwise accept compensation for my photography
. I believe this is one of those topics where the devil is in the details, not all policies or claims are the same...even with the same providers. It's a business and they're looking out for themselves first. If they can deny a claim, they will.
Kurt,Anyone with experience filing a claim through PPA? I haven't read the entire thread yet so apologies if the info is there, but I'm curious as to the claim part of ANY provider. I've heard many horror stories about denied claims for really stupid reasons. Even the insurance you can buy from the likes of B&H have been denied with people just getting the premium refunded (not what I would want after a loss). A family member just got denied on an extended warranty claim because they couldn't prove they got an oil change at the specified interval...and the claim had nothing to do with the engine/oil.
This stuff happens all the time and it's not talked about much. You just hear a few "worked ok for me" stuff which is just salt on the wound for post-loss discussions.
It's for those reasons that I tend to stick with mainstream providers, even if it's a bit more expensive. Not guaranteed, but better chance of not getting screwed for something trivial.
I currently have a Personal Articles Policy with Statefarm. It has nothing to do with my homeowners policy (i.e., not a rider, etc.). I'm paying $300 annually for just shy of $20k worth of equipment, no deducible. The policy has some obvious exclusions (nuclear radiation, war zones, etc.) but nothing glaringly petty. Also, this is for non-professional coverage only so I suppose if they found out after a claim that I ever in my life accepted $$ for a photo taken with the insured equipment, they could deny the claim. But that wont happen as I do not sell, trade, or otherwise accept compensation for my photography
I believe this is one of those topics where the devil is in the details, not all policies or claims are the same...even with the same providers. It's a business and they're looking out for themselves first. If they can deny a claim, they will.
Your point is a good one. The ProPhotographers option seems to address your concerns in some ways. It's specifically for photographers so I think there would be fewer misunderstandings and you don't have to itemize. I spoke to the underwriter. If your concern is mostly use in the field this is useful as you will take different kits different places. My main insurance concern would be theft of my backpack while traveling.
The itemized policy you have seems like a good price. You have to talk to an agent apparently as there is no online process so I couldn't find or look at exclusions. While the ProPhotographers has a $500 deductible, it quotes out at 233 for 20k. So if people are making $ from sales, that would seem to be the policy to get. I think those that aren't selling images, the USAA or Statefarm route might be the way to go if you want zero deductible.
First Post updated to add Statefarm into the section on USAA.
I purchased the ProPhtographers just now. I went for 20k for 233 a year.
This may be the year that I begin monetizing my photography (however modestly…). I appreciate all of your efforts and will bookmark this thread as a reference.
Thanks I have some "in"famous threads on coffee forums so I applied that learning here to make it easier for others.
I wanted to give people an update with my experience with RVNA which is underwritten by Allianz
When you are sent the policy you are sent a general policy and it hard to find the relevant part for your gear. I found the Entertainment Articles Floater ENTEF 000 01 19. This starts on page 101 of the PDF I was sent which has 206 pages.
I had a couple of questions I am trying to get an understanding of, and I post them here so people have an idea of what they may ask their brokers.
When you are sent the policy you are sent a general policy and it hard to find the relevant part for your gear. I found the Entertainment Articles Floater ENTEF 000 01 19. This starts on page 101 of the PDF I was sent which has 206 pages.
I had a couple of questions I am trying to get an understanding of, and I post them here so people have an idea of what they may ask their brokers.
- How does the newly acquired provision work? I have 30 days to report new property? I am confused because the property isn’t scheduled, but a new lens is a purchase date after the start of the policy. So for example, if I purchase a new lens but no longer keep another or sell something what do I do under this provision?
- Neglect provision - This says FURTHER damage. So I am still covered if my tripod falls over when someone knocks if over on a tripod? I did some research on the actual language and found this website on the term and so I think it's fine. It's protecting the property after a loss.
- I see that the territory is anywhere except where you legally can’t provide coverage? Where would that be?
- Replacement cost requires replacement of the property - understood - is upgrading allowed? I have a Z9 camera and say a Z10 comes out can I upgrade?
- If there is a theft or any law broken I have to file a police report. What happens if the item is stolen in an airport and I have to catch my plane home?
You should ask the broker for clarification of your queries in writing.
The broker likely receives a commission for doing this.
Anybody else's "Clarification "might not be the same as the insurance Company interpretation
I have updated the first post. As it turns out when working online you need to choose the Premier Photography link, otherwise you end up with Inland Marine insurance. The Premier Photographers is through Fireman’s Fund and there is no unattended vehicle exclusion. It’s also cheaper for more coverage. I ended up with 22,000 general equipment and 10,000 data processing for 181. You can test higher coverages easily. RV Nunccio the broker was very good working with me to change things up.
The proof is in the pudding...I'd love to hear from folks that have experience filing claims with these underwriters. I can pay on a policy for years and feel like everything is ok but the real test is what they do with claims.
Here's a deal for you, I'll give you $100,000 of coverage for $10 a year. Send me your money and you can feel warm and fuzzy about your photo equipment being insured. But guess what I'm going to do when you file a claim? Section 24, subparagraph 37b states you're not covered for that because of <insert something stupid here>.
Or too many people file claims and I'll just close the business and take my money elsewhere. Bigger companies cant do that but the smaller ones can, and have, done that exact thing.
181 for 32k of insurance is poking into the territory of sounding too good to be true. I don't mean to sound negative but I'm a bit skeptical. Insurance companies are accepting the liability for expensive, fragile, and highly mobile equipment....they need to be in the tried-and-true category (for me) so I know they'll be there at the end.
@KurtH yea - it’s Fireman’s Fund as issuer. The quote is not out of line with others I got. In fact when I cancelled my homeowners rider, didn’t get much of a refund as they raised the base rate for the house. Why took off a discount for X amount of property on the rider. I just don’t want a claim on this impacting my base homeowners so I am ok with that. The rates all quoted to me were within reason of each other depending on the coverage. Note this one has a $500 deductible, and the other that had no deductible were higher.
Also I actually read the policy. I know what I got. My career was in tax controversy so reading documents isn’t new to me. My biggest risk with this is mysterious disappearance, and I did some research on that as well.
If you want to be safe probably USAA is best bet IF you qualify, but they are more expensive with zero deductible and you have to schedule your property.
One last thought the Premier Policy is clearly for many pros as you can see references to various professional associations in the docs.
I do agree though that knowing how to file a claim is critical.
Also I actually read the policy. I know what I got. My career was in tax controversy so reading documents isn’t new to me. My biggest risk with this is mysterious disappearance, and I did some research on that as well.
If you want to be safe probably USAA is best bet IF you qualify, but they are more expensive with zero deductible and you have to schedule your property.
One last thought the Premier Policy is clearly for many pros as you can see references to various professional associations in the docs.
I do agree though that knowing how to file a claim is critical.
Thanks Michael, sounds like you did your homework. And keeping the policies separate as to not affect your homeowners policy is a good thing.