Camera Insurance/Camera Theft while Traveling

Daniel, I currently do not have any insurance for my cameras or belongings and currently live in Vienna, Austria. Living here seems to be more secure, but while traveling in Austria en route to Switzerland, I got my backpack stolen from a night train compartment recently, so I can understand your concerns.

I used to live in the US and if I remember correctly when I was renting there I had an insurance with State Farm who gave me a rider on my renter’s insurance policy for my camera equipment. That seems to be an economical option.

Thank you for sharing your experience Tomoko! Sorry to hear about your bag getting nabbed, I will look into State Farm asap. Happy New Year!

Along the same lines as Tomoko, I am not a professional, but travel a bit and also most always have a camera with me. My homeowner’s insurance, USAA, allows a Valuable Personal Property coverage for individual items, including camera gear. It is for replacement value. I pay about $600 per year for about $20,000 worth of coverage for bodies, lenses. I have used it a few times already, not for theft, but for damage; dropped my bag at an airport and smashed a lens, bent over and smacked my M6 agains a wall a bit and bent the rewind lever, small, but still covered. I am not sure if it would be different for a professional, but it gives me great peace of mind to use my gear wherever and for whatever and not worry about costly losses. Give your insurance company a call.

Word to the wise – Insurance companies don’t like paying claims. Especially claims on tens of thousands of dollars of camera equipment. So while they might well be willing to charge you extra for the rider coverage, the minute you file a claim, they’re going to make sure that you were eligible for the rider coverage.

Business property is almost never covered under homeowner’s/renter’s insurance, and insurance companies will do everything they can to prove that the lost property was not for personal enjoyment. I know a guy, a hobbyist cum wedding photographer that was denied an $8,000 claim after his kids took his camera swimming in the family pool because he had a website advertising wedding photography. Without the website, it would likely have been a covered claim.

Both the National Press Photographers Association and TCP Insurance have plans for professionals. I’ve found both to be good (in that they actually cover claims) and reasonably priced.

Good advice Will; I thought this might be the case for professionals. My largest claim was for $1500 for a damaged lens. No problems and quick service, but I wonder about a larger claim. It probably varies a bit by company as well.

It probably does. I’m with State Farm for personal vehicular and property, and they’ve been great about fixing wrecked cars and house disasters. I even sat down with my agent about business and business property to see if I could get everything through one company, and after a few weeks of back-and-forth, he suggested I find a company that deals with photographers more specifically given that companies like SF like predictable businesses, and this is anything but.

I use TCP presently, and have been quite happy with them. It’s a very scalable plan and covers everywhere (didn’t need to fill out forms or beg permission for Sudan).

Thank you all for the great advice. I think I will look into the insurance offered by NPPA as I plan to continue to invest in new lenses and other equipment. Happy New Year!

http://pacsafe.com/www/index.php?room=3&action=detail&id=152

Not insurance as such, but great for peace of mind when you need to sleep on a train, bus, bench or bathroom. Adds a bit of weight to the bag but better than no bag at all.

+1 for TCP. My camera insurance is also with them. Their service is excellent and their coverage is international.