# How Do You Ontarians Insure Your Gear?



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i have a thread going here:

http://guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=5625

but haven't been able to get any answers, so far.

...why do i get the feeling that there are a whole lot of ontario musicians traveling around without gear insurance?

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...an industry insider and friend of mine estimates the 99% of ontario musicians that are not signed to a major deal are travelling around with uninsured gear.

 

-dh


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

David, your've opened my eyes to something I never really thought about. I just assumed that my home owners insurance would cover me. I'm just a hobbyist, but all my gear that I've collected over the years is easily worth over $10K. I think a phone call to my broker is in order. Thanks for turning on the light!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Tarbender said:


> David, your've opened my eyes to something I never really thought about. I just assumed that my home owners insurance would cover me. I'm just a hobbyist, but all my gear that I've collected over the years is easily worth over $10K. I think a phone call to my broker is in order. Thanks for turning on the light!



...you may be covered on your homeowners policy. its those of us who transport and use our equipment to make money that are not covered, i believe.

nonetheless, it's a good idea to get full clarification.

-dh


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## zinga (Apr 22, 2007)

*ins*

this is what i do,,, one big baseball bat, one double bladed axe, if you want it that bad go for it lolNone


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

david henman said:


> ...an industry insider and friend of mine estimates the 99% of ontario musicians that are not signed to a major deal are travelling around with uninsured gear.
> 
> 
> 
> -dh


This is most likely a very true statement. If you have the all the gear in the house and never travel with it, you should be OK with the homeowners insurance. But having it ripped off on the road is another story altogther


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## FrogRick12 (Feb 21, 2006)

If you're a member of local 149 (and who isn't?  , you can buy gear insurance from a broker in Windsor, ON. It's reasonably priced.


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## Eric Pykala (Jul 1, 2006)

You mean useless Local 149? The one that collects money and never does anything for you?-Eric


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> This is most likely a very true statement. If you have the all the gear in the house and never travel with it, you should be OK with the homeowners insurance. But having it ripped off on the road is another story altogther


You have to be careful. For larger value items you need some proof or your beloved Insurance company can get nasty. It's better off to give them photo copies of invoice etc and have a special rider for larger value collections at least.

.02


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## FrogRick12 (Feb 21, 2006)

Eric Pykala said:


> You mean useless Local 149? The one that collects money and never does anything for you?-Eric


Ah! I see you're a member!!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I need to get my stuff insure if it isnt already - im not paying for it all again if something happens to it!


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

I had one agent heard that I had gotten paid for a couple of gigs and refused to cover any of my gear. Now we are talking about $40 per gig. Of course I still don't have a separate ryder. I recently purchased a cheap guitar so I don't have to worry about the good one. I figure that is a cheap insurance.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Budda said:


> I need to get my stuff insure if it isnt already - im not paying for it all again if something happens to it!



...please let us know if you find an insurer in ontario, mate.

-dh


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Have you tried Economical Mutual?

Peace, Mooh.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Mooh said:


> Have you tried Economical Mutual?
> Peace, Mooh.


...i'll give it a shot and report back, mooh.

so far i haven't found one musician in ontario who has their equipment insured, aside from afm/symphony members.

-dh


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Besides me? All my stuff is insured and the ins. co. has photos and serial numbers in my file. Just updated them a couple of weeks ago.

Good luck.

Peace, Mooh.


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## djem (Sep 14, 2006)

AFAIK, my standard home policy covers up to a limit would not replace my gear. My broker told me that if I wanted to fully insure all my gear, I would need to take out a Personal Articles Policy. That will cover all personal stuff like instruments, jewellery, etc.

As stated before, if you're a working musician, you'll need to get a special policy for gear out of the house.

Check all the details of the policy and discuss with your broker/agent. I use State Farm, btw.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Mooh said:


> Besides me? All my stuff is insured and the ins. co. has photos and serial numbers in my file. Just updated them a couple of weeks ago.
> Good luck.
> Peace, Mooh.



...which insurance company?

-dh


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Economical Mutual.


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

I just opened a policy with http://www.musicins.com/ . They have ads in Vintage Guitar and good feedback on gearpage. Everything in studio is now covered except they don't cover the computer.

Andy


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

*like this*


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

fraser said:


>





...nah, that's how americans insure their gear!

:smilie_flagge17:

-dh


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...nah, that's how americans insure their gear!
> 
> :smilie_flagge17:
> 
> -dh



yup- and fraser:smile:
for many years i had a large angry dog who performed the task well, but he got old and died. my current home is too small for a dog, and crackheads abound here in the ghetto


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

sysexguy said:


> I just opened a policy with http://www.musicins.com/ . They have ads in Vintage Guitar and good feedback on gearpage. Everything in studio is now covered except they don't cover the computer. Andy



..andy, i can't thank you enough!!!!

i'm getting a quote from them now.

unbelievable - i may finally have found a way to insure my gear.

:bow::bow::bow:

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Paul said:


> There are instrument insurance packages available through relationships developed with the AFM. The rate is based on XX dollars per $100.00 value insured. It also includes, (I've been told), professional liability insurance. Soooo if a drunk trips over your mic stand, and cracks his fool head open and sues, you have some protection. If the nice hotel and conference center claims you damaged the hardwood floors when you dragged the drum set 2 feet to the right, you have some coverage.
> 
> It's worth looking into. I've been told by Bill Skolnik, who is the current AFM V.P. for Canada that of all the services offered by the AFM the _only_ one that has never generated complaints is the insurance. The underwriter honours claims fairly and timely.



...long story, but i avoid the afm like the plague.

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

sysexguy said:


> I just opened a policy with http://www.musicins.com/ . They have ads in Vintage Guitar and good feedback on gearpage. Everything in studio is now covered except they don't cover the computer. Andy



...again, i cannot thank you enough, andy.

my equipment is now insured!

finally, there is no excuse for any musician in ontario and quebec to go without proper coverage.

-dh


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## Ringwraith (Nov 17, 2007)

Hi guys
Glad someone already posted the Heritage link www.musicins.com

I just wanted to put in another good word for them. MUCH cheaper than the deal AFM has going and better coverage! After many years of not really thinking about it, I finally got smart and insured my stuff! I make a living with my gear & if something ever happened to it I'd be F***ed. (not to mention my family too)
Give them a call!

Cheers
Sean


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

i have insurance through Aon Reed - There's a group policy with them for socan members - it covers home studio and touring - even covers rentals and borrowed gear while you're on the road


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## Metal#J# (Jan 1, 2007)

I was talking insurance with a bunch of people the other day and didn't like what I was hearing. One guy said he had $160,000 in contents insurance on his house and after a flood was hoping to replace all the items he had lost. He said that most of his $ was tied up in PA gear in the basement which he also made a living with. The insurance company would only allow 10% of the $160,000 for electronic devices (which had to include his TVs and other usual household devices) and he said the insurance company saw all his gear as having a depreciated value. Less than half of what he paid new. He assumed (as did I) that the insurance company would give him a check for replacement value. I think a lot of people might think they're safe with their existing homeowners ins. but I know that if something happened to my house tomorrow.....I might as well find another hobby. On top of it all, my horrible experiences dealing with mortgage and disability ins. have conditioned me to believe that the chances of getting paid fairly on any claim is unlikely under any circumstance. We really are just giving our money away for a false sense of security.

FWIW, each ins. company is different but we all know that adjusters are there for one reason......to make sure as little money as possible is paid out. Not to be fair and cover what was lost.

J


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## The Usual (May 14, 2008)

I'm not an expert, but I did call and inquire about this some time ago. After probing for half an hour, I learned that there is no coverage for guitars under any home policy if you play out in a band. 

You can purchase riders etc, but if you play for money, or they think you play for money, they don't cover you. Unless you lie to them, perhaps.

And insurance companies blow goats. I know someone who is a lawyer, and guess where all the lawyers go when they are done school. To work for insurance companies, investigating claims so that they don't have to be paid out. The batteries were too old in your smoke alarm, sorry about your luck etc.

I could talk about these guys all day long.
Even if they did cover your gear, the premiums would be so high, there really wouldn't be any value in it. Take a cheap axe to the gig, I guess makes the most sense.


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