Camera Insurance

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mark_n

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Hello,

A few months ago I was looking at some camera insurance (I can't remember the name of the company) in case my camera gets stolen or I get robbed when I am out with the camera. But as my camera was bought second hand from a friend I don't have any receipts, does anyone know of a company who would do such insurance without needing receipts.

Thanks.
 
I'm in the same situation, got a couple of lenses off ebay paid cash for one but got no receipt but would like to insure them. Any advice anyone? Sorry not wanting to hijack your thread just in the same boat.:)
 
I know it sounds a little odd, and a bit 'ransom-y', but I took photos of each item (lenses, body etc) with a newspaper (showing the date) and made sure all the serial numbers were visible etc. It's not as good as a receipt, but hopefully it'll be better than nothing should the worst happen!
 
Is it not covered on your home contents insurance if you're not using it professionally (ie, using the equipment as a source of income)?
 
Mark N, E&L never asked me for receipts - most of mine is off fleabay or TP anyway; in fact, during a shoot in one of the dodgey areas of Birmingham, I had to insure some stuff I'd bought the previous day and they did it over the phone. They're specialist photographic insurers but have never claimed so can't comment on their service in that respect...

As Kaouthia says, home insurance is just as good. I pay about £17 a month for £4,000 of equipment with professional use (and car/unattended cover) but if it's for a lot less value, then home insurance is just as good; I bought an Apple Powerbook (a Pismo year 2000 model) off fleabay for £150 that i repaired and had for three years. I dropped while running round like a headless chuck - phoned the insurance company, they picked it up next day and within a week I had a £1500 Macbook Pro sat on my lap. Okay, that added about £50 to my yearly premium but I renewed with halifax and got it £100 cheaper per year anyway with £50 rebate.
 
There is a recent thread on here about E&L with horror stories.
Someone aptly said not to touch them with a barge pole tipped barge pole.

If you have a home insurance policy ask the company to quote for accidental damage and theft in the house and out and about with your camera.

I did that and got all risks, new for old cover for £6k worth of gear for £10 per month onto my home policy. That was about £40 per year less than several independents quoted.
Explain the receipt situation to them at the outset.
 
I agree - your best bet is to ask them what they would do in that situation - and ask them to confirm it in writing (if it is not already on the policy).

I have pictures of every piece of kit I have, with the serial number showing and any boxes etc.
 
This caught My eye as I just bought a new 7d but its covered under our ordinary house contents insurance. I have also just claimed for my Vaio that was crushed recently in the back of the car. The excess was £100 quid but the replacement is a more up to date model which I might have bought anyway. All the above from "Groupama" . Settled very politely and with no sign of any argument at all. I,d recommend them for the low cost too...
 
We use Marks and Spencers Insurance, it covers us out of home for our property with I think the Gold version, its expensive but I also have expensive mountain bikes and it covers those too.

It still works out a whole lot cheaper than trying to insure everything separately, the only time I've had to claim with them was when my son fell over in the bath and punched a hole through it with his elbow!

They were fantastic to deal with and got everything sorted really quickly, efficiently and without argument.
 
In my recent claim (that is still ongoing after nearly 2 months) photoguard just wanted a photo of the lens showing the serial number, although this is for damaged lens claim maybe it would be a good idea to take photos of the kit you don't have reciepts for and make sure you get the serial number in.
 
specialman said:
Mark N, E&L never asked me for receipts - most of mine is off fleabay or TP anyway; in fact, during a shoot in one of the dodgey areas of Birmingham, I had to insure some stuff I'd bought the previous day and they did it over the phone. They're specialist photographic insurers but have never claimed so can't comment on their service in that respect....
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Do an experiment. Phone them and tell them that your car has been broken into and all of your gear has gone. It was in the boot... ;)
Better to do it now before you actually do have to claim.
I USED to be insured with them.


Kev.
 
My household insurance is through Hastings Direct, I increased the personal possessions cover to cover my gear, about 3 weeks later I dropped my Canon 50mm 1.4 the claim went through without a hitch, I never had to supply a receipt, I was only asked how much I paid for it (£180 new at the time) They said the lens/filter was out of stock and would I accept a monetary offer for the full MRRP for the lens and the same for the filter which was bought s/h.

It only took a few seconds to accept the offer:D
 
My household insurance is with Hiscox and I specifically inquired about my photographic equipment at the time I took out the policy. They told me that it was covered at home and when I'm using it as long as I don't use it for commercial purposes at all.
 
onomatopoeia said:
My household insurance is with Hiscox and I specifically inquired about my photographic equipment at the time I took out the policy. They told me that it was covered at home and when I'm using it as long as I don't use it for commercial purposes at all.
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Maybe worth a close read of your policy document. I know of one Hiscox policy that requires policy holders to pay the first £500 of any Building or Contents claim.
Think it is their 505 policy, but there may be others.
 
Cheers for the replies guys, think I'll get the wife to give the house insurance a phone and see what they say. I bought a 70-200mm canon and a sigma 120-300mm and have no documents so will be taking a photo of both serial numbers asap.
 
arclight said:
Maybe worth a close read of your policy document. I know of one Hiscox policy that requires policy holders to pay the first £500 of any Building or Contents claim.
Think it is their 505 policy, but there may be others.
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Correct, there is a £500 excess.
 
kevshore said:
Do an experiment. Phone them and tell them that your car has been broken into and all of your gear has gone. It was in the boot... ;)
Kev.
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It's fine providing the Car was built on a Wednesday between June and August, in 1984, 1985 or 1999. Red cars are excluded from all policies and no claim may be made on any red car. 50% of any payout will be removed for blue cars and any car with a handbrake.
In the event of a claim, a completed claim form signed by the policyholder and countersigned by the foreman of the factory where the car was built MUST be submitted in triplicate within 3 hours of the claim event. Facsimile and photocopies are not accepted.
 
scraggs said:
photoguard just wanted a photo of the lens showing the serial number
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That was something I started doing a few years ago. When I was living in Florida a client had started to gather a lot of computer equipment (going from just 2 desktops and a laptop to a 20 machine network, half a dozen laptops, and a whole mess of Windows Mobile devices, printers, scanners, routers & switches, etc.

Their insurance company required serial numbers for every electronic device (including photographs), and it's just something I got in the habit of doing. Now when I get new gear, I photograph the serial numbers and details of the device (model numbers, etc) and update my CD full of images. I keep a copy of that CD here at home, and my mother also keeps a copy at her house (just in case there's a fire or for some other reason the data is lost at one location).
 
OutLore said:
It's fine providing the Car was built on a Wednesday between June and August, in 1984, 1985 or 1999. Red cars are excluded from all policies and no claim may be made on any red car. 50% of any payout will be removed for blue cars and any car with a handbrake.
In the event of a claim, a completed claim form signed by the policyholder and countersigned by the foreman of the factory where the car was built MUST be submitted in triplicate within 3 hours of the claim event. Facsimile and photocopies are not accepted.
Click to expand...



You read the small print too. I gave up when I found out that the foreman had died. :(


Kev.
 
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