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Shopping for instrument insurance

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Home Forums Harps and Accessories Shopping for instrument insurance

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #216587
    shelby-m
    Participant

    Hi everyone!
    I used to be very active on this forum about 8 years ago when I was first shopping for a harp and starting to play. Life got busy with college and then starting a career. Now I have a few spare minutes and I need your help!

    My instruments are all currently covered by my parent’s insurance company. But I have recently moved into an apartment in another city, and my instruments have of course moved with me. So I need to make sure they have insurance coverage when my parent’s policy runs out.

    What companies do you all use? Have you had good service when filing claims? Does anyone’s insurance cover more than just harps? I currently own 2 harps and 2 flutes and I need coverage for all of them.

    Thanks in advance for any help or pointers you can give me. 🙂

    PS: for anyone curious, these are what I have:
    – Yamaha solid silver C flute with B foot
    – Pearl silver plated alto flute with solid silver head joint
    – Dusty Strings Ravenna 34
    – Salvi Daphne 47 semi grand

    #216588
    catherine-rogers
    Participant

    I use Anderson Insurance (requires American Harp Society membership) for my pedal and lever harps and for my husband’s trombones, euphonium, and tuba. If you want to insure items such as artwork or fine jewelry, get a rider on your renter’s insurance (or homeowner’s insurance if you buy a home, condo, etc.).

    #216594
    charles-nix
    Participant

    I have heard many recommendations for Anderson also.

    In my case, my homeowner’s company wrote a declared value, no deductible, all risk, any location rider for much less premium. But you need to be careful that a homeowner’s rider is actually comparable to what Anderson is offering; not all riders are that all-inclusive.

    Charles Nix

    #216598
    harpist123
    Participant

    I rented an apartment in one city, and had homeowners insurance in another city where I have a home we own. I know this scenario is different from yours, but I am including what I found out with regard to renters insurance as well, in this post. As it turned out, my homeowners insurance COVERED my apartment elsewhere, and ALL my belongings, including my instruments, so I didn’t have to purchase rental insurance. But let me clarify to you why this worked for me, because the little traveling I did with my instruments was not important enough to me to get additional coverage on them specifically! When I originally checked into renters insurance, it would have only cost me about $130/year, which EASILY covered REPLACEMENT of 3 harps (L&H Style 100 concert grand pedal harp, Pratt Chamber harp, Dusty Strings FH36S, and hammered dulcimer), as well as ALL my personal items which included any electronics such as laptop, phone, etc. All was covered for fire or theft, through my homeowners insurance policy. When you apply for renters insurance you decide how much coverage you need based on your belongings. My renters insurance said it’s always a good idea to furnish them with pictures of all the instruments with serial #’s, etc., and to keep my own separate file of same. Now this covered them IN-HOUSE only…not when traveling and using them in gigs, should something happen outside the apartment. She was the person who recommended that I call my homeowners insurance company to see if they offered other options. That’s when I found out that the homeowners insurance covered the apartment and ALL my belongings, at no extra charge. So, if you don’t travel with your instruments (or even if you do, but aren’t concerned for various reasons) it’s very inexpensive. I have never traveled with my concert grand harp. So for me, obtaining insurance coverage for an instrument OUTSIDE my home or apartment has never concerned me. So, if this is the case with you, it isn’t necessary to get insurance specifically for a given instrument if not used outside the apartment/home, OR, if you feel it’s overkill, depending on how you actually feel about it, or value of instrument(s) you are traveling with (or not)…Hope this helps many of you 🙂

    #216599
    healthyharp
    Participant

    If you are gigging or earning money otherwise with your instruments, be sure to discuss that with your insurance company. My insurance company will not cover my harps through my homeowners because I use them to earn money. YMMV, so if yours covers the instruments, just be sure this is clear an outlined in your policy.

    #216600
    carl-swanson
    Participant

    “Complete” coverage with homeowners insurance is usually fire and theft, but not accidental damage. I’ve had clients over the years who had their instruments insured on their homeowners, and who were assured every year at renewal time that there harps were “completely covered.” Then the dog knocked the harp over and it needed a new neck. It was only then that they found out that accidents were not covered. Also, musical instrument insurance is typically a “floating” policy, meaning that the harp is covered no matter where it is: in the car, in church, in school, etc. whether or not the harpist is using it for “earning money.” So I always advise clients to spend the extra money and get musical instrument insurance through an agency that specializes in musical instrument insurance,like Anderson.

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