<p>I am starting this thread to find out what others do for instrument insurance. Do you use a specialty insurer like Clarion or Allianz Cornhill, or perhaps a rider on your homeowner's policy? Apparently, the insurance record with bass violins in the hands of teenagers has not been all that great. The companies I have asked either refuse outright or quote a rate so high that I might as well self-insure once I tell them my daughter's age, describe the instrument and mention that she does the occasional paid gig. Any ideas?</p>
<p>We have a policy we call our "music policy" with State Farm, our homeowner's policy holder. This covers a Steinway grand, two cellos, a violin and four bows. It is quite reasonable, but then we have never had a claim. Of course, that doesn't mean we have not had repair costs along the way.</p>
<p>We have a rider on our homeowner's policy with Allstate. It is for a set amount which is in excess of the current value of all the instruments we own and was very reasonably priced.</p>
<p>We also have rider with Allstate, and even though S is college student, we have the professional version, in case he would be playing a gig and have a disaster of some sort. Pricing depends on valuation.</p>
<p>We have Allstate homeowners, but we didn't do S's instrument because there was a limit ($3000?) and his instrument was worth more than that. Our agent sent us some names of other companies, that we also looked at. We ended up going with a company that sent us a brochure via Juilliard, but I can't lay my hands on the name of it right now. There were various complications with different companies - the fact that he is a student, the fact that he travels overseas, etc.</p>
<p>We also have a rider on our homeowner's policy with Allstate which covers several instruments. Years ago, (many years ago), my favorite flute was wrecked, and it had appreciated considerably between the time we'd taken out the policy and the time of the disaster. We try to remember to keep the appraisals more up-to-date now, and like spelmom, set the total amount in excess of replacement/current value.</p>
<p>Our AllState insurance is not limited (or at least we have not hit it) with two instruments and two bows, under $50,000 valuation at this point. What state covers you and do you live overseas, binx?</p>
<p>Our Allstate rider is for $25,000, which covers a piano and two saxophones--one vintage-- the total value of which at this point is considerably less than that. I got that amount because sometimes S had instruments on loan from the school or from his band director and I just wanted to make sure we were covered in case something happened. Allstate did not require serial numbers or even specific identification of the instruments. But in light of this discussion, I think I will check into the detail of the coverage a little more before S heads off to college in the fall.</p>
<p>Correction - Nationwide now, not Allstate (temporary brain freeze), and no limit so far.</p>
<p>Honestly, I don't remember the details. I do have the email from our Allstate agent with the links he gave us to look at other options, but I can't remember why he wouldn't insure it. We do live overseas, and had to switch our homeowners insurance to a landlord policy - That may have been a factor. Seems like there was a problem since the homeowners policy covered a place we weren't living in. (Our home is in Georgia.) Or perhaps it was because our S wasn't going to be living in our home. I do know that every policy we looked at had exceptions and contingencies in the fine print that made it not work for us. My H looked at a bunch, which is why the details have faded. (And S has the policy, not us.) One didn't insure if it was stolen from a car. Another exempted school lockers. Or overseas travel. </p>
<p>Even when we were in the US, it seems there was a difference between the piano, which stayed in the home, and the other instruments that were carried about.</p>
<p>You know, I have never asked about the coverage of the piano. It is just a Yamaha spinet, but last I checked it was worth almost $10,000 used! I guess I should ask if it needs a rider, but it would just be fire, surely not theft!</p>
<p>We have seven instrument riders on our homeowners...3 trumpets, 2 oboes, an English horn and our piano. We pay a small premium per instrument per year to have them insured for replacement value. They are insured anywhere they go, even when DS did his study abroad last semester. (well...the piano doesn't go far...). Our policy will NOT insure the instruments if they are used for professional use (i.e. to earn money)...This insurance is for theft AND loss...and that is important to have. Most regular homeowners will insure for theft. But if your child puts their instrument down and walks away...and comes back and it's gone...that is not considered theft...it is considered LOSS. If someone breaks into your kids locker or your house or car and takes the instrument, it's theft. Loss also covers things like fire, or something of that sort. We feel it is well worth it, and make sure you go for replacement cost.</p>
<p>Our insurance covers breakage, crucial for string instrument! I know several lads who have tripped and collected for repairs. Our luthier says he tries to get makers cover anything which might be structural, so that the insurance companies will not get difficult, like a broken bow....ascribing to too fragile wood.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for all the great replies. I am definitely looking for the professional grade insurance as mom, dad and daughter all play for pay. We have no trouble insuring the instruments that stay at home (and there are lots since mom is a collector). We can even get decent professional insurance from Clarion for the over-21's in the family, but since daughter<br>
A) no longer resides in my house most of the time,
B) stores the bass at school except over the summers,
C) is 18 years old,
D) sometimes uses the instrument for paid gigs,
E) has a rather nice instrument and
F) wants to take said instrument to Italy for a month this summer, </p>
<p>it has been a real nuisance trying to find an insurer that can handle all of those conditions simultaneously. Please keep those posts coming.</p>
<p>Bassdad: Check the Internet Cello Society Forum, at one of the cello chat sites. There have been mentions of instrument insurance there. I checked there and could not find the discussions, but you can sign on/in and ask. They are very helpful.</p>
<p>Until just recently my D's cello, which is worth about as much as a new luxury automobile, was insured through a rider on our homeowner's policy from The Hartford. Now that she is living in NYC and regularly using the instrument for paid work, we got her a separate "professiional" policy, also through The Hartford, in conjunction with renter's insurance for her apartment. She had no difficulty whatsoever getting this policy. I think the two together cost aboout $500 a year.</p>
<p>For some reason, it seems that insurers treat cellos and basses very differently. A cello would be no problem to insure; we have tried companies used by several cellist friends. As soon as I say the words "string bass" they either tell me that they will not insure one in the hands of a teenager under any circumstances or they want to charge a quarter of the instrument's replacement cost per year. It may have to do with the fact that most decent cellos get carted around in hard cases, while basses are routinely packaged only in cloth.</p>
<p>We have a family friend whose son plays string bass with one of the major orchestras who in his earlier days did NOT carry insurance, and had his bass crushed in the belly of a plane. It was a very valuable instrument, quite old, and all were devastated. Have you asked professional bass players what they do? Your daughter's teachers?</p>
<p>Insurers are willing to cover basses at reasonable rates once the player is over 21. The teachers we asked either did not have insurance at a young age, or else used an instrument owned and insured by a school.</p>
<p>S has string bass friend at school.....I will inquire of his parents how they are handling it. He is 18-19 also.</p>