<p>I know this discussion has come up before, but I was hoping to get updated information. Currently we are using Anderson due to D was under 18 when we purchased, but our dealer is recommending Clarion now that she is 18. I have also looked at Heritage. Does anyone have any recent experience with claims from any of these companies?
Thank you.</p>
<p>When my son left to college 2 years ago I called Clarion and they told me that the instrument is NOT covered while in a school instrument locker. They may have changed but I would check. I spoke with CSI, (College Student Insurance) and they told me that as long as the instrument is on a musical instrument rider it’s covered. So I have a CSI policy for all his stuff, a rider for his three horns and were good to go. About $200 a year, covers everything he owns at college and his instruments. From what I can see on the boards they honor their agreements. Thankfully, I have not had to deal with them on a claim. I will insure DD’s flute and picc this way as well.</p>
<p>We currently have Clarion,never heard anything about D being under 18, but Sagiter is right; the instrument is not covered in a locker or in a car. We are looking to change for college.</p>
<p>Yike, Sagiter. Your information is correct. I’m so glad I asked. I just called Clarion and they said they MIGHT consider theft from a locker if the lockers are in a highly secured location. That would not be our situation. Thank you for letting us know!</p>
<p>We have Heritage. They cost a little more but they have the least number of exceptions. I have been very happy with them.</p>
<p>Have you tried your home owner’s insurance? We bought what our insurance company called a Valuable Personal Property rider for our D’s viola and son’s trumpets that covers theft, accident, loss… Pretty much everything and it’s really cheap.</p>
<p>Try the homeowners. It covered absolutely everything on our three instruments ($10,000 total) including damage not just theft when the instrument is at college. Generally your insurance covers all of your belongings even when you take them away from your home like cameras when you are abroad. However, rarely is the claim above your deductible. Thus, particularly valuble items like jewlery, artwork and instruments can be added to y our policy and cover them when the items are outside of your house. Generally you need an estimate of value, certificate of ownership, etc but if your instrument is expensive you probably already have this.</p>
<p>Be careful with the homeowners insurance and ask questions. If an instrument is used to play paid gigs or to teach for pay, it may or may not be covered in those situations. Insurers who write homeowners policies generally do not provide assistance in an emergency situation with finding a replacement instrument or finding someone competent to perform repairs on a damaged instrument.</p>
<p>I agree with Bassdad, be VERY careful with homeowners insurance. Though a vocalist, D took three instruments to school and our homeowners advised us that they were covered.
Along came a hurricane, or “a flood” as the insurance company likes to call it,and since we live on a hill in California, we are not covered for floods. Goodbye $8000. As Monty Python says: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition. (or hurricanes er…I mean floods)</p>
<p>We had Heritage for about 6 years and were dropped when we made a second claim in 3 years (we had about 6 instruments and bows insured at the time.) They did reinstate us at our request at a higher rate. Then my daughter got the opportunity to borrow an expensive instrument which we had to insure. I shopped for quotes and got a lower offer from Total Dollar (funny name, but they are the company used by Bein & Fushi). We’ve been with them for a couple of years. They are a small company and easy to work with. They also require a terrorism rider (!)</p>
<p>And yes, I have often been warned against using homeowners for instruments that are used for professional purposes (i.e., any paid gigs.) Also, homeowners insurance companies don’t understand that instruments, unlike computers and household appliances, don’t depreciate in value over time.</p>
<p>It seemed to me at the time and still does now that all the insurance companies I dealt with always seemed to hedge a bit when it came to the issue of musical instruments at college especially the issue of them being stored in a school music locker. CSI pulled no punches, full replacement value or repair for damage or theft no matter what, period. Numerous people on the boards have had computers, phones, ipods, repaired or replaced by CSI.</p>
<p>Whatever company you go with make sure to ask if they have common carrier coverages. At some point we all need to send an instrument in for cleaning, repairs etc. Also, common carrier coverage will kick in if you need to check an instrument on a place. </p>
<p>My homeowners insurance had way too many restrictions. The didn’t cover lockers, common carriers, paid gigs, theft (unless there was evidence of a crime) and a slew of others. Carefully check what you are paying for since many of the other big companies had these same restrictions.</p>
<p>I really appreciate all the feedback. We decided to keep our same policy, after as much research as I had time for, based on everyone’s comments. I did feel more comfortable with a specific musical instrument policy even though it will be a bit more.
Seems like a drop in the bucket compared to everything else I guess.</p>