Insuring your bass

[Ron Plichta]

I inquired with my insurance company today to see what coverages my bass would have under my homeowners policy. The good part is that I would be covered at the appraised price rather than the lower purchase since I have a written appraisal, However, the limitations of coverage applied to the normal fire, theft, vandalism, etc. terms of my policy and the representative mentioned it wouldn't cover losses like accidental damage. Even tough I don't intend to play out professionally, I envisioned a scenario at the workshop I attend because there are lots of people moving about as we leave the room and the orchestra enters for its rehearsal, so there a possibility for disaster if someone else is not careful.

All said and done, I took out a musical instruments rider to cover the appraised price of my bass ($6,200) plus two bows @ $900 each. The annual premium was $25, which I think is very good for the peace of mind I'm getting. I get more coverage than my standard homeowners policy with no deductible.

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

That's a great price. Does your policy cover repairs in case of accidents that lead to repairs?

[Ron Plichta]

Yep.

Another good part is it also covers loss away from the house.

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Could you PM me the name of your carrier, please?

[Ron Plichta]

USAA

[tcl]

That's great! My insurer has dropped musical instrument coverage altogether, so my bass is covered by my home coverage but not extra, and not without a deductible. The good news is that when I travel, my homeowner's coverage covers loss by the airlines, so I phone my agent and have them lower my coverage when I travel. I look forward to a more comprehensive and reasonable coverage.

[drurb]

Hmm.... I'd read the fine print. After all, it's not what a representative says, it's what's in the contract. Covered if getting paid? I have musical instrument and accessory coverage with Clarion. Complete peace of mind for around $250/year-- no deductible. Gee, if you can really get that for $25, you're doing spectacularly well!

[Ron Plichta]

This policy doesn't cover professional use, which is okay since I don't plan to use it for paying gigs.

I had one claim through USAA for a stolen PA system that they eventually paid, although it took a while to convince them that I hardly made any money as a hobby band and I sometimes loaned my system to charity events and free jam sessions. They tried to use the "you got paid, it's not covered" line, but a friend of mine in the insurance business advised me to argue intent and profitability (or lack of). That persuaded them.