Since folks have asked about insurance and what it looks like, I figured I'd share my recent experience. I've held Music Pro insurance on all my gear for many years; I used to gig full time, now I'm mostly retired but I still keep everything insured.
Last month one of my guitars was knocked over, took a very unlucky fall, and the headstock snapped right off. Ouch! Fortunately it wasn't one of my unique custom basses, but still not pleasant to see. Music Pro had a straightforward form for me to fill out, providing basic information on what broke, how it broke, and how serious the damage was. I included some photos, and would have sent the original purchase receipt if I could find it.
A day after filing the paperwork I received a phone call from an adjuster with a delightful Boston accent. He asked basic questions, likely to confirm that my story matched what was on the paperwork, and told me that a different person would evaluate the replacement value and cut a check. He told me that if I disputed the value we could still talk it over and make adjustments but in the meantime they'd cut the first check fast with the possibility of a second check if needed.
Their initial assessment was $400, the cost of the cheapest off-the-shelf replacement of that model. Mine was insured for $600 because it had $150 worth of upgraded pickups, and I'd spent several hundred dollars over the years having fretwork done to get it dialed in just right. I dug out receipts of that work, photos of the pickups, and included a link to a couple places that sell those same pickups to show the actual replacement value.
The next day he said his team reviewed my documents and they'd send a second check out for $200.
All in all it was a straightforward process and moved much faster than I expected. They were not adversarial or trying to nickel and dime me at all. I wish all insurance was as smooth as this one!
If your gear isn't insured, get coverage and consider Music Pro. Even if you have homeowners, renters, or auto coverage, they may have ways to weasel out of paying for your gear, especially if you make any money with it, even if it's not your full-time job. Gear insurance isn't that expensive and it's good to know the people on the other end deal with this stuff every day and speak our language.
Last month one of my guitars was knocked over, took a very unlucky fall, and the headstock snapped right off. Ouch! Fortunately it wasn't one of my unique custom basses, but still not pleasant to see. Music Pro had a straightforward form for me to fill out, providing basic information on what broke, how it broke, and how serious the damage was. I included some photos, and would have sent the original purchase receipt if I could find it.
A day after filing the paperwork I received a phone call from an adjuster with a delightful Boston accent. He asked basic questions, likely to confirm that my story matched what was on the paperwork, and told me that a different person would evaluate the replacement value and cut a check. He told me that if I disputed the value we could still talk it over and make adjustments but in the meantime they'd cut the first check fast with the possibility of a second check if needed.
Their initial assessment was $400, the cost of the cheapest off-the-shelf replacement of that model. Mine was insured for $600 because it had $150 worth of upgraded pickups, and I'd spent several hundred dollars over the years having fretwork done to get it dialed in just right. I dug out receipts of that work, photos of the pickups, and included a link to a couple places that sell those same pickups to show the actual replacement value.
The next day he said his team reviewed my documents and they'd send a second check out for $200.
All in all it was a straightforward process and moved much faster than I expected. They were not adversarial or trying to nickel and dime me at all. I wish all insurance was as smooth as this one!
If your gear isn't insured, get coverage and consider Music Pro. Even if you have homeowners, renters, or auto coverage, they may have ways to weasel out of paying for your gear, especially if you make any money with it, even if it's not your full-time job. Gear insurance isn't that expensive and it's good to know the people on the other end deal with this stuff every day and speak our language.
It'd be a shame if anything happened to my 1938 Kay or 1976 P bass, not to mention the amp and accessories. The old "a musician loads $5,000 worth of gear into a $500 car to drive 100 miles to a $50 gig" joke is no joke at all.
