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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
equipment insurance for overseas travel
Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 1:23 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> I am sure this subject has been covered in the past, but I did a search and the results were not what I was looking for.
I'm planning overseas trips for next year, and wanted to know what insurance might be available. I'll be in Europe, GB, Ireland, Hawaii, Patagonia and Antarctica. Does the typical homeowners policy cover foreign travel? How do folks handle this?
Thanks |
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Brian Dowling, Photographer
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Philadelphia | PA | USA | Posted: 1:48 PM on 06.23.10 |
| ->> Its best to contact your agent and get it in writing. I have USAA and they said homeowners would not cover my gear because its "business equipment". I'm not sure how they would know if I was on vacation or working overseas though. |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 2:42 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> Brian don't kid yourself, insurance companies are savvier than you may think and I'm not just saying that because I'm married to an insurance company supervisor.
SIU would nail your hide in 30 minutes or less. They will Google your name and as a result find your .com site as well as your facebook fan page and dig just a little deeper to find any agencies that you've worked for in the last 100 years.
They'll demand a that you provide a signed release for tax returns and look to see if you claimed the equipment as business equipment.
You'll get friend requests from people who claim to have gone to school with you and you will get friend requests from people who you don't know BUT have mutual friends with you.... They'll get into your facebook and read about how you are sitting at BOS or DFW or wherever waiting to take off to job xxxxxx. 99% of SIU investigators like what they do and enjoy digging around rooting out the truth.
Give them just one hint of fraud and these people go into a feeding frenzy digging into everything you've ever done. They'll pull your credit report to see if you are hard up for money. They'll call past employers to sniff around about work history and get the line on other contacts that you may be working for..... It's a game to them and they like to win.
Remember that you gave them permission to dig as deep as needed to investigate claims when you signed the policy.
I know you were probably kidding but when it comes to insurance it's best to be 102% honest with the agent/broker and get the right coverage up front. Trying to fudge a claim after the fact can mean a felony fraud charge and the inability to ever get a policy again. Or if you do you'll be such a high risk that the rate will be obscene. |
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Nick Morris, Photographer
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 2:56 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> Brian, Eric isn't even kidding the slightest bit and this is from first hand knowledge. Not that I was attempting fraud but I went through hell to prove I was being honest. They brought up stuff from my past that I didn't even remember and raked me over the coals just for good measures. In the end honesty prevailed.
PHIL~ There are insurance companies that will add a rider to your homeowners but I hear it is best to go outside of your homeowners insurance for coverage. If you have to file a claim on the rider or against the same company you have for homeowners you have a ding with that company and it could bite you later. Best to go separate. Only what I was told so take it with a grain... your choice of seasoning. |
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Margaret Bowles, Photographer
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Houston | TX | | Posted: 2:58 PM on 06.23.10 |
| ->> I just signed up with Hays Companies of Washington, DC through NPPA. I was going to Spain and they covered up to $25,000 on overseas travel. As most people know, I had all my equipment stolen from my home in November, so I have done quite a bit of research about insurance. Be sure to include them for a quote. It cost me an arm and a leg, but that was because I had such a big loss in November. 1 800 809-6771 |
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Lane Hickenbottom, Photographer
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Omaha | NE | usa | Posted: 3:19 PM on 06.23.10 |
| ->> Generally your home owners insurance won't cover your equipment even if are just on the other side of town. Your equipment is covered when it is damaged in your home. If you want your equipment covered when you are away from home, you'll likely need an inland marine policy. And that policy will likely only cover you domestically. |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | USA | Posted: 5:06 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> Phil,
If you are in Bussiness you need a Bussines policy and I would not have it attached as a rider to any home owners insurance even if they let you!! Keep it seperate.
Phil I am assuming you have a Bussiness policy? If not you might want to check with your homeowners to see if they will or are actually covering your gear since it is clear to me it is for professional use and you make money with it. Better to Know now than when you file a claim "thinking" you are covered and then they say hey that was professional use we did not cover you. Not saying this is the case for you but would have been for me.
When I started out I called my home owners insurance company to add the gear and they asked "is this professional use"? I said yes... not much was said after that... but they said they will look into this and get me a quote.... never received one BUT did get a registered letter the next day stating that they were NOT covering anything, anyplace that had to do with my Bussiness, no computers, cameras and even went to office furniture. I also got an updated policy with an addition charge for something to the effect of "occassional Occupancy" I called and they said this covers the additional risk of the additional "traffic" that come to my home to pick up items. Those very small handfull of people that my bussiness generates that come by my house to pick up items needed to be covered. Hey more money for the insurance company
Went out a got a bussiness policy the next day, mine covers my gear up to $25K anyplace, and much more when in my office, $10K was standard and for a few more bucks boosted it up to $25K
Insurance companies will do all they can NOT to pay out they are in bussiness too, to make money.
A side note, looked at getting a full home alarm system with 24 hour monitoring and my homeowners only discounted my premiuim by 8% and my bussiness policy would NOT discount anything....
Jim |
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Mark Sobhani, Photographer
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San Antonio | TX | USA | Posted: 7:05 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> I went with TCP - Tom Pickard Insurance - partly due to good reviews on the message boards here.
The policy covers my gear worldwide - except in danger zones. Whoever you choose, make sure you ask if there are any places or scenarios you would not be covered. |
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David G. McIntyre, Photographer
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Beijing | . | CHINA | Posted: 7:08 PM on 06.23.10 |
| ->> I had some equipment stolen from me while traveling, including a laptop. My travel insurance covered some of the loss, so that is another option to look into. |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | USA | Posted: 7:25 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> Mark,
Just playing devils advocate... Do you have any idea what Tom Pickard Insurance defines as "danger zones"? This seems to be a huge whole that they can drive many trucks through.
The insurance companies protect themselves so should we.
Jim |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 8:52 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> Phil,
The NPPA's Insurance will cover you for international travel & also pay out the current replacement value, not the depreciated value should you have a loss. |
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Mike Brice, Photographer
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SLC | UT | USA | Posted: 11:06 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> I have TCP as well. The danger zones are defined as war zones.
Like it was OK for me to go to Running of the Bulls, but wouldn't be ok to go to Iraq. |
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Brian Dowling, Photographer
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Philadelphia | PA | USA | Posted: 11:12 PM on 06.23.10 |
| ->> I wasn't telling him to lie. I was actually thinking the opposite. As in, if Phil was going on a trip purely for vacation and had a body and a few lenses stolen, they would probably say he was there for business and cancel the claim. |
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Mark Sobhani, Photographer
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San Antonio | TX | USA | Posted: 2:24 PM on 06.24.10 |
->> Jim,
"Danger zones" was my terminology. I don't remember exactly the term they used, but I asked specifically about the countries I planned on visiting to make sure I would be covered. |
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