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Beware of Buisness Insurance with State Farm
Walt Middleton, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 3:24 PM on 03.09.11 |
->> I thought I would bring this to the attention of everyone on here who has State Farm Insurance for their gear or general liability. Reciently I was told that they were not going to re-new my policy. Being that I'm in good standing and have everything with them... i.e. my house, life, 2 vehicles, and IRA accounts. Well, I was a little shocked by what they gave me as a reason to this non-renewing of my buisness policy.
Now I want to make sure everyone know this is a quote...
"Our Underwriters took a look at your website and have decided that we don't insure what you do."
If I was just shopping around for new insurance then this in itself wouldn't be a problem so much as the fact that my insurance agent is very aware of exactly what I do and I've been with them now for quite awhile...
This has left me in a mad rush to figure insurance out right in the middle of the busiest part of my year...
Not to worry, I found some from Hill & Usher.
But... I wanted to warn everyone on here who has State Farm, to watch out. My agent has been very helpfull and friendly over the years but I hate to think what would have happened if I had a large claim and their underwriters came back... Sorry, we don't insure what you do!!! |
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Mike Brice, Photographer
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SLC | UT | USA | Posted: 3:57 PM on 03.09.11 |
->> I talked to State Farm, and from my understanding they only insure photographers with physical studios - not freelancers that work out of their home.
If your agent let you buy insurance and you don't have a physical business location, sounds like your agent gave you some bad advice when he let you buy photo insurance through State Farm.
I have used tcpinsurance.com for years to insure my camera gear. I know there are many on this board who have been happy with them. |
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Andrew Nelles, Photographer
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Chicago | IL | usa | Posted: 4:31 PM on 03.09.11 |
->> I use to use State Farm, when it came time to renew I got bombarded with post cards asking me to call my agent and renew. I called many times, left many messages, never got called back. Even spoke with another agent at the physical location who promised someone would call me. I found a new insurance company as a result.
About a week after I signed a policy with the new company, my former agent called me to ask why I hadn't responded to the post cards and called. I was dumbfounded. |
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Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 5:08 PM on 03.09.11 |
| ->> +1 For TCP. State Farm hates sports photographers. |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 5:13 PM on 03.09.11 |
| ->> Ditto TCP. |
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Walt Middleton, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 5:29 PM on 03.09.11 |
->> The worst thing about this was that over the years I've always recommended State Farm to others and other Photographers specifically.
And yes, in retrospect. My agent definately gave me some very bad advice and created a bit of a headache in the process.
Oh well, live and learn... |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 5:42 PM on 03.09.11 |
->> Let me say this again and put on my flame proof britches.... I know the agents with slam my email.
TALK TO THE UNDERWRITERS. Agents make their money by selling insurance. They can say almost anything.... What is written in the policy or included in the form of an addendum or binder is the only thing that matters. READ your policy, take extra time to read ALL of the exclusions and the definitions page(s). When in doubt get an UNDERWRITER on the phone or email and get the doubt addressed.
I'm with The Hartford through Hill and Usher. I haven't talked to anyone at H&U in years. Tried once to add gear to my scheduled list. Bad choice. Now I call the company with any and all changes and when I really have to.... Get an underwriter on the phone. They hate talking to customers (underwriters) so you have to be be persuasive.
You wouldn't take car advise from the car salesperson.... DON'T just take the advise of the insurance sales person either. |
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Steven Bisig, Photographer
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Seattle | WA | USA | Posted: 5:56 PM on 03.09.11 |
->> Crap! I just checked with my state farm agent and they said that state farm does not cover photo equipment used to cover collegiate and professional sports photography? Guess it's time to go shopping for insurance.
Steven b~ |
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Mike Janes, Photographer
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Attica | NY | USA | Posted: 6:57 PM on 03.09.11 |
| ->> I looked around recently, State Farm wasn't even a choice when reading up on them - went with TCP like others, so far so good! |
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Max Waugh, Photographer
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Bothell | WA | USA | Posted: 7:01 PM on 03.09.11 |
| ->> State Farm stopped covering my gear as well last year. I too went with TCP. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 8:05 PM on 03.09.11 |
| ->> How does TCP compare with the Travelers Insurance offered for NPPA members? How much are people paying for, say, $15,000 of gear? |
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Mike Doran, Photographer
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Petaluma | CA | U.S.A. | Posted: 8:14 PM on 03.09.11 |
| ->> The very same thing happened to me, so I switched everything over to Farmers Insurance and I got a better rate on my car insurance. |
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Darren Whitley, Photographer
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Northwest Missouri | MO | USA | Posted: 6:10 PM on 03.11.11 |
| ->> I switched my auto insurance away from them last fall. I currently have an inland marine policy with State Farm. I guess I'll do my best to move away from them on the camera gear as well. |
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Matt Strasen, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Plano | TX | USA | Posted: 6:23 PM on 03.11.11 |
| ->> I signed up with Hill and Usher earlier this month...got a better rate to cover my whole business through them then I did for just camera insurance with NPPA member insurance five years ago. |
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Travis Haughton, Photographer
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Crystal Lake | IL | USA | Posted: 3:26 AM on 03.12.11 |
->> I just signed up with TCP earlier this week. Premium was around $630/year (which they break into quarterly payments) for about 20k of "off-premises" camera equipment and about 7k of off premises computer equipment.
$50 "start" fee. $500 deductible. 2mil liability/incident, 4mil max.
They were pretty easy to work with, and obviously they deal with a lot of photographers! |
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Keith Coward, Photographer
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Charlotte | NC | USA | Posted: 12:11 PM on 03.12.11 |
->> I just renewed a Nationwide policy for $531, which was up over a $100 from last year. No claims ever...just UP.
$2 Mil general liability
$5,000 medical expense
$18000 worth of gear at replacement cost coverage(written by Inland Marine but included in Nationwide policy. |
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Patrick Fallon, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 2:13 PM on 03.12.11 |
| ->> My TCP rate did not increase this year. |
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Israel Shirk, Photographer, Assistant
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Boise | ID | US | Posted: 10:22 PM on 03.14.11 |
| ->> Everyone still having good luck with Hill & Usher? I let it lapse and need to sign back up... |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 10:53 PM on 03.14.11 |
| ->> Israel I am happy with them. |
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David Seelig, Photographer
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Hailey | ID | USA | Posted: 12:51 AM on 03.15.11 |
| ->> I have the hartford 250 deductible no raise in rates this year. |
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Israel Shirk, Photographer, Assistant
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Boise | ID | US | Posted: 1:16 AM on 03.15.11 |
| ->> Have you guys filed claims with them? How well do they handle it? |
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Brian Dowling, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 3:36 PM on 03.16.11 |
->> Just got a quote from USAA which uses The Hartford. The agent said I'd be classified as a videographer since I don't have a studio. Will call Hil & Usher tomorrow, but this is my USAA/Hartford quote. It's a little more than others, but I'm guessing that's because I live in Hollywood.
1M Liability
50k Off premise coverage
$500 deductible
$767/year
20K off premise coverage was only $25 less a year.
10K OP coverage $203 less a year |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 8:16 PM on 03.16.11 |
| ->> Israel.... Not yet thankfully! |
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David Zapatka, Photographer
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North Kingstown | RI | USA | Posted: 8:33 PM on 03.16.11 |
| ->> For anyone trying to add video equipment to your policy or simply trying to get coverage for video equipment, Buell Insurance in Chicago is well versed with what we need. They are resellers for CNA and are great. Many TV freelancers throughout the country go through Buell. |
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Shaun Sartin, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Glenview | IL | | Posted: 3:59 PM on 03.17.11 |
->> After reading this thread, stopped in to see my SF agent. I have my business policy with two inland marine (writers) to cover camera and computers. I showed them the threads here. They looked everything over and said we're good. My coverage just went up and my premium went down a few $$. My renewal notification was already mailed.
They've been very helpful. Not sure how this translates to others experiences.
Hope that helps. Shaun |
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Ian Halperin, Photographer
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Plano(Dallas) | TX | USA | Posted: 4:35 PM on 03.17.11 |
| ->> I don't know what type of police Walt had but I have an Inland Marine rider for my equipment with State Farm. As Shaun notes above, I'm still fully covered. |
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Dave Collyer, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 6:21 PM on 03.17.11 |
| ->> Hill and Usher gave me a bit of the run around when I signed up. I often found the agent over promising and under delivering. One example was when they changed their price after the quote with no tangible justification and were slow to respond to my concerns. Approach cautiously. |
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Lane Hickenbottom, Photographer
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Omaha | NE | usa | Posted: 6:55 PM on 03.17.11 |
->> I also have an inland marine policy with State Farm. One thing about them, is that I know my agent. I shot his headshot (so every email I get from him, I see my own work). We have laughed together, we have cried together (actually not really).
But if I needed to make a claim--and I hope I never do--if he didn't come to bat for me, he knows there's one less person in this world that he can look in the eye.
Hill and Usher...I don't doubt they are a great asset for photographers. But the fact that I can't drive down the street and talk to my agent means something to me. I like having a personal relationship with people that I spend this kind of money each year with. |
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