 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mom
Date: 2011-05-05 13:05
Hello, I am wondering if anyone has any experience with submitting claims for any of these companies: Anderson, Clarion or Heritage. We currently have Anderson due to they were the only company I could find last year that would insure people under age 18, but have never needed to make a claim.
Many thanks for any information.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-05-05 15:04
FWIW, the advice I've always been given is that, if the instrument isn't being used in a professional situation (as an income-producing tool), theft or destruction would be insured under most homeowners' or renters' policies (check with the company's agent). I can't give any feedback, though, on the companies you've listed.
Karl
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-05-05 15:08
Here is material I collected several years back about musical instrument insurance. Unfortunately, there's no information on whether the insurers were fast/fair about claims, but I used to work in insurance claims law and you can be sure that any claim will be gone over with a microscope.
If you can get it, "all risk" coverage (which covers everything except what's specifically excluded) is better than "named risk" coverage (which covers only what is specifically included). "Replacement Value" coverage is better than "Blue Book Value," which pays only depreciated value.
For any policy, you need to check coverage dollar limits. Some insurers don't cover (or charge extra) for instruments used professionally. Others cover only losses that occur in your home. Repairs are usually covered only at the "usual and customary" rate, which is may be well below your actual cost.
Clarion is probably the biggest. http://www.clarionins.com/
Anderson is at http://www.anderson-group.com/
Heritage is at http://www.musicins.com/.
Kelly Abraham, who used to be a regular on this board, wrote:
I insure my instruments through Sterling and Sterling in New York State. The union (my music union is local 802) gave me information on the insurance, and I believe you might have to be in the union to get the rates I get (which are really low) but they may insure people outside the union.
http://www.sterlingrisk.com/
MusicPro is a national company insuring instruments. http://www.musicproinsurance.com/
I strongly suggest this kind of insurance. Homeowner's insurance is not only more expensive, but only covers blue book worth (the two companies above take the amount you insure it for, which is "replacement" cost, not worth...very different.) You can have $3,000 worth of coverage for about $50/yr, plus they also give you up to $5000 insurance for electronics/stereo equipment free in addition to the instrument coverage, just for insuring your instruments through them. I remember over a decade ago, my parents had my old clarinet insured for blue book rates through the homeowner's policy. The insurance rider cost them $40 a year for $1000 coverage for a "used instrument." Not only would this not have covered replacement, but for $3,000 insurance, it would have cost $120/year, and that was in the late 80s.
Homeowners insurance doesn't cover breakage due to wear or droppage, car running over instrument, etc. Music instrument insurance does.
Most important, homeowners insurance only covers instruments in your home or car. If you are in a mall and the instrument is next to you on a bench, and then swiped by someone, or taken when you're at a concert, it's not covered.
I have had friends lose instruments or the instrument is broken without coverage...it's really sad when they can't afford to buy another instrument and have to stop playing.
Clarion policies do NOT cover cracking.
Instrument insurance is available from Merz-Huber. http://www.merzhuber.com/Musical+Instrument+Insurance/ You may have to join an "affinity group" such as the American String Teachers Association http://www.astaweb.com/AM/template.cfm?Section=home ($99.00/yr.), as a woodwind member, but it's still cheaper than Clarion, plus you get their journal with lessons and tips from eminent teachers. They also insure through the Music Teachers National Association http://www.mtna.org/. Merz-Huber won’t write a policy if you're outside the US, and you'll need to check whether they cover for foreign travel. Clarion writes only for US citizens (a recent change).
State Farm has a Personal Articles policy that covers instruments – be sure to keep value updated.
Homeowner/renter policies and riders to other policies don’t cover professional use, which they define as any payment at all, even if it’s only money for gas.
This material is several years old, but I just checked to make sure the insurers still exist.
Ken Shaw
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Author: kimber
Date: 2011-05-05 15:27
I use my homeowner's insurance with a personal property rider for my instruments (USAA). They reimburse to the amount that I insured them for...and include loss/theft whether at home or not. I pay something like $100/yr for two oboes...I haven't added in my clarinet yet.
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Author: Mom
Date: 2011-05-06 03:29
thanks for responding, especially to Ken. I will study your remarks carefully as I suspect there is a quiz tomorrow!
I just found out today that Clarion also does not cover theft from college lockers so looks like they are out.
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Author: DNBoone
Date: 2011-05-06 05:35
I used clarion one year and switched to MusicPro afterwards.
If the rooms are key carded like mine were, Clarion should cover it. At my college to get into the building you have to swipe in, then open the locker. I switched to MusicPro because it was $100 cheaper for the same insurance, unless I file a claim...which costs $100 to file a claim. I have something like $15,000 of coverage on my bass clarinet, my Bb clarinet, and my mouthpieces. MusicPro will also include sheet music and electronics like a MacBook. (no Iphones though)
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2011-05-08 05:06
There is really no need for special insurance. I have used State Farm for years. All you need is a special rider for your instruments. Their policy is to replace the instrument at cost, so let's say you have a Buffet that you paid 2000K for a few years back.. it gets stolen and you want a new one.. it costs 3000K... no problem. They are very easy to deal with. Also, they will replace the instrument at cost if it gets damaged. I asked specifically if the instrument were to fall out of my car while driving and the answer was that YES, it would be covered. And, it costs next to nothing.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-05-08 06:05
Partly on topic, for those outside USA I would recommend Lark. They are in the UK (and I think don't insure for USA). I found the insurance is much better for instruments and they are much better to deal with than local home insurance companies.
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