# Photography Equipment/Business insurance?



## BuZzZeRkEr (Jan 4, 2010)

Are there any good solid photography insurance companies out there serving the U.S. that anyone uses and had a good experience with?  I'm looking to insure about $20,000 worth of equipment and maybe some liability.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


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## Big Mike (Jan 4, 2010)

Are you a member of any professional photographer's associations?  If so, check with them first.
They usually have group plans with Insurance companies which can mean big savings.  Another benefit is that the insurance companies will probably have policies that are tailor made for photographers.
I always hear that the savings on insurance alone, is enough to cover the fees to these organizations.  

HERE is a quick look at the insurance benefits at PPA.


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## KmH (Jan 4, 2010)

Business or personal?


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## bennielou (Jan 4, 2010)

There are several.  You can use something like PPA, but you can also use State Farm.  (I use both)


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## BuZzZeRkEr (Jan 4, 2010)

This would be for business.... I'll look into PPA and see what I can find.


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## bennielou (Jan 4, 2010)

State Farm also does liability.  (This is where my million dollar bond comes in).  It also covers general liability, and gear.  Check it out.  
I use PPA for the Lawyers.


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## KmH (Jan 4, 2010)

Many use State Farm, I know several who use Hill & Usher and a couple of us use The Hartford.


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## Rosshole (Feb 19, 2010)

Also, make sure you ask whether it is Acual Cash Value or Replacement Cost.  There are distinct differences between the two.  Many times, ACV will cover accidental breakage whereas RC will not.  These can be important things to look into.


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## dataz722 (Mar 29, 2010)

Rosshole said:


> Also, make sure you ask whether it is Acual Cash Value or Replacement Cost. There are distinct differences between the two. Many times, ACV will cover accidental breakage whereas RC will not. These can be important things to look into.


 
That is not true at all.  You should never take an Actual Cash Value (ACV)policy.  The replacement cost is always going to be the better choice.  The difference is in how they value your items.  Replacement cost is the value that it would cost to go and buy something comparable new and ACV is a depreciated value based on the age and condition.  Neither of them have anything to do with perils insured against.


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## flyingember (Mar 31, 2010)

My homeowners insurance, American Family, covers mine with a rider for non-commercial purposes.  So all my equipment is covered on top of everything else in the house (worth it since the camera equipment is about 5% of our coverage otherwise)

I can purchase commercial and business coverage from them too and cover it for business usage.

It always pays to start with where you have insurance already.  You may get a multi-coverage discount.


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## Rosshole (Apr 23, 2010)

dataz722 said:


> Rosshole said:
> 
> 
> > Also, make sure you ask whether it is Acual Cash Value or Replacement Cost. There are distinct differences between the two. Many times, ACV will cover accidental breakage whereas RC will not. These can be important things to look into.
> ...


 
Actually, my statement is true (your statement is entirely false).  You can add an endorsement to your policy converting camera equiptment from RC to ACV.  The Benefit of this is gaining accidental breakage coverage, but at the cost of losing replacement cost coverage.


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