jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Was that for Allstate? I asked my agent about a riders policy and he told me I'd have to get the appraisals. But come to think of it, I did a claim 3 years ago or so for a camera bag that was stolen out of the trunk of my car while it was parked in my garage. I was unloading my trunk and had too much to carry into my house so I carried what I could, and when I came back out to carry the rest of the stuff in the small backpack of camera gear was gone. I got a police report and called my agent. He told me to get prices of either new or used replacements and how long I'd had the stuff in the bag, and they gave me it's value minus 10% per year that I had owned the equipment. If I replaced any of the stolen equipment with new, I just had to submit those receipts and they'd reimburse that amount. I never submitted a receipt even though I replaced about 1/2 the equipment with new replacements from B&H. I think it amounted to about $1500 or something close to that. But I wonder if they'd balk if I had my $3500 camera body and my $7,200 lens stolen. That's almost 10 grand.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

AAA also has a policy you can purchase but they did argue that no one else they insure "has this much equipment" that is not a professional: I simply said I get to spend my money on what I want and if it was jewelry you would not say a word! That seemed to do it. I put every card and piece of equipment on the policy, including my laptop and the small hard drives I use, just in case. This policy is zero deductible. I've filed a claim twice, once for a sensor replacement, and they have come through each time without a problem. I also keep a detailed list of my equipment, including all the small items.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Ask your agent if it covers your equipment if you are out of the country and if it is out of your house if the loss is over $10,000.

tiphareth51 Loc: Somewhere near North Pole, Alaska

I also have a State Farm policy for my photo equipment both new and old. There is no deductible and the policy was reasonable. Also, some credit card companies will extend the warranty one year If you purchase on their card. Given the hefty price on my new Nixon's and lenses, the policy is well worth the price.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

A "rider" and a "floater" are two different things. A rider is added by the insurance company, usually when the policy is purchased or renewed, that limits coverage. It favors the insurance company, not you. For example, it is common for a medical insurance policy to be sold with a rider to exclude coverage for a pre existing serious medical condition such as cancer, heart disease, Etc. for the term of the policy or for a specific period following the effective date of the policy. In other words, it is an exclusion to the coverage that the policy normally provides. In most cases the premium is not reduce because of the rider and in some cases the premium may even be higher than you would pay for a policy without the rider.

A floater is an additional feature that is attached to a policy that is purchased for an additional premium to provide additional coverage beyond that covered by the policy to which it is attached and is typically for high value jewelry, artwork, photographic equipment, etc.

aggiedad Loc: Corona, ca

The problem with the insurance is that at some point, our cameras in particular, are no longer available new, but have been discontinued and replaced with new models. I argued with my State Farm agent that my camera needed to be insured for the cost of the new model in case of theft or unreparable loss. He agreed, and I pay for the increased coverage.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Thanks for the education. I'm not smart about insurance policies as you can see.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I keep a list of description, purchase date, purchase price for every photo item I have. It sufficed with Farmers insurance to be adequate for my rider coverage on top of the usual Homeowners policy. I have already had good experience with a loss when a Nikon D200 body with a sigma 18-200mm zoom lens was stolen from my daughter while she was traveling by train in Europe. Farmers only needed the police report and the info on value I had already given them to pay for a replacement.