will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

I have all of my insurance with USAA at this time. I want to insure all of my cameral equipment. Does anyone have esperience with USAA doing this and would you recommend them? What should I look for when getting this insurance?

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

Contact your agent. It's usually just a rider on your homeowners policy unless you're a professional photographer.

jwreed50 Loc: Manassas, VA

I’ve been a USAA member for 49 years and have had their personal property insurance property for a couple of decades. I have some, but not all, of my camera listed on the policy. Be selective about what equipment you list on the policy just to keep the premium down.

I can’t recommend USAA strongly enough — they’ve been great.

Ruthlessrider

I have been insuring my camera gear with them as an add-on to my homeowners policy for almost ten years. Like everything else with USAA, I find their rates more than reasonable, and of course they are, as usual, easy to work with.

chuckla Loc: Kennesaw, GA USA

I have had USAA since the early 1960s, and I insure the more expensive pieces of my photo stuff- bodies, lenses, and underwater gear- with them as a "Valuable Personal Property" rider. It's like a separate policy, but part of my total insurance package with them, which also includes auto, house, and umbrella liability.

Never had a claim, and the prices don't seem unreasonable($222 per year for $14,900 coverage), but I've heard there are less expensive policies available from some pro photo organizations, perhaps PSA or NANPA. USAA says that in event of a claim you must show "proof of ownership and value."

wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

My father taught me - 50+ years ago - that with casualty insurance what you wanted to focus on was not the premium cost but their history of payout for claims. Allstate was the well-known low cost auto insurer back then, even with their vast advertising costs, but the stories of having to fight tooth and nail to get 'em to pay a claim promptly and fairly were legion.

With that lesson I signed up with USAA when I first qualified, in 1968, and have been with 'em ever since for auto and home. The couple of claims experiences I've had (including when they insisted on coming to inspect my roof after an area hail storm, then insisting on giving me a new roof when I had to get down on my knees to see the "damage" they were talking about) has been completely painless. Never bought the high-value property coverage (IIRC it used to be called the Personal Articles Floater) because I've always lived in pretty safe places, but if I traveled much I certainly would have bought it for the camera gear.

Najataagihe

I am glad someone has had good luck with USAA.

I stopped using them when they took six WEEKS to send an adjuster to look at our car and another MONTH to settle the claim - all the while with no vehicle.

Not a good experience for a first claim.

I was a bit disappointed in them, to say the least.


My current insurance company responded within 24 hours and had my truck in the shop the next day.

I think I will stick with them.

luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

Yes, for several years I had a rider for my camera equipment. They will want the serial numbers of each camera, lens, flash and any other items. They will also want to know the cost of each item. I gave them the cost of brand new and told them that was the figure I was giving them. I dropped the rider when I was working so much and not using the camera at all. If the pandemic, riots and hurricanes will ever stop coming and I can start taking trips to take some photos I will probably start it again.

Dodie

louparker Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

I, too, have all my insurance with USAA (ever since I got my gold 2nd Lt. bars over 60 years ago). I have all my camera equipment covered with their PAF (personal affects floater) and have several claims over the years, including the last one where I accidentally dropped my 4-year old 18-250 Pentax zoom lens and the AF no longer worked. So I called them and they sent me a check for that was actually more than the cost of a brand new Sigma 16-300 zoom lens. No claim form or photo required, just a phone call. My prior claims included the cost of replacing 3 cameras (one accidentally dropped in a lake getting out of a fishing boat, another other that fell out of my back while riding my bike, and one dropped when I tripped going down some stairs and the lens mount broke), a couple of polaroid filters that came unscrewed and fell off the lens, and even the loss of a lens hood. All handled with just one phone call and cashing their check for the full cost of replacement with new items. Does that answer your question? The only problem I've had with USAA is, as another hogger noted, is with auto claims, but with some persistence and extra time, even those claims got resolved very well and generously even though it took some legal arguments and threats to cancel on my part.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Ditto - you have me beat on how long I've been a USAA member (but not by much). Agree about being selecting on what you list on the policy.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Get a rider on your insurance policy. I gave my agent (all state) a list of all of my equipment including serial numbers, when bought, and replacement cost. Anything over $4000.00 for one piece got special attention, those got drop and lost insurance in addition to theft. That costs a little more but it is well worth piece of mind.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

I would check Consumer Reports or some source that discusses how hard it is to get them to pay claims. When I was in private practice I stopped accepting their insurance for patients who had been in auto accidents because they would be (in my opinion) real jerks in doing what I felt were sneaky things to avoid paying a claim. They notified me that I had not filled in a certain box on the claim form which no other insurers requested. They notified me of this six weeks after the claim was submitted. When resubmitted with the correction, they sent me a letter saying "so sorry, we reserve the right not to accept any claims not submitted within 30 days of the service". (Other insurers allowed six months). So, in other words, they told me "so sorry - you are screwed, tough luck". That is one way they keep premiums down I suppose. But good luck with your claims.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

As a veteran I've had USAA for all my insurance and banking needs since 1968. They have been most helpful with claims and investments as their employees do not work on commissions. They are not the cheapest insurance, but when you make a claim you will find out that they are the best!

Gspeed Loc: Rhinebeck, NY

Slow down! Watch what you’re doing. Someone might think you are a bit accident prone! :-))


quote=louparker]I, too, have all my insurance with USAA (ever since I got my gold 2nd Lt. bars over 60 years ago). I have all my camera equipment covered with their PAF (personal affects floater) and have several claims over the years, including the last one where I accidentally dropped my 4-year old 18-250 Pentax zoom lens and the AF no longer worked. So I called them and they sent me a check for that was actually more than the cost of a brand new Sigma 16-300 zoom lens. No claim form or photo required, just a phone call. My prior claims included the cost of replacing 3 cameras (one accidentally dropped in a lake getting out of a fishing boat, another other that fell out of my back while riding my bike, and one dropped when I tripped going down some stairs and the lens mount broke), a couple of polaroid filters that came unscrewed and fell off the lens, and even the loss of a lens hood. All handled with just one phone call and cashing their check for the full cost of replacement with new items. Does that answer your question? The only problem I've had with USAA is, as another hogger noted, is with auto claims, but with some persistence and extra time, even those claims got resolved very well and generously even though it took some legal arguments and threats to cancel on my part.[/quote]

gunner369 Loc: NV

Here's My 2 cents worth, I have Shelter Ins now, was thinking of going with USAA, so I called them got a goute
as they compared to my deductables I have now and the difference was $1600 a year more then am paying now and my Agent is local here where I live.