Re: [Leica] Stolen Leicas and insurance

["Bryan Caldwell" <bcaldwell@softcom.net>]

Ed,

This sounds like a good experience if you were satisfied with identical
replacements. When you insure an item, you are insuring the value of its
loss or damage and you have every right not to replace it with the same
thing. If you lose a camera and the insurance covers the loss, you have the
right to purchase a different camera with the proceeds, or to buy something
else, or to pocket the money.


Bryan



- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Kowaleski" <ekowaleski@twmi.rr.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 6:38 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Stolen Leicas and insurance


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ken Lassiter" <kenlass@gate.net>
> To: "Leica Users Forum" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Sent: Sunday, September 02, 2001 12:34 PM
> Subject: [Leica] Stolen Leicas and insurance
> ....
> > Question: Who has had good experience with insurance payment for their
> > lost Leicas? What company were you with?
> >
> > Ken Lassiter,
> > Boynton Beach, FL
> >
> > A number of years ago I had a camera bag loaded with two CLEs and a
> battery of Leica lenses stolen from me in St.Clement's Basilica in Rome.
I
> had put the bag on a bench on which I was sitting.  The bag was less than
> one inch from me.  I turned sideways to talk to my daughter for a few
> minutes and then went to pick up the bag and it was gone.  I frantically
> looked around the church as if I was going to see someone with my bag and
> then ran outside to see if anyone was fleeing the scene.  No such luck.
> After a few minutes of swallowing feelings of panic followed by disgust
for
> my stupidity, I went to the local police station and was told I had to go
to
> a special police station for foreigners.  I hustled over to the police
> station for foreigners and filled out a form listing all the stolen goods.
> Fortunately I had serial numbers on the US Customs Certificate of
> Registration.  The official at the Police station signed the form and said
> "That's Rome for you!" and sent me on my way.
>
> When I returned home I contacted MetLife who held my Homeowners Insurance.
> They told me that if I had a police report I was fully insured against the
> theft and they would replace all the equipment.  They apparently had a
> special office that bought all the equipment and sent it to you.  No cash
> was involved, i.e., they did not send you cash to compensate for the loss.
> All the lenses they sent, the bag, and some peripheral equipment were new.
> They called me and said that they could not find any new CLEs and the
> closest they could come to that equipment was to send me two M6 bodies.  I
> already had two M6 bodies so believe it or not I told them I preferred to
> have the CLE's and I gave them several sources for used equipment.  I had
> the two CLEs within two weeks.
>
> My insurance rates have not gone up in the past several years because of
> this claim.  They have gone up to accommodate the expected increased
> replacement value of the house they were insuring.  I still get angry as
the
> devil when I think about someone stealing that bag but MetLife did a
> marvelous no-hassle job for me and they have a committed client forever.
>
> Ed Kowaleski
>
>
>