Re: [Leica] Stolen Leicas and insurance

["Ed Kowaleski" <ekowaleski@twmi.rr.com>]

- ----- 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