[Leica] camera insurance

[skrneta at mindspring.com (Sam Krneta)]

I have had riders on my homeowner's policies for years. You need to list the
item and pay additional based on the value of each item. I cover all
expensive pieces of jewelry, camera equipment, and a few irreplaceables.
When they are itemized they are covered for any possibility, whether it is
loss or theft, it doesn't matter, at home or abroad makes no difference. My
wife lost her wedding rings a few years ago (ironic, we ended up getting
divorced) and they were replaced. One year while on vacation the house was
broken into and they cut a check for 25K. 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+skrneta=mindspring.com@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+skrneta=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Thinkofcole@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 28, 2004 9:58 AM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] camera insurance

Karen, having written extensively about the insurance industry  for The New 
York Times years ago, I can tell you that the industry would think  twice
even 
before selling fire insurance on a steel bridge permanently  under water. 
   You can, of course, insure camera equipment in the United  States under 
special policies that require that you hire an appraiser and value  each and

every item you want covered and then pay for only that coverage, which,  by
the 
way, is expensive.
   Otherwise, lost camera equipment and other valuable  possessions, like a 
gold watch, is probably covered under standard homeowner or  apartment-owner

insurance up to a certain amount, say, $500 --if and only  if you have
receipts 
for their purchase. 
   You may also buy coverage on her camera possessions while  abroad under a

kind of special insurance known as, say, "excess lines.''   The few
companies 
that offer this special stuff also insures reporters and  photographers 
against death, dismemberment, beheading and similar misfortunes  and also
insures 
executives while abroad against kidnapping and other  calamities. Suffice it
to 
say that the cost for any and all of this kind of  coverage is extremely
high. 
[None of them likes to even admit that this kind of  coverage is available.]
  To sum up, just let your daughter enjoy her trip to Fiji and to take  all 
the photos she likes. 
But one of my daughters who made a similar trip elsewhere when she was a  
youngster told me that one of her friends lost even a pair of boots she left

unguarded. If she wants to keep her Leica stuff, she should protect it the
same  
way she protects her credit cards and cash. 
  I'm sorry to be so blunt, but insurance companies are  definitely not 
charitable institutions. The cost is based solely on risk  and they are
outstanding 
in evaluating risk.
  Best wishes, bob cole
_______________________________________________
Leica Users Group.
See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information