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Studio Gear Insurance


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As I"ve been rearranging my studio I"ve taken the opportunity to look at serial numbers on items, look up their replacement or market value, and start making a spreadsheet of everything I have down to the last stand and snake.

 

I knew I"d accumulated some gear over the years, but I"m only about three quarters done and the number in the sum cell is already mind-blowing. I"m not so comfortable anymore with having this all under my homeowner"s insurance.

 

Who are we liking these days and what are best practices? Still Clarion? Rider on your homeowner"s insurance for items used in a professional capacity? (Not that I'm making any money with them during the pandemic, but looking towards the future.)

 

Note: This gear will not be going out on gigs for the foreseeable future. When that happens, it will be a specific and limited subset.

 

Some of you may know from Facebook that I lost a car recently to an electrical fire, and escaped with about 20 seconds to spare before the entire interior went up in a fireball. So I"m doing a lot of safety-oriented things to the house I"ve been putting off, and that got me thinking about insurance.

Stephen Fortner

Principal, Fortner Media

Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine

Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine

 

Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse

 

 

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I've used Clarion since 2006. Had one repair claim in 2008; they paid it with no fuss, and didn't raise my rates. I'd accidentally kicked the side panel off of my CP33; lots of shattered plastic.

Their website is straightforward, and when we've talked in person the staff there has been helpful.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I've been with Clarion for at least a decade. Never had a claim but I'm happy with their service thus far. It's easy to add & remove covered instruments. When I had State Farm any changes went thru my agent which was a bit of a pain. This may have changed now.
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I have used Anderson for several years. They get that we use gear outside our homes. They understand that my 900 pound grand piano is harder to steal than a guitar, and that I don't take it outside the studio. So, the piano rate is lower as a result. I have my entire studio ensured for full replacement value. It was "on the list" for years, but I was so relieved to get it done. I have a lot of things, and a lot of nice things - some quite rare or now impossible to obtain. Insurance is part of the ownership responsibility at some point. I crossed that point and have never looked back. My home-owners insurance agent was glad when I got this policy because he told me that my homeowners would NOT cover the full value of what I own. So, this was an important thing to me.
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I have been with MusicPro insurance for many years now. They are reasonable, cover replacement cost, and you can change coverage easily as you buy/sell gear. I have had my 1965 Gibson J-45 insured there for a long time, along with my most recent computer, Yamaha U3, stage and studio gear:

 

https://www.musicproinsurance.com/

 

-dj

iMac i7 13.5.2

Studio One 5.5.2

Nord Stage 3

Nord Wave 2

Nektar T4

Drawmer DL 241

Focusrite ISA Two

Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre

 

 

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I had an Inland Maine policy with Erie Insurance for about 20 years. Good company, A+ rating. However, they only offer Actual Cash Value, not Replacement Cost. That's the big gotcha there. You want replacement cost, or your likeliness of getting what you think a vintage Jupiter 8 is worth is going to be a battle, because they'll deem it obsolete. I switched to Clarion for that reason. No claims yet (knock on wood!) but they seem like they're on it.

Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio

www.gmma.biz

https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/

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How is insurance (Anderton, Clarion, et al) regarding vintage keyboards like old analogs? Obviously not easily replaced but would they reimburse replacement value?

 

If you want to insure something for over $5k, you'll need to get an appraisal by a reputable dealer and submit that to them. Then you should not have a problem getting replacement cost with Clarion.

Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio

www.gmma.biz

https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/

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How is insurance (Anderton, Clarion, et al) regarding vintage keyboards like old analogs? Obviously not easily replaced but would they reimburse replacement value?

 

Of course Michael. They"ll see you get a brand new spank"n Behringer. :poke:

:roll:

 

Oh noes someone said the "B" word :taz::bang::roll:

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I've been with the same company for decades, though they keep getting bought by new parent companies. The most recent parent is

Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC PO Box 14575

Des Moines, IA 50306-4575

1-800-503-9230 Fax: 515-365-3005

 

It's been $1per $100 of value forever.

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