Chiff and Fipple Forums

I realized over the weekend that I do not have stand-alone insurance for my pipes.

What is the consensus of those on these boards? Would my carrier be inclined to replace a $7,000 set of lost or stolen pipes under my homeowners insurance, or should I take out a separate policy/rider?

Kearnybagpiper wrote: What is the consensus of those on these boards? Would my carrier be inclined to replace a $7,000 set of lost or stolen pipes under my homeowners insurance, or should I take out a separate policy/rider?

Concensus has really nothing to do with it, except that between yourself and your homeowners insurance company. Give them a call - theirs is the only opinion that really matters, unfortunately.

[Added, upon reflection...

Didn't mean to sound snarky. But really, it's better to work this stuff out with the insurance company beforehand, rather than after the fact. I have mine insured on a rider, it's about 1% of the insured value, per year. If I live another hundred years, it'll be more of a pre-payment plan on a new set of pipes, but I think that unlikely, and it's a good deal for $25/year (I play a half-set).

It *is* different if you use them to make money though (if you have a regular gig, say, or do a lot of weddings/funerals), and the premium may be higher. But then, presumably you're doing those weddings/funerals/gigs because you like/need the money, and you might want to insure against losing the thing that allows you to earn it.

Hope that helps.
</reflection>

-Frank

Both of these companies sell insurance for musical instruments:
http://www.musicproinsurance.com/
http://www.clarionins.com/
Unlike most homeowners policies, they would cover losses from airports, parked vehicles, pubs, etc. Just about everything except nuclear war, in which case you probably wouldn't need your pipes anyway.

There are two things to consider: the value of your pipes and whether you used them to earn income.

Many insurance policies automatically cover any of your personal property but will require your to specifically declare objects of significant value. If your pipes are valued at $7,000, you might want to play it safe and declare the item to your insurance company.

If you use your pipes (or any instrument for that matter) for earning income, then the home insurance probably won't cover it, regardless of the value. You have to take out a special policy. Chadd has given you some links for these.

I have used this company for some years now:

http://www.brassbandinsuranceservices.co.uk/

They cover stuff like travelling with the instrument throughout eg Europe (or wherever you nominate) as part of the cover, they even cover it for damage or theft while in a car, attended or unattended.

£40 a year, I'm sure if you shop around, you might find cheaper.

Regard it as a valid expense (take it out of your income from the instrument if you play gigs)

=Peace of mind....Priceless

Boyd

I have had great experiences with Clarion, mentioned above. Try them at 1-800-VIVALDI. Reasonable, professional, and thorough. They may require documentation for instruments valued above $5000, I think (receipt, appraisal, etc.). To my mind it's worth it to pay for insurance that specifically covers instruments, rather than leave it to the discretion of your homeowner's insurance, or, perish the thought, some adjustor they might send out...
Kieran