insurance problem ... well kinda

ernie · Mar 4, 2008

in exactly 12 days i'm leaving for a trip to the states for 74 days. of course i'd like to bring my camera with me, and of course i'd like some insurance on it. theft/robbery is the thing i fear most. thing is, no company will insure it for such a long vacation period, one month seems to be the max. insurance will cover all that i want for as long as i want here in belgium, but only for one month abroad.

so i'm in dilemma here. i could take my point&shoot with me instead but no one likes driving a bike again when you've gotten used to a nice car for almost a year, right? on the other hand i'd hate for my 2500 dollar aquipment to get stolen. only half-assed solution i could think of was to borrow/buy a cheaper lens (now it's a 17-55 f/2.8, which is the bulk of the 2500) and take that with me. 1200 dollar is still a whole way from 2500 and i'd feel a lot more comfortable that way. but i'd be stuck with a lower quality lens than the one i have now afterward.
or i could just be extra cautious and hope it doesn't get stolen. either way there's no elegant solution.

anybody see any other option? cause i'm kinda lost here.

thanks

kundalini · Mar 4, 2008

A couple of staggering one month policies?

Leave the good glass at home.

Stranger · Mar 4, 2008

Where in the U.S are you going? I would hate to say it is safe here but depending on where you go, keeping your camera with you should be sufficient. I have walked around with mine in Chicago with no problems.. Obviously i wasnt wondering around gang neighborhoods or the west-side of town but as for downtown you should be pretty safe.

So depending on where you go and if it will be with you should determine a lot

Big Mike · Mar 4, 2008

I wouldn't leave the lens at home...what's the point of buying it if you aren't going to use it.

Do you have house/home insurance? My home insurance policy covers my camera gear, whether it's in the house or not.

Also, maybe you will just need to take out a six month or one year policy.

Socrates · Mar 4, 2008

ernie said:
in exactly 12 days i'm leaving for a trip to the states for 74 days. of course i'd like to bring my camera with me, and of course i'd like some insurance on it. theft/robbery is the thing i fear most. thing is, no company will insure it for such a long vacation period, one month seems to be the max. insurance will cover all that i want for as long as i want here in belgium, but only for one month abroad.

so i'm in dilemma here. i could take my point&shoot with me instead but no one likes driving a bike again when you've gotten used to a nice car for almost a year, right? on the other hand i'd hate for my 2500 dollar aquipment to get stolen. only half-assed solution i could think of was to borrow/buy a cheaper lens (now it's a 17-55 f/2.8, which is the bulk of the 2500) and take that with me. 1200 dollar is still a whole way from 2500 and i'd feel a lot more comfortable that way. but i'd be stuck with a lower quality lens than the one i have now afterward.
or i could just be extra cautious and hope it doesn't get stolen. either way there's no elegant solution.

anybody see any other option? cause i'm kinda lost here.

thanks

I certainly can not guarantee that nothing will ever happen but, as an American, I am disturbed by your concern. Can you honestly say that nothing is ever stolen in Belgium? Why do you think that humans are different here?

RKW3 · Mar 4, 2008

I'd go without insurance if your unable to get the insurance. As long as your careful you should be ok.

JIP · Mar 4, 2008

If you are that worried about theft/robbery do you think you should be leaving your house at all???.

Garbz · Mar 4, 2008

Travel insurance isn't the only insurance that can cover this gear. Just as Mike said I also have my camera insured for theft and accidental damage outside the house. For me it ended up costing around about $300 / year. Well worth it when you consider I've taken it through the snow, up the side of cliff faces, with me wakeboarding etc.

ernie · Mar 5, 2008

don't get me wrong here, i don't think america is full of thieves and crooks. i'm just worried a bit about travelling alone in a strange country. i know new york can be just as safe/unsafe as brussels, but the cities here i know.

i guess it's just commen sense. don't go alone in neighbourhoods you don't know at night, don't leave your camera out in the open, etc.

i think i'll just take it with me. like said, if i'm careful i should be ok. it's just that everyone has messing with my head lately about safety, joking i'm gonna wind up assraped in a dark alley and stuff.

anyway, thanks for the replies.

Rachelsne · Mar 5, 2008

Make sure you get insurance for the whole trip, not just for your camera but for your self too. On my first trip to the US on my own, i ended up getting sick and needing a whole load of tests done, it turned out I just had a virus, but my medical bill was around $5000 Im soo glad I had holiday insurance.

I cant remember who mine was with but until I got married I was coming out to the US for 90 days at ta time, you will probably need to ring companies as apose to online quotes

hope you find some

nicfargo · Mar 5, 2008

If you have to I would contact an American insurance company and talk with them about what you're doing and see if they can insure you for the period of time you'll be in the states.

The_Traveler · Mar 5, 2008

I think the problem of safety in the US is way over emphasized. With all the hundreds of thousands of photographers wandering the streets everywhere in the US, I never hear of people getting mugged for their cameras.

I've been to much dodgier places than you are apt to encounter in the US and have never lost as much as a filter to a thief.

(If you plan on going to Washington, DC, send me a PM and I'll take you for coffee and a small tour of the downtown.