Travel Insurance (No home or renter's insurance suggestions please)

[Nasir]

Guys,

I am planning to spend 4 weeks in Southeast Asia starting mid-august and I am desperately trying to find some sort of travel or equipment insurance for my 1500 dollars worth of equipment. It's not much, but I'm a poor college student and I cannot realistically afford spend another 1500 dollars to replace everything if I somehow lose it all.

Everywhere I've searched has said that I can add a floater or a rider to my home and/or renters insurance. However, the problem is that I live in the dorms 9 months of the year and I do NOT have either home or renters insurance.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? Is there a insurance company somewhere that insures camera equipment only? Should I just start calling insurance companies to find out?

Right now I am looking at travel insurance. However, if the rates are relatively low for year-round coverage, i am very interested too.

Thanks!

 

[Big Mike]

Should I just start calling insurance companies to find out?

That should be your first step. You might also consider calling travel agencies but it will go back to an insurance company one way or another.

 

[Nasir]

That should be your first step. You might also consider calling travel agencies but it will go back to an insurance company one way or another.

Yea, that's probably a good idea. An addendum to my original question - does anyone have any idea which insurance company offers the cheapest (though still quality) coverage? I have a feeling I'll have to spend a lot of time on the phone with multiple insurance agents and I would really appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks

 

[Big Mike]

Sorry, I have no idea. There is probably a wide range...

 

[DragonMoon]

Are you still technically a member of your parents' household? Does their address appear on your driver's licence? Are you registered to vote at their address? If so, and they have homeowner's insurance, your stuff might be covered under their policy. I would have them call their insurance company. I was recently a customer care rep for one of the largest auto/home insurance companies out there (till I moved to the resource management department) and resident relatives were covered under a person's home policy...but all insurance companies are different. It can't hurt to have them call!

 

[Nasir]

Are you still technically a member of your parents' household? Does their address appear on your driver's licence? Are you registered to vote at their address? If so, and they have homeowner's insurance, your stuff might be covered under their policy. I would have them call their insurance company. I was recently a customer care rep for one of the largest auto/home insurance companies out there (till I moved to the resource management department) and resident relatives were covered under a person's home policy...but all insurance companies are different. It can't hurt to have them call!

That was my first thought. But unfortunately, my parents will be moving out of the country permanently within the next 6 months and they have discontinued their house insurance coverage.

 

[Fiendish Astronaut]

Firstly, I went traveling to SE Asia not too long ago and believe me you'll have the time of your life as long as you are open minded and don't mind some dodgy toilets. Oh I'm so jealous!

I didn't have a camera with me back then, so no direct experience of insuring this sort of equipment - but I remember that most travel insurance only insures things up to a certain amount so make sure whatever you get covers the cost of your equipment. I suspect you know this already which is why your asking. Ask insurers for a quote, get quotes online etc. I hope this doesn't break any rules on the site by saying it but Lonely Planet have a Photography forum among others and I'm betting there are hundreds of threads about this topic which you can search for and get good advice from.

Be a bit wary though. The locals earn a pittance compared to us in the West and can see Westerners as walking cash points in some parts. Actually the vast majority of people there are ultra friendly and wouldn't dream of stealing from you - in fact you probably face more of a risk from other travellers.

But my mate got his (point and Shoot) camera stolen in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam (amazing country BTW) by a local. He was extremely drunk at the time and was just coming out of a bar. To claim insurance he had to get a form from the police to say he reported it - he had to bribe them for it. He claimed it was almost worth having it stolen for the experience of giving money to a policeman in a hand shake (it was only $10 - but that's a 150,000 dong in local currency!).

He also learnt a goods lesson... he didn't back up at any point in the trip and lost all his wonderful photos...

Anyway, you should be okay. It's easy to hear all the horror stories and feel apprehensive, but don't be. Behave with respect to people and be even the slightest bit savvy and you'll have the most amazing time ever and meet the loveliest people you've ever met from all parts of the world.

 

[table1349]

Any insurance company should be able to write you a Separate Articles Policy for your gear. I have one through State Farm for mine. It's about $12.00 a year per $1,000.00 worth of gear. Full replacement, no deductable, covers accidents, theft, loss or plain old butter fingers.

 

[Nasir]

Thank you FA for reassuring me. I know that I might be a tad over-paranoid about this whole thing but my camera bag (and everything in it, of course) is literally the most expensive single item that I own and it would break my wallet (and my heart) to have to replace everything again out of my own pocket.

And thanks for the info Gryphons. 12 dollars per year is way less than I had imagined so I will start calling some insurance companies and ask about the policy. I'll start with State Farm first.

If all goes well, you all should be seeing my pictures coming up for C+C by the end of Sept

 

[Joves]

Do you have auto insurance. I would try with them first since you already have a policy. It will probably be a just a little extra.

 

[DragonMoon]

Separate Articles insurance requires having renters/homeowner's insurance with them to begin with though. It's a rider on the original policy.

 

[table1349]

Separate Articles insurance requires having renters/homeowner's insurance with them to begin with though. It's a rider on the original policy.

No they don't. You are thinking of an Ariticles Rider for homeowners insurance when an item if of greater value than is covered by the standard homeowners/renters insuranc.

A Seperate Articles Policy is just that. Totally seperate insurance that only covers what is listed. Listing requires proof of purchase/value. In the case of a camera they will want serial numbers and cost to the insured to purchase.

If you are talking about art/jewlery etc then you have to have an appraisal from a certified expert. Either way it is total seperate insurance under it's own policy.

 

[DragonMoon]

No they don't. You are thinking of an Ariticles Rider for homeowners insurance when an item if of greater value than is covered by the standard homeowners/renters insuranc.

A Seperate Articles Policy is just that. Totally seperate insurance that only covers what is listed. Listing requires proof of purchase/value. In the case of a camera they will want serial numbers and cost to the insured to purchase.

If you are talking about art/jewlery etc then you have to have an appraisal from a certified expert. Either way it is total seperate insurance under it's own policy.

Huh, all companies are different. The company I work for (one of the biggest auto/home/life companies out there) doesn't offer anything like that. Camera equipment, art/jewelry, stamps, crystal, etc. all have to be covered as a rider to a home/condo/renter's policy (with proof of purchase, serial #, etc). We won't write a policy for separate articles unless it's as a rider to one you already have.

I also have my own renter's insurance through a different company than the one I work for and they won't cover stuff without a home/condo/renter's policy either. I asked about my camera equipment and they told me that I had to insure it as an endorsement to my renter's policy.

 

[table1349]

Huh, all companies are different. The company I work for (one of the biggest auto/home/life companies out there) doesn't offer anything like that. Camera equipment, art/jewelry, stamps, crystal, etc. all have to be covered as a rider to a home/condo/renter's policy (with proof of purchase, serial #, etc). We won't write a policy for separate articles unless it's as a rider to one you already have.

I also have my own renter's insurance through a different company than the one I work for and they won't cover stuff without a home/condo/renter's policy either. I asked about my camera equipment and they told me that I had to insure it as an endorsement to my renter's policy.

Try State Farm then. They will write specific policies.
http://www.statefarm.com/insurance/other/personal.asp

 

[DragonMoon]

Try State Farm then. They will write specific policies.
http://www.statefarm.com/insurance/other/personal.asp

The way that description reads sounds just like the Scheduled Personal Property endorsement that the company I work for offers, which is an addendum to a home policy, not a separate standing one.

I'm curious though...I think I'll give them a call when I get a chance. I wonder if they do offer a separate policy if it would be cheaper than adding it to my renter's insurance.