You cannot find better camera and gear insurance than this...!

[DandyDon]

Okay, prove me wrong if you can; won't be the first time and I'd love to find even better; but I doubt it...

I first heard about State Farm's Personal Articles Policy, aka Inland Marine coverage, here on ScubaBoard, but it seems to remain more of a well kept secret - at least from the frequency of flooded and lost camera whiners. I got to believe that they heard the infamous rule: It's not a question of whether a camera will flood, but a question of when...! Some don't protect their cameras tho, perhaps like me for years - looking at DAN and DEPP policies and finding them unappealing, or just didn't bother looking because of the woes they'd heard? I try to pass the word now and then, but whiners of ruined or lost cameras just don't seem interested at the time - so I'm posting here in hopes of helping others before the losses...!

The coverage...

I probly should cover more with them as cheap as they are, and maybe I will. Changing coverages at any time is as easy as reviewing my list online, sending an email to my local agent to add and/or remove items, and paying the bill. Right now, I have

Cameras $950
Sports Equipment $2,082
Computer Equipment $1,000
NO DEDUCTIBLES! $92 a year​

They do charge more for sports gear than other, but not that much - and they don't balk at divers. They have stopped covering cell phones because of the way people treat them and the high claims rate, but that's all I have had declined. I certainly insure all electronics that ever leave the house...!

Claims: I haven't had one on a camera yet, but I have had a couple....

1: Last summer my laptop got fried by a thunderstorm related power surge, and I discussed this some on Whine forum as I started the process. One claims agent member assured me that power surges were never covered by Homeowners, but he didn't know about PAP as his company did not offer such. It was the easier claim I have ever processed for anything and they sent me a check for the full $1,000 - even tho I had that old machine way overvalued having not adjusted the listing in so long. I picked up a new one the next week and called my agent to add it before I left the store since I had other stops to make on my run to town.

2: I flooded a dive computer last week in Roatan, sent an email to my agent on Thursday telling her what happened and that I'd be back in the states for phone calls Monday. The agent called at 10am, asked me what happened, and I told her: "I replaced a battery in my dive computer, but I guess I goofed as it leaked saltwater and is ruined. I hope y'all don't cancel me for two claims, but it happened." She said: "Oh no, I don't see any problem. I'll send you a check for the amount listed." Too bad I can't insure my love life there, but then I guess I'd have to have one first.

The drawbacks...

None that I know of if you can get it locally. State Farm doesn't operate everywhere and you may not find an office nearby, but click the link above and look.

I hear that some insure their dive gear and cameras as itimized property on a Homeowners rider, but I think I like having my coverage separate from that.

Some items the Personal Articles Policy may cover are:

* Jewelry
* Furs
* Cameras
* Musical Instruments
* Silverware/Goldware
* Golf Equipment
* Fine Art (such as paintings, vases, antique furniture, oriental rugs, rare glass, and china)
* Collectibles
* Sports Equipment
* Computer Equipment
I've even heard of people insuring artifical legs...

 

[photobyace]

Prior to my Little Cayman trip last month, I decided to look into getting my camera gear covered. I really wasn't thinking of a flooding situation, I was more worried about some of my luggage magically going missing with the amount of camera gear I was taking (two underwater housings for both the DSLR and HD video cameras) and not being able to fit all of it in carry-ons.

State Farm does my car and house, so I figured I start with them. Once they told me what they covered, specifically covering a bonehead move of flooding a housing, and the price....it was sold!

For me, it came to $16 per thousand of gear covered. The fact there's no deductible and it's also covering my lenses and camera gear on land, I didn't bother shopping around. It already seemed like a great deal to me. I'm glad you confirmed my original thought! Hopefully, I'll never have to use the insurance, but it's nice to know it's there, just in case.

 

[DandyDon]

Prior to my Little Cayman trip last month, I decided to look into getting my camera gear covered. I really wasn't thinking of a flooding situation, I was more worried about some of my luggage magically going missing with the amount of camera gear I was taking (two underwater housings for both the DSLR and HD video cameras) and not being able to fit all of it in carry-ons.

State Farm does my car and house, so I figured I start with them. Once they told me what they covered, specifically covering a bonehead move of flooding a housing, and the price....it was sold!

For me, it came to $16 per thousand of gear covered. The fact there's no deductible and it's also covering my lenses and camera gear on land, I didn't bother shopping around. It already seemed like a great deal to me. I'm glad you confirmed my original thought! Hopefully, I'll never have to use the insurance, but it's nice to know it's there, just in case.

Haha, and you are insuring much nicer stuff than I have. But since you have other plans with them, did you do the PAP or a Homeowners rider? I suppose the latter would work? Just don't want anyone to do without unless they want to. And you are right; they covered my bonehead move of flooding.

You notice that airlines have a reduced luggage liability international trips - like $1400 per passenger I think, and even then will exclude camera gear anyway....!

 

[jdcpa]

Great idea.

Unfortunately, most folks in Florida can't get that type coverage.

Citizens does not write it and if you are lucky enough to still have your original carrier, they won't write any new insurance for you either.

After great effort I found a seperate personal articles policy, with much less coverage, but at least it was insurance if it gets stolen/burned from my home.

 

[DandyDon]

Great idea.

Unfortunately, most folks in Florida can't get that type coverage.

Citizens does not write it and if you are lucky enough to still have your original carrier, they won't write any new insurance for you either.

After great effort I found a seperate personal articles policy, with much less coverage, but at least it was insurance if it gets stolen/burned from my home.

Well, yeah - Florida has a long list of challenges and I'm sure insurance is virtually prohibitive there if available at all. Who did you find to write yours? How much per $100 value...?

 

[Aeolus]

I have been using State Farm PAP for a couple of years now. I bought it prior to a trip to Thailand. It covers all of my camera gear; lenses, body, strobe, housing, case everything. I have had two camera floods - one from an over zealous DM putting my rig into a rinse tank on the MV Spree and knocking the dome port off and the other in a rinse tank in Panama; notice a pattern here?. There was no deductable and the claims were paid promptly. It covers any loss, damage, theft, etc. The really good news - for coverage of ~ $3000, it is only $39 a year. My agent said that it could vary a lot depending on what is covered and what else the policy owner has covered; i.e. home, cars, etc. I hope this helps.

 

[DandyDon]

...for coverage of ~ $3000, it is only $39 a year.

I think that's the rate for cameras, while Sports gear can be charge twice as much - but still cheap for what you get. Too bad they don't cover cell phones anymore, but understandable the way my kids treat theirs and - I don't mind buying those on ebay so much.

 

[photobyace]

Haha, and you are insuring much nicer stuff than I have. But since you have other plans with them, did you do the PAP or a Homeowners rider? I suppose the latter would work? Just don't want anyone to do without unless they want to. And you are right; they covered my bonehead move of flooding.

Guess I never came back to look at this post, sorry for not answering. I did a PAP. As to why, I can't really say specifically. I talked to my agent, explained what I was after, he immediately said you want the PAP, so really I did it based on his advice. Once he quoted me the price and the fact it covers flooding, accidentally dropping it, etc., I didn't see any reason to go into any more specifics. At that point, it was almost too good to be true and I felt like I didn't want him changing his mind

 

[Jack Scuba]

Two claims in a year? I will be curious to know your rates when you renew next year...if they let you renew that is.

That is a really good rate for gear that is covered during use! I haven't been able to find a policy in Canada, for a decent rate, that covers my gear during use. My stuff is all covered for theft/damage anywhere in the world except when I am diving.

May have to check state farm out though!

 

[DandyDon]

Once he quoted me the price and the fact it covers flooding, accidentally dropping it, etc., I didn't see any reason to go into any more specifics. At that point, it was almost too good to be true and I felt like I didn't want him changing his mind

I know the feeling. Maybe they use it as a loss leader to generate good will and word of mouth advertising? Maybe they just don't get many claims overall?

Two claims in a year? I will be curious to know your rates when you renew next year...if they let you renew that is.

That is a really good rate for gear that is covered during use! I haven't been able to find a policy in Canada, for a decent rate, that covers my gear during use. My stuff is all covered for theft/damage anywhere in the world except when I am diving.

May have to check state farm out though!

Well, after some changes on my property covered, they sent me an email that I owed them $2, but they will add it to my bill when I renew; that's no guarantee of course - it costs more than $2 to send a bill for $2.

Here is the link for State Farm Canada PAP State Farm Canada® : : Personal Articles