What I learned when I lost my camera

[hedonist222]

You know Kimela, I've been meaning to start a topic about capturing while diving and I will soon.
But the jist of it is:
I am diver who just happens to have a camera.

 

[divinh]

A guy I met on a liveaboard lost his gopro during a dive, as he didn't attach it to his BCD and it had a floatie attached... All his honeymoon photos were still on the SD card.
On the last day, the divemaster of another ship joined us aboard and brought the camera back.

So on one hand, a floatie sucks, on the other hand it could make your gopro drift by the right person...
Why don't you get an extendable bungee so you don't have to take the camera off your BCD at all to take a good photo?

The GoPro foam Floaty back compresses and isn't so floaty for diving purposes.

 

[divinh]

I've found a wallet on the street with $300 cash, drove over to the address on the license only to find he had moved, then called his bank to pass on my info. Bank cancelled all his cards, unfortunately, but I met up with him the next day to return the wallet after he contacted me.

I also found a Garmin watch, but was I unsuccessful trying to get Garmin to return it to its owner. Garmin told me to enjoy it, so I've been using it.

And on some odd occasions, clerks have given me back change *and* the original bills I paid with. I assume they had busy day. I corrected them and sometimes, had to explain what happened.

 

[Kimela]

Ok insurance folks ... AAA will only insure my camera up to $1,500 (which is fine because the cost is less than that), but the dedictible is $1,000 (which isn't fine because the whole rig costs about $1200).

Any recommendations of how to insure the camera without it become one of those 'law of diminishing returns' sort of things?

 

[tursiops]

Ok insurance folks ... AAA will only insure my camera up to $1,500 (which is fine because the cost is less than that), but the dedictible is $1,000 (which isn't fine because the whole rig costs about $1200).

Any recommendations of how to insure the camera without it become one of those 'law of diminishing returns' sort of things?

H2O Insurance
$100 deductible...but does NOT cover your type of loss.....

Perils Insured
Some of the more common claims that this insurance provides coverage for are the following: flood damage to your camera equipment, stolen equipment (we require a written police report with the submission of the claim), lost luggage with the airlines (we need confirmation that the "checked luggage" has been lost), and accidental damage to your equipment.

This policy insures against risks of direct physical loss of or damage to the insured property from external causes except as otherwise provided. Click Here to review exclusions and conditions to coverage.
It is very important that you read and understand these exclusions outlined in the Divers PAC, Policy Conditions, and Common Policy Conditions.

We DO NOT provide coverage for items that are lost underwater while you are diving, that fall off the back of the boat, or are swept overboard. Please see Divers PAC Coverage Document, #5 PERILS EXCLUDED which confirms that this policy does not insure against (d) items lost while in your care, custody and control – while in use both in and out of the water, dropped overboard or swept over-board.​

 

[Efka76]

I feel your pain. Two years ago I was diving in Brothers islands in Red Sea. At the end of dive when I was boarding RIB, my brand new camera snapped from my wrist mount and sink to sea bottom. Brand new Go Pro with expensive SD card and housing. Sadly I was watching how it sink to the bottom. I did not try to rescue it as I had appr. 50 bar of air left in my tank and bottom in that place was quite deep - aprr. 80-100 m. My thinking was pretty simple - it is better to lose camera than life.

 

[Kimela]

H2O Insurance
$100 deductible...but does NOT cover your type of loss.....

Perils Insured
Some of the more common claims that this insurance provides coverage for are the following: flood damage to your camera equipment, stolen equipment (we require a written police report with the submission of the claim), lost luggage with the airlines (we need confirmation that the "checked luggage" has been lost), and accidental damage to your equipment.

This policy insures against risks of direct physical loss of or damage to the insured property from external causes except as otherwise provided. Click Here to review exclusions and conditions to coverage.
It is very important that you read and understand these exclusions outlined in the Divers PAC, Policy Conditions, and Common Policy Conditions.

We DO NOT provide coverage for items that are lost underwater while you are diving, that fall off the back of the boat, or are swept overboard. Please see Divers PAC Coverage Document, #5 PERILS EXCLUDED which confirms that this policy does not insure against (d) items lost while in your care, custody and control – while in use both in and out of the water, dropped overboard or swept over-board.​

Thanks! I just called my credit card company (Chase) and no level of their card would cover loss either. Oh, and they only cover it up to $500 with my priority card.

I wonder, if this were to happen again, maybe I could make up a story about pirates stealing it???

 

[Efka76]

Ok insurance folks ... AAA will only insure my camera up to $1,500 (which is fine because the cost is less than that), but the dedictible is $1,000 (which isn't fine because the whole rig costs about $1200).

Any recommendations of how to insure the camera without it become one of those 'law of diminishing returns' sort of things?

Usually home insurance covers things that you bring outside the house (e.g. camera, watch, etc.). In my case insurance did not cover my loss as I my insurance covered only Europe, i.e. I would be compensated my losses if I lost camera in Mediterranean sea. Also, I checked DiveAssure - it compensates loss of equipment in case of dive accident.

 

[Kimela]

Usually home insurance covers things that you bring outside the house (e.g. camera, watch, etc.). In my case insurance did not cover my loss as I my insurance covered only Europe, i.e. I would be compensated my losses if I lost camera in Mediterranean sea. Also, I checked DiveAssure - it compensates loss of equipment in case of dive accident.

I'll check the language of Dive Assure - 'in case of accident' may have a very specific legal meaning. Plain old "I didn't clip it to my BC before I fell into the water for a dive" might not cut it! And my homeowners just said 'no, we don't cover that'!

 

[Kimela]

Usually home insurance covers things that you bring outside the house (e.g. camera, watch, etc.). In my case insurance did not cover my loss as I my insurance covered only Europe, i.e. I would be compensated my losses if I lost camera in Mediterranean sea. Also, I checked DiveAssure - it compensates loss of equipment in case of dive accident.

I was just looking at their policy and found this:

"Personal Diving Equipment" - means:  Diving equipment, Your property or property in Your control, which feeds compressed or enriched gas  Floating balance  Rapid release buckle on the diving appliance 6 | P a g e  Belt and on the weights  Instrument to measure time and to measure depth (one per couple)  Warning instrument showing depletion of gas in the tank  Personal diving equipment also includes HOOKAH diving gear property of You or in the Your care, custody or control"

I suspect when they refer to coverage for "Diving gear - dive accident" they are referring to the gear that makes up our scuba (self contained breathing apparatus) gear. So ... maybe regulator, BC, computer, fins, mask? No where else in the document does it define or refer to "Diving gear". I suspect a camera would not be considered "diving gear". But a phone call would clarify it (gotta go work so don't have time now).