Camera & gear insurance - UK

[Ladislav]

What is the good camera insurance / insurer in UK?

I have home insurance from HSBC (it is sold by HSBC but provided by Aviva). It somehow covers my camera gear as well but it has some limitations - including 1500 GBP limit on single insured item. With current drop in British Pound, some of my lenses are already outside of that bound so they are effectively not insured.

I'm considering a proper camera / gear insurance. My expectations are something like:
- Insured camera, lenses, tripods, filters and other accessories
- Amateur usage of gear
- World wide coverage
- Loss coverage
- Theft coverage
- Accidental damage coverage - I think this not covered by my HSBC policy at all
- Excess up to 20%
- Being able to insure existing gear (some gear is almost 5 years old)
- Being able to add more gear to insurance later - including used gear
- In case of claim - full replacement
- Online managing of insurance without necessity to call somewhere every time I want to check it or make change is a huge benefit.

Any advice?

Btw. what do I need to prove ownership of the gear and its cost?

 

[shimrod]

I've recently been through the same challenge but for slight different reasons. We have all risks household cover with UIA which provided cover for all our equipment (his n'hers). We had to make a claim for a camera mishap in Canada which they paid without issue, but we are limited to one ex-europe claim in a year and had another holiday booked.

I chose Eversure as the best for me but it isn't cheap - £161 to cover £7000 for 12 months. They provided longer new for old cover than others I could find but this is still only 3 years. You have to register your equipment with serial numbers in order to have them covered. My remaining holidays will be UK and Europe, so I will go back to putting the cameras on the household cover again next year. You might find it cheaper to change household insurer - have a look at the cover offered by Hiscox.

There are some companies that offer monthly camera cover (mostly white labels E & L is one) but I don't think you would find the cover matches your requirements - you could have a look at Photoguard - they had the best cover I could find but the quote matched the cover!

 

[dhr90]

Believe I am with Photoguard. Thus far I haven't had a reason to claim, but have been able to add stuff mid policy, they insure my 7D, which while purchased 4 years ago, the model itself is 10 years old now? Not too sure on new for old replacement, but I wouldn't have gone for it at the time if I wouldn't have got that.

 

[Mikehit]

I have just taken out house insurance with Hiscox and it is unlimited contents cover including camera gear outside the home with no single item limit and new for old.