Quick help: Camera insurance - who with, and is it worth it?

[havoc]

Very quick answers needed - off on hols tomorrow, and just discovered that the Home insurance small-print excludes most risks out-of-house, and the travel insurance has a limit of £300/item, £400 total, unless I pay £35 per trip for £1k of cover. I know, i should have checked sooner...

So...have been looking at camera insurance. But I'm not sure it's worth it:-


E&L: If I read right, excess abroad is either £300 or £500 depending on type/location of loss. Plus they need advance notice of overseas trips and they then say they must 'accept' those trips before they'll cover you.

Photoguard: Annual premium for £1,500 of cover (all of my kit so far plus the lens on order plus a little on-top) would cost £93, although there's no excess. This will have the benefit of covering me in the UK but it's £23 more than I'd need to pay the travel insurers. And it's £90 to increase my cover for this holiday by no more than £400 anyway with the kit I've currently got (excluding cards and filters, I'd say I'm taking less than £1k new of kit away with me, so 2nd hand values...).


So...is there anyone else you guys can recommend? Or shall I not bother?


NB: Currently have EOS20D and only one semi-expensive lens (2nd hand lens worth £300-odd new), and a £400 lens on order.

Edit: Home insurance specifically excludes items being 'held, worn or carried' - what a crock of sh't!!!

Edited by havoc on Saturday 16th December 19:01

[fergusd]

I use towergate (www.towergateunderwriting.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=52)

I lob all my gear on it, covered anywhere, as checked baggage, in a hotel, in the boot of a car, etc, etc . . . no daft restrictions - also covers my laptop which I often travel with . . .

Not they do an online quote at that web address . . .

All insurance is a rip off . . . right up until some scrote pinches your gear . . .

Fd

[tog]

I've used Glover and Howe for years and have no complaints. I've never had to make a big claim, but they've paid out without quibble for a compact I dropped in the sea a couple of years ago, and for a few dropped lenses over the years.

www.gloverhowe.co.uk/

[monkeyhanger]

I'm with Photoguard, paying around £18 per month to cover over 3K worth of kit.

[havoc]

Just to resurrect this, as renewal is approaching...

Quotes so far (for <£2k of kit):-
- Towergate £107
- Photoguard £90 (current policy)
- Glover & Howe £70
- AUA £47
- E&L £44

However:-
- E&L seem to be putting loads of hoops in my way, won't cover me while my other policy is in force, and want 7 days notice of any foreign trip. Plus their staff are stroppy.

...so are AUA any good, or shall I go with G&H?

Cheers,

Martin.