UK PhotoGuard Insurance

[rowan57]

Hey folks, just wondered whether anyone had any experience with the UK based PhotoGuard insurance? I'm looking to insure a decent amount of kit for a year in Kenya and they are the only company i can find that will do it.

Cheers
Rowan

[sw.]

i have heard nothing but good things from the guys on talkphotography from them......
i was in sured with e & l stay well clear of them

[rab]

I was about to add my latest purchase to my home contents insurance the other night. My policy has a single article limit of £1,500 so I have a couple of specified photographic items listed over that value for which I pay extra.

Up until about eight months ago (after policy renewal) I was very much an amateur photographer but then decided to charge the local papers for pictures. My income from photography will probably extend to £1,000 in the first year and I don't see that increasing. I have a full time job so will my insurer deem me to be a professional for insurance purposes?

I ask because I've just noticed their T's & C's state they will not cover business or professional use of photographic equipment. Adding the new item would probably add £20-£30 to the policy but insuring all my kit separately with a specialist would be £300-£400. I must get some public liability insurance whatever, but does anyone know how my insurer will rate my activities. I should add that I have nearly 17,000 pictures on my website all of which are free to view and download.

Any thoughts or help greatly appreciated.

[Lowner]

All my kit is insured on our home insurance policy. No silly questions about whether the kit is for professional use, just insurance plain and simple no matter where I take it or what I do with it.

[rab]

Thanks Richard
I think you know what my next question is going to be - who with?
Do you have to specify items over a certain value?

[Lowner]

rab,

We use Axa Extra, as recommended by City Insurance. No, the amount insured is supposedly not specified - BUT:

They consider me odd because I insisted that they receive a detailed breakdown of all my kit in case they ever try to "Wriggle out" of paying in future. When we renewed it in 2008, it came to £6835, so I believe I'm right to spell it out.

[rowan57]

i have heard nothing but good things from the guys on talkphotography from them......
i was in sured with e & l stay well clear of them

Thanks SW, i shall have a read on TalkPhotography.

Thanks
Rowan

(Those with experience with PhotoGuard very welcome also.)

[rab]

All my kit is insured on our home insurance policy. No silly questions about whether the kit is for professional use, just insurance plain and simple no matter where I take it or what I do with it.

My insurance company didn't ask silly questions about my kit but they do make it clear in their T's & C's. They also made it clear to me when I phoned them last night. I'm not prepared to take the risk of them classing me as a professional, so I've removed the specified items from my contents insurance. As of this morning, all my gear is now covered by a speacilist multimedia insurance company. I got a couple of online quotes and played one against the other and eventually got a premium reduction of £54 from the company I preferred. I have £13.2k of kit covered (including laptop), £2 million public liability and 60 days worldwide cover etc, etc for £240.00.

It's not what I wanted at the outset but I feel a lot more secure now - particularly from the public liability standpoint.

Lowner - I only saw your tip about Axa after I took out my new policy. My house/contents insurance is due for renewal at the end of March so I will give them a try. :D