Insurance

[matthew]

I asked this question on the ubeaut forum a coupla years back but now I'm revisiting the issue.

How do you guys approach the issue of adequately insuring your workshop tools and instruments? Under a home contents policy is one thing, but the moment you sell, repair, or take someone else's guitar into your care that insurance is pretty much void. Do you have business insurance as a guitar shop? Or craftsman? Or hobbyist? What companies do you deal with?

And do you insure your wood pile for its real replacement value? how can you prove this in case of a claim? How do you insure an instrument in thr process of being built?

I have valuable instruments here now that I'd hate to have stolen or destroyed in a fire.

[kiwigeo]

Matthew,

If you check out the ads in the back of Woodworking Review magazine there's usually one from one of the Melbourne based woodworking clubs. They have a deal where if you join the club you can avail yourself of their special woodworkers insurance. Ive heard its quite good.

Cheers Martin

Post script...check it out here: http://www.vwa.org.au/des_publiab.htm

[matthew]

thanks yes I was insured with them at one point but I'm just not really sure that they cover what I need to cover. Which is why I'm casting the net a bit wider...

[Hesh1956]

I don't know if Heritage will insure in OZ but many of us here in the states use them. They are an excellent company and also include coverage for your stuff while in transit and at shows as well as insuring your shop too.

http://www.musicins.com/

[Allen]

My wife works for a large Queensland based Insurance Company, and had looked into this through them for my situation.

With them, as you said, when money changes hands for anything, it becomes Business Insurance, and starts to get expensive and the restrictions and requirements that they have make it very unattractive for something that most of us still consider a part time hobby.

Her experience dealing with claims, and the training seminars that she has to take have lead me to the conclusion that at least with this company, if you need to make a claim, good luck to you. As far as this company goes you are far better off to save your premium and be self insuring

The Cairns Woodworkers Guild gets insurance through the group of Australian Woodworkers Clubs. I'm not sure who can join in, but it covers us for the obvious things that woodworkers require, plus shows, sales, liability etc. and is very well priced.