# How to insure a musical instrument? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352 "2013-03-19T14:21:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.Pu-du-he-pa-as)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/1 "2013-03-19T14:21:37Z")
I have a musical instrument I need to insure. The last time I needed to insure it, I did it as a rider on my renter’s insurance. Now, for various reasons, I don’t have renter’s insurance, and I was wondering if there was another way. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/2 "2013-03-19T14:28:31Z")
Have you tried just calling various insurance agents and asking them if they will provide coverage on the instrument? Presumably they will want to examine it and may want to know what your travel plans are. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/3 "2013-03-19T14:35:42Z")
There are several insurance companies that specialize in insuring instruments for musicians. The one I know of is [Clarion Associates](http://www.clarionins.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/4 "2013-03-19T14:39:13Z")
I had no idea there were specialist companies. I was going to suggest the Chubb Group, which is familiar with insuring valuables (paintings, collectible cars, antiques and the like). ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/5 "2013-03-19T14:43:01Z")
You could Google the phrase “insuring musical instruments.” That’s what I did. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/6 "2013-03-19T14:52:13Z")
> [@hrhomer](#): > > You could Google the phrase “insuring musical instruments.” That’s what I did. Could they also Bing it? OP: What kind of instrument is it? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/7 "2013-03-19T14:53:56Z")
Since this is an insurance question and not a music question, moved from Cafe Society to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/8 "2013-03-19T15:43:33Z")
I collect the insurance appraisals and proof for my company - Clarion seems common, but a lot of people also go through State Farm, Travelers, Hartford, etc. Looks like a case of shop around. Certainly looks like the ones with the highest appraisal value are using Clarion. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-insure-a-musical-instrument/653352/9 "2013-03-19T16:51:42Z")
The OP said that she doesn’t have a renter’s policy any more. Would it be cheaper to get a renter’s policy (even it it’s not needed) and to get a rider for the instrument than to get a separate policy for it?