Free camera?

[MarkBarbieri]

Several years ago, I left my camera gear in my hotel room during the day. When I came back, it was gone. Someone crook got a free camera and several nice lenses. They were never found. My home owners insurance covered the loss, but only after my $2,000 deductable.

I learned two lessons from that. First, your hotel room is not a particularly safe place for any valuables. Second, you can get a relatively inexpensive rider on your insurance to cover your camera equipment.

Learn from my mistakes and be careful about where you leave your camera. Get with your insurance agent and get a rider to cover your camera equipment. You'll travel with much less stress if you do.

 

[carolina_yankee]

Good idea about the riders. I used to have one for my computers, but don't right now. I never read the fine print and tend to be naively optimistic about not getting robbed, etc. Do the riders give you a lower deductible for these items?

Dirk

 

[Anewman]

Back in the late early/mid 90s my family was having lunch at Disneylands Big Thunder Ranch BBQ place and at the table we sat at there was a Canon Camera bag underneath. We picked it up and placed it center table and slid down so the owner could see it and claim it we were within reach so other would think it was ours but gave the real owner enough space. During the 40 plus minutes that we ate nobody showed up, I did not want to open it so I called over a CM. CM opened it and it was a very pro looking Canon SLR with multiple lenses(mostly primes), CM left and said it was going to lost and found. I am still not sure the CM turned it in or not, but there is no way I could take that bag with me.

My kids still remember that day, especially when I save every penny to buy a new lens. I hope they get the point.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Do the riders give you a lower deductible for these items?

Yes. Substantially lower.

Also, many policies will cover you regardless of how your camera is lost or damaged. Drop it in the pool? Leave it at a restaurant? Leave it out in the rain?

Lots of things can go wrong. If you've got a $250 P&S, it probably isn't worth worrying about. If you just bought a 30D and three lenses, it might be worth it to you.