I also have insurance through Heritage. I really don't think there is any better policy coverage for musical instruments being offered.

I thought I would mention a few other issues I didn't see having been discussed yet (that are included with the Heritage policy): Shipping your instrument through FedEx / UPS / USPS, etc. is covered. When you buy an instrument - it is automatically covered for the first 30 days - as long as you can show proof of purchase (includes coverage if it is shipped to you). You do need to have it added within the 30 day grace period in order for coverage to continue. If you travel out of country - it will be covered against loss or damage during the entire trip - as checked baggage in flight and while at your destination.

It doesn't matter if you are a paid musician or at a jam - where ever you are whatever you are doing - if the instrument is with you or at home - its covered - 100% / no deductable / with depreciation as part of the claim if it is repaired.

It doesn't cover acts of God / war / and if it is stolen from a vehicle - evidence must show forced entry.

Other than that - its covered.

I'm very pleased.

After reading some of the forums here about insurance, I called Heritage and got a policy through them for all of my music equipment. It's a great policy! Thanks

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tonyelder:

It doesn't cover acts of God ...

Other than that - its covered.
QUOTE]

I've often wondered what "acts of God" means wrt insurance. Is a tornado/hurricane/flood an act of God? Anybody know?

If a natural disaster is not an act of God, in that sense, what else could it be? Of course, some say war is an act of God, but that's another topic for a far different forum. Logic would say that a leaking roof that waters your guitar is human, but a flood that washes the whole house away is divine intervention. Remember: the purpose of insurance is only incidentally to reimburse you for a loss; its primary purpose is to float the Aflac Duck. That's why God created actuarial tables. In the game of cosmic blackjack, the insurance company is the house. I will check out the Heritage coverage, though, since my GAS continues unabated.

Very happy with Heritage as well (so far, that is; no claims yet).

so, let me get this straight: you're happy paying the premiums, Once? That's the irony: you can't be happy until you're unhappy (someone stole or destroyed your precious guitar, but the insurance company paid in full without complaint or delay). Happiness is so, um, elusive. Collings helps, though, I gotta admit.

Point(s) well taken. But, in fairness, the premiums were more than fair given my embarrassment of riches that the policy will cover. And my happiness (satisfaction?) extends to the customer service thus far, the seeming well-trained professional staff and the comprehensive nature of the coverage. Owning a business and dealing with literally hundreds of vendors, I've acquired a well-developed radar for B*******p (sometimes I still miss the signs...hope this isn't the time). Didn't see any of it here. Agreed on the nature of happiness...we all need a modicum of misery to appreciate the good times (read: new CJ being built, just got new Baby today). I'm lifting a fork to my eye socket as we speak just to be sure I can really honor the pulchritudinous Baby when I take it out of the case tonight.

Have read the Heritage policy. It looks pretty good, and other forum members have been pleased with the coverage also. Am considering Heritage in place of more restricted coverage currently under my homeowner's policy.

Question: Has anyone in the forum ever had a claim on the Heritage policy? How well was it handled? Were you satisfied? Was the claim paid according to the coverage that you understood beforehand?

The test of good insurance occurs when there is a claim.

I've been dragging my feet on this for a while, but since I'm flying out of town next week with at least one instrument, I need to get a policy. I called AAA (I have renter's insurance with them) and the guy on the phone wasn't the most informative, and their computer was "slow". That, coupled with the points brought out on this forum have me heavily leaning toward Heritage. If it's this hard to get a concise answer from AAA before anything bad happens to my instrument, I don't want to know what will happen if I ever really have to use them!

But here's the drawback. I called Clarion (Heritage was closed by the time I called them, but I'm sure their policies are very similar) and I have to pay $250 per year, even though I should only pay $133 per year. This is because their minimum yearly premium is $250. My instruments are valued at about $11,000, which at $1.21 per $100 should be $133 to cover. I think this is unfair to those of us that have less than $20,000 in instruments to have to pay such a high premium unnecessarily.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nick,

quote:

Originally posted by Nick:...I have to pay $250 per year, even though I should only pay $133 per year. This is because their minimum yearly premium is $250.

Nick,
I agree. That's why I didn't go with Heritage. Why do they set a minimum premium?????

Eric, I don't know, but I'll make a guess. If they are the middleman between an insurance company and the customer, it's probably not worth it to them to insure someone. For example, if a guy has a $1000 strat and that's the only instrument to insure, they're only getting $12.10 per year for as a premium - hardly worth their time (in their opinion). So at some point they draw a line and say, "We won't insure anyone with less than 'X' amount of instruments." I guess even if they aren't the middleman, the same holds true. Just my guess.

I currently have Heritage, but I'm forced to find another insurance carrier by October 1 because they are not renewing my policy since I had a claim this year. I had a guitar get F-d up with UPS and they denied the claim, so I had to put in on my insurance to get it fixed, and now Heritage is dropping me. What good is insurance if you never use it? What good is an insurance company if you finally request for a service you are paying for over a period of 5 years and they drop you after paying 5 years of premiums on time? The process for getting money has not been a breeze either... why must there be countless headaches for the luthier and I trying to get the money I am entitled to based on my policy??? The whole insurance industry seems to be such a scam, and if you don't agree with me, maybe you should talk to a few people from the Bayou. Sorry for the rant, but I feel better now.