Transportation Insurance

[Mark Dierauf]

Thanks, Anne, for your detailed and sound advice. Could you let me know 
the name of the insurer you use that specializes in musical instruments?

- Mark

Anne Acker wrote:
> Mark,
>
> I deal with this situation all the time.  There are several ways to insure these instruments just for the trip.    One, you should probably have some sort of business insurance, and it does exist for people such as us.   They are set up to include coverage for instruments being transported as part of your business, whether owned by you or somebody else.   It is wise to have people's instruments covered while they are in your workshop as well.  Workshops do burn down from time to time.  A colleague's went down when roofer's were replacing the roof on the building next door, started a fire, it jumped, went down the ventilation and hit the lacquer cans....BOOM!  Not pretty.  
>
> Another option I use for my own instruments, is that I have them covered as part of my large collection.  The insurer specializes in musicians and instrument owners, and expects they will be transported and sold.   There is no deductible, as on a homeowner's policy.  If a hurricane washes away all my pianos in Savannah, I get a check for their full value.  My homeowner's policy would not be so kind.
>
> The price is quoted on a yearly basis, and I pay up front, but I get a refund pro-rated when something is sold.  I don't transfer ownership to the buyer until it is safely delivered.
>
> If the piano is not yours, you can have the instrument owner keep their own instrument covered.  I have this required on every restoration contract, whether they are covered in my shop on my policy or not.    Get some legal language, and insist they sign off.    It is an easy matter for them to add the rider to their homeowner's policy.
>
> Finally,  those year long prices you were quoted are for year long coverage.  You can cancel it when you deliver the piano and they will have to refund you the prorated difference.  
>
> Quite honestly, consider the amount of investment and your net worth you have in those pianos.  You need to have them covered all the time.  It isn't that expensive in the long run.
>
> AA
>