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One day insurance for an audio console


rlower

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Hi there.

 

I've a one off gig in a random venue.

 

I've agreed with the technical staff in the venue I work, that I can borrow the mixing console if I get it insured, as their insurance would be for within their building.

Anyone know of any companies that could supply one day insurance?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Rich

 

 

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I think you'll hit on the same issue as we did when trying to negotiate this kind of thing for the magicq hire project. The insurance companies don't find this kind of thing something they want to do, as the risk is too high for them. My guess is that you'll have to do a long term one - although as it's sound, musicguard might have a policy that would work, price wise - but you'd probably have to do it for a longer term. I have some music gear insured with them, and they'll let you insure lots of equipment, but reduce premiums by only insuring a percentage of the total you have if you only take some of it out - which is quite clever.
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I think you'll hit on the same issue as we did when trying to negotiate this kind of thing for the magicq hire project. The insurance companies don't find this kind of thing something they want to do, as the risk is too high for them. My guess is that you'll have to do a long term one - although as it's sound, musicguard might have a policy that would work, price wise - but you'd probably have to do it for a longer term. I have some music gear insured with them, and they'll let you insure lots of equipment, but reduce premiums by only insuring a percentage of the total you have if you only take some of it out - which is quite clever.

 

Doodson are always the company to ask for insuring stuff in the live events sector. They can insure most things and always know what they're on about.

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I use Musicguard at the minute and will echo Paul's sentiments. For cheap insurance that does the job, it's a good way forward.

 

My activities have got to a level that I'm starting to look towards other suppliers who can offer a higher PLI lever and cover more kit value. I sent off all the forms to Doodson 3 months ago and never got a response. Shame really as they do seem to be the people to deal with.

 

How's the rest of the gig being insured? Are the organisers covered with PLI and the like?

Bear in mind when borrowing kit, if something does happen then the money for replacement won't come through any time quick. You're still going to end up going back to the lender telling them you've not got a desk to bring back to them. Now you're into the situation where they might need it next week. In this instance you're going to have to buy/hire something ASAP to get them out of the hole. Your relationship with them may well be soured at the same time too. Worth thinking about with loans.

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How's the rest of the gig being insured? Are the organisers covered with PLI and the like?
I'd ask a similar question...

What venue are you going into?

I haven't got our policy to hand, but I believe our building is covered for equipment brought in by outside users TO AN EXTENT.

Might be worth checking with them.

 

You might also want to check your vehicle insurance, as you may find you won't be covered by that for transporting the desk should it be damaged in a vehicular incident...

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Tony, any self-employed person who does not have his car/van insured for business purposes is taking a huge risk.

 

Insurers just love paying out when they don't really have to....NOT!

 

To the OP check out all the usual suspects of which Doodson are indeed one as they actually know what we are talking about, most brokers are extremely suspicious of our business. It may be cost-effective to take out a policy and then surrender it later on. I don't know if it is currently acceptable but have done it in the past.

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Tony, any self-employed person who does not have his car/van insured for business purposes is taking a huge risk.

Ah, but whilst the OP's profile says he's working in the industry it does NOT say whether he's self employed....

And let us not forget that many members here SAY they're ' in the industry ' when they're not really IN the industry... (Not that I'm implying that's the OP, just a generalisation...)

 

So potentially a valid point made - just in case...;)

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Some years ago I looked into this whole area and found getting borrowed equipment properly covered was not that simple. This was when computers were still megabucks but it suited employers to let staff loan them to simply get familiar with the technology. Transporting them was usually OK as most motor policies covered you for equipment used on your employers business. Most home contents policies covered them under the same rider. BUT then the county I was working for decided to bring in a loan form system which included an indemnity condition something like "I assume fill responsibility for the loss or damage of the equipment". On investigation I found that simply signing that disclaimer immediately invalidated the home contents cover for this risk. So whatever the OP does it'd be wise not to sign anything without checking first. As for the motor cover in the one or two incidents we've had over the years I've never been asked the purpose of the journey but then again I've never had to claim for damaged business property - but I'll bet you have to prove ownership or that you'd, say, hired it.

 

I'd be very careful in the OP's circs and get soem business cover for myself as well as the equipment

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Re: the point about using a car to transport a desk, what would an amateur dramatics or similar society do? It surely fits into social, domestic and pleasure; whereas for a pro, it counts as work? (I have no intention of carrying stuff, just wondering BTW)

 

Interesting, you've just sent me to my policy where I found that the upper limit for contents/property not insured elsewhere is £200. So I think you are right about the use of the car but given the value of stuff we all cart about these days the actual property cover under the motor policy seems trvial. I suppose if you weren't at fault you could try to get the value off the third party - but if you'd had, say, the society laptop pinched out an open car window?

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Thanks for the replies.

 

My public liability insurance is through Doodson, so I'll give them a shout.

In terms of transportation. It will be a hired van. The venue is only 500m down the road so I'm not going to worry about additional insurance.

Rich

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The thing about insurance is that it is a lot like gambling. The house is betting that when you leave (ie no longer require their services) they will have made more money out of you than they will have paid you. They employ mathematicians and statisticians to help them work out whether offering insurance to you is a good bet or not.

 

Most of the places that offer short term insurance policies either only offer them for certain classes of gear (photographic equipment is fairly common) or from professional hire companies with a formal hire agreement. Many of these policies are not even full insurance policies, but rather bridging policies which reduce the excess on the policy that the hire company has on equipment. I know my company has a $2000 excess on our insurance policy for dry hires - we often introduce our clients to a broker who charges about $20 a day and will drop the excess to $250.

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The gambling aspect is a good anaology - from both sides...

 

The likelihood of damage occurring to equipment on one day during a 500m trip down the road is probably very small. Of course, Sod's law says that if you don't have cover, and part of the agreement for borrowing gear was to have cover, the transport vehicle will be hit by a dustcart half way down the road... ;-)

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