I want to get some insurance for my viola. She's a Stentor Conservatoire, the whole outfit cost me just short of £200. Problem being that the insurance wants the instrument, bow and case putting down seperately. I've seen the cases going for £40 or so, but the other things I just don't know about. Any ideas on what I could quote as the value of the individual things? I'm totally new to insurance and such like things!!!

Ta

I am not entirely sure if it will be viable to insure as insurance is generally fairly expensive. I would definitely try to insure for full replacement value of your instrument, Case and Bow.. You may find that you can include the instrument on your domestic household policy or try Allianz insurance who specialise here is their web site

http://www.allianzmusicalinsurance.co.uk/

kindest regards

Andrew

If they want the things individually I would take the view that it should be based on replacement cost. Ring up the shop you bought it from and ask if you can buy the equivalent instrument without case and bow. If you can then that cost is the value of the instrument. If you can't then if the instrument was destroyed you would have to buy an outfit even though the bow and case might be fine so the full cost of an outfit is the replacement cost of the viola. Find the cost to buy a bow as good as the one you have and similarly a case on it's own. You will come up with 3 numbers which add up to more than you paid but at least you can claim enough money to replace whatever is damaged.

Check your general household insurance too. Mine covers me new-for-old for any item up to £1000. Items over £1000 (not that we have many of them) can be covered too, they just have to be specified.
We've also got 'all risks' - this covers things even outside the house, and even for accidents (e.g. I dropped it off of a cliff). Our 'all risks' isn't on specific items either - it's just a total sum - in our case 10% of the household insurance.

So, e.g. if our contents total insured is for £50,000, and we have £5,000 of gear in a car, if someone crashes in to our car and breaks all of our stuff, it's covered.

In our case, this is photographic stuff rather than instruments; but it definitely WASN'T worth us going to a specialist photographic insurer (one even wanted £15 to produce a quote for us!!!)

The household insurance is a good idea. It doesn't work for us as we need cover for our children's instruments when they are away on courses. Household was fine in the house or even damage at school I think but not for when they are away for a week.

Thanks guys! I will call in at the shop and ask about re-buying the viola and bow or equivalent.

Andrew, it is Allianz that I've been looking at and it's only £30 per year, so not half bad.

Household insurance won't suit as I'm more concerned about being out and about. Allianz covers you for your instrument being nicked from school, a car and so on.

Ta again all.

I did have insurance with Allianz (and it's predecessor) for my sax, I remember then that there was something about accessories stored with the instrument insured at no extra cost, so my mouthpieces were covered, and I think your bow would be too. It might be worth carefully checking the Ts&Cs.

I'm with Allianz and they're good! Very helpful! My clarinet kept getting stuck together so I sent it back to Edinburgh (where I bouhgt it) from Hull (where I study) and I rang them to ask if it would be covered if it got lost, got more broken, if the case was dammaged and they said that they'd cover it to it's full value (£1700)

They're also able to cover me while I live in France next year.

It is, as is the case. You just have to list it separately and give a separate value!