Gear Insurance and Such

algorhythm · Post by **algorhythm** » Thu Jun 06, 2002 6:27 pm

sup folks.

In the live PA scene where I live, there have been a few people who's places have been broken into and their studio equipment has been stolen. It seems to be a recurring phenomena. Sorta freaky, and definitely shady that people would do that to people who work hard to earn their gear.

Of course, lots of us, myself included, have a lot of money tied up in circuitry. Homeowners insurance is something I have (and a lot of you have that or renter's insurance I presume), but this is perhaps not enough? Of course, I have off-site backups of my files and sysex-dumps, so the tragedy of information loss is gone, but there is still the equipment/$$$ issue.

I have heard of music-specific insurance: is there such a thing? what are peoples' experiences with it?

This is an unfortunate reality, far too close to home for me right now. For live, I won't take my stuff into shows alone now, and am careful where I park to load and unload. In the studio, I backup, lock up the place, keep a low profile, and don't let strangers around.

Any thoughts or wisdom on this issue are appreciated. peace

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Thu Jun 06, 2002 6:59 pm

Yeah, this happened to me. After a gig one night about 20 people came back to our house for an inpromptu party. Well, of course we had to lock the gear away...

About three weeks later the place gets broken into and all the "miscellaneous" gear gets taken: my second sampler, an older keyboard, our slide projectors etc. They left the two EPS16 samplers behind....

I thought that these semi-polite thieves must have been "friends" who decided to make a few bucks, but not to completely wipe us out as a band.

Needless to say we were too poor for insurance....

We later insured everything (as you do after the event), but had a trouble-free run ever after.

And I know what you mean about "quietly" unloading. Nothing looks so interesting as men lugging flight cases into a house at 3am.

At gigs we NEVER left the gear by itself. If it was in the vans we had someone stay with the vans. If we'd set up and done the sound check three hours before the gig then someone stayed at the venue. When we were knocking everything down someone always stood apart and "watched". Paranoid maybe, but we never even lost an extension cord.

Too many times I heard very sad stories about gear going missing after soundcheck or when packing up, especially with volunteer "helpers"...

It's easy to get casual after the euphoria of a gig. You just want to bathe in the excitement, ask people what they thought of your new song; whether you should have done a second encore; was the bass loud enough; and "gimme aother drink".

Don't. Save all that until after everything is packed up and safely back home. Then return to the venue and have fun.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Spirit on 2002-06-06 20:02 ]</font>

Post by **garyb** » Thu Jun 06, 2002 9:01 pm

homeowners should do it for personal gear at the house.in the studio,(if it's all official-like biz)you need regular old business insurance.there is special insurance for musicians(when out and about)but it's very expensive.......

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Thu Jun 06, 2002 11:26 pm

I paid about 5% of the total value of the gear annually. That covered it for theft from vehicles, damage in transit and malicious damage.

coc999 · Post by **coc999** » Fri Jun 07, 2002 7:44 am

Hi algorythm

and all others.
I have experienced this kind of "horror"
3 years ago, my fortune was that they have not choose the right day.I was at home earlier he he ,they had no times to extract anything(i'm really lucky man:),i had only a broken door and my bedroom was in chaos(they search in first cash money).The guy who do that was a friend of a girlfriend of a friend blabla etc...
From that time i have a copy on cd in 2 differrent places for the album that i work since 1997 (30gb of files).Every 4 months i do a complete save on cd and i have an external disk wich is in a sure place somewhere in a friends "granmammy's" house(i sleep better from that day).
For me the worst thing will be to loose these files and my vynil collection.
But anyway my house is an open house ( maybe more selective entrance control ).
For the insurance i've got a basic french contract,because for a special insurance you needs to pay an expert for the estimation etc..(i will do it when i'll be rich)

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Fri Jun 07, 2002 7:48 am

Yes, "off-site back-up" - essential for anyone with vital data. I have a mere 80Mb and four tape masters offsite... but it makes me feel much better.

algorhythm · Post by **algorhythm** » Fri Jun 07, 2002 12:59 pm

yeah - I just did an 8GB(!) backup, one copy on site, and another copy at a close friend's house. I sleep better now. countless hours of work for the EP will not be lost now . . . CD-R is a bitch for that much data though. DVD-R's are getting less and less expensive

Spirit and coc999 - I feel for you. tough breaks.

_________________
.:algorhythm:. shouldn't you be making music or something?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: algorhythm on 2002-06-07 13:59 ]</font>