So, when I was exploring Plaza Pagano in El Bolsón (Argentina) someone bumped into me and I dropped my camera with my favourite 12-40mm f/2.8 lens attached to it - guess what happened... Yep, mount of the lens came off, breaking wires and making it not usable.

Fortunately mounts in the lens were plastic and they all broke meaning my camera was fine and I could use it through the rest of the trip. I did take another body and spare lens for such occasion though, but I was still one lens short - it's an amazing lens - and the one I took for such case wasn't good enough to make it up.

Now, when was the last time you stopped to consider how much your photographic equipment was worth? Or what might happen should it get accidentally broken or even stolen?

Insurance, Insurance, Insurance, like it or not, this is now becoming an absolute requirement for the working photographer. Luckily - based on the events I attend - I had to have Public Liability insurance for minimum 5 million British pounds - yes that's a requirement to get an accreditation for any motor sport event. So with that insurance I got some gear insured as well, plus I had a worldwide cover too and that didn't make any impact on me other than not being able to get shots I wanted to.

Big thanks to Olympus and Photoguard

I wanted to thank Olympus for having ServicePlus scheme for Pro users which got me on top of the queue, Olympus UK for getting repair quote done very quickly, and Photoguard for almost instant payment to my account.

My lens arrived back and it looks like brand new, here is a costs breakdown - which I think was really cheap compared to the price of the lens:

  • 1G FRAME UNIT - £13.40
  • FRONT FRAME - £0.20
  • LENS MOUNT - £2.76
  • RUBBER MOUNT - £0.20
  • CONTACT BASE FPC UNIT - £0.74
  • OUTER FRAME UNIT - £13.96
  • ZOOM RING UNIT - £3.86
  • CRF-LABOUR TIME (MINUTES) 120.000 MIN - £73.20

Insurance

Insurances come in all different flavours and sizes, from equipment cover right through Public Liability and Professional Indemnity to Legal Expenses and Business Interruption. But how much do you need? What do you need? And where is the best place to get it from?

How to find the right camera insurance?

Use this comparison to get quotes from as many insurers as possible, to find the cover you need at the cheapest price.

Cameras and their accessories can be expensive to replace if they break or are stolen, so it is important to find an insurance policy that gives you the protection you need.

What cover do you need?

You can get the following types of cover for your camera equipment:

  • Accidental damage
    Which covers the cost of repairing or replacing your camera if you or someone else break it accidentally. For example, you drop or spill liquid on it.

  • Breakdown
    Which covers your camera when it is no longer under warranty. It includes repairs and replacements if your camera stops working.

  • Theft
    Which covers your camera if you are burgled, or if you have it stolen from you when you are away from your home.

  • In vehicle cover
    This option covers your equipment against theft from a vehicle. There might be some important security conditions in this case, so please take the time to read them.

  • Loss
    Which covers accidentally losing your camera. You may need to pay extra to include loss cover, and claims where you have been careless will not be paid.

  • Worldwide cover
    Which covers your camera anywhere in the world for a specified amount of days each year.

What if you are a professional photographer?

Most insurers offer cover for amateur and professional photographers, and you can include extra cover if you use your camera for work:

  • Hire of equipment
    This provides you with a cover for hired equipment in case something happens to it while you are using it. , sometimes a replacement camera if yours is lost or damaged. For example, if you are due to shoot an event and your camera breaks.

  • Personal accident
    This provides you with a fixed payment if you suffer an injury which results in your death or permanent disability, for example loss of a limb.

  • Professional indemnity
    This provides cover so that in the event that you find yourself in a dispute with a client, your professional indemnity cover will pay the cost of defending any allegations or claims made against you for negligence or breach of duty of care.

  • Public liability / Personal liability
    This covers you if you injure anybody or damage their property because of your photography. For example, breaking glass in very expensive car.

UK Insurance companies for photographers

I personally use Photoguard for more than three years, as at the time of buying they were the only ones that provided me with 5 million Public Liability insurance, which I needed to attend many motor sport events.

Below is a list of some that I could find in the UK market: