The Ins and Outs of Buying Insurance

How to determine the right amount of coverage for your instrument or bow

Disaster happens in an eye blink. A violinist drops a fine French bow, snapping the head off. It’s repairable, but now worth a fraction of its former value. Someone bumps into a fiddler putting on a shoulder rest before a gig and sends his only violin clattering to the floor, breaking the neck out of the body.
 
While money can’t undo the damage, it can make life less painful in the aftermath. Instruments and bows are notoriously fragile and expensive to repair or replace, so most string players should consider insuring their property. Adding coverage to an existing homeowners or renter’s policy can be an easy and economical route for some. Others will be best served by a musical-instrument policy placed directly with one of the handful of carriers specializing in insuring the music industry.
 
Insurance, with all its myriad details and arcane technical terms, can be confusing. Taking time to learn about the issues that are particular to covering musical instruments and assessing your needs will help you determine the best coverage for you. Read the fine print, ask questions, and compare policies to find the coverage best suited to your situation.