HELP Security and insurance for personal studio

[IVcrane]

I am assuming that where this is the LE forum the majority of you are not running professional studios, or run LE as a home studio. I know LE is used with impressive professional results by some here, but what I am trying to say is that I'll find more home studio people here than in the HD forum.

Here is a major concern for me.

I recently moved to LA and on top of having very expensive guitar equipment I have invested a good amount of cash in recording equipment as well. All of this gear is kept in my apartment's music room, except for some of the guitar equipment which is gigged with and sometimes left at a lockout rehersal space. I am seen taking this guitar equipment in/out on a regular basis and am concerned with drawing attention to myself and possibly getting robbed. This isn't an unreasonable fear as some of the apartment and cars in my complex have been broken into, including my own before I moved in.

What I would like to know is what some of you do for security/insurance for your studio. I would like to find insurance that will cover all my gear at replacement cost and will cover my guitar gear when out of the apartment at gigs and in the lockout.

Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated as I am very nervous when leaving the apartment. Replacement cost for all my gear is close to $40K which I don't have to re-spend if it were all taken.

[Lalaman]

Hi there,

About two years ago or so I suddenly stood before some uninvited being in my place. Fortunately, I had been home. The thought afterwards shocked me lastingly. Imagening that what you had put your last cents into, gear, work, fun all gone within a single day. And the police I figured already wouldn´t give a [bleep] about your case, unless you belonged to privileged circles.

In a short, it would had all be gone for ever and I would had been hit in the guts.

Anyway, I insured afterwards. Here is what I thought to be remmarkable:

First of all like usually the print in small letters.
Beware of under insurance! At least over here the companies have a totally unlogical and unfair habit. If under insured they would reimburse only the insured amount minus the amount of value you had in there extending the contracts volume. ( Sorry for my stupid English.)

Absolutely absurd, but they do what they can to take in your cash and give out less than you deserve and the law doesn´t hesitate to support this sort of cheat.

SO, check out your rigs value thoroughly before contract. In my case e.g. when the agent asked on the phone whether 51,000.00 Euros covering would be enough I replied "Oooh, that´s plenty!"
After the contract had been set up I counted through the rig and found it to be already over 55,000.00 and yet all the other stuff like stereo with big speakers and instruments ( and booth ), not to speak of following purchases not even included.

Consequently, what I´m saying is, don´t do it like me, calculate your values first, don´t trust your quick-glance estimation.

I´m paying around 150 Euros per year now, but will have to upgrade.

Cheers,

Lalaman

PS: And I got me an additional lock on my door.

[Bazzle]

I don't know about the States, but here in Canada, the performing rights organization SOCAN,which is the same idea as ASCAP or BMI in the States offer a group insurance policy to their members.May be something to look into.

[where02190]

we insture through musicpro insurance, about $800/yr gives us a policy that covers 100% replacement of the price WE set on each item, and $1,000,000 inliability.

In addtition, we have several alarms with cellular connections and battery backup systems (to prevent disabling by cutting power and phone lines) that are monitored 24/7/365, one big ass Rottweiler, and a few other measures we'll keep secret.

[TheLP]

one big ass Rottweiler

He looks like he wouldn't hurt a fly , What of the best things would probably be an alarm. Put a lock on the door to your music room.