HAM RADIO INSURANCE
Two things right up front. 1) Your home owner's insurance will NOT cover your ham gear unless you pay extra for it. 2) Your automobile insurance will NOT cover your ham radio gear in your vehicle unless you pay extra for it.
The solution? There are two (and only two as far as I can tell) ham radio insurance companies that are specifically geared toward insuring ham radio gear. The two are more alike than different and the rates are competitive.
Below is some basic info on the two companies and a link to reviews on the two companies from eham.com.
ARRL Ham Radio Insurance
http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Membership/Ham%20Radio%20Equipment%20Insurance%20Plan.pdf
OR
http://tinyurl.com/28g249b
$1.50 per $100 of replacement value. ALL items must be listed with serial numbers.
HRIA Ham Radio Insurance
http://hamradioinsurance.com/index.htm
To purchase "All Risk" radio and computer equipment coverage (no towers, antennas or rotors) simply choose from a table the amount of coverage necessary to replace all of your equipment at today's prices and the corresponding annual EZ-PREMIUM. No need to list items and serial numbers.
$2,000 of coverage = $30/Year or $40/Year to include Mechanical Breakdown
$5,000 coverage = $75/Year or $100/Year with mechanical breakdown coverage.
No need to list items or serial numbers UNLESS tower/antenna/rotor coverage is desired. Then you have to list ALL covered equipment with serial numbers.
CLAIMS
Deductible is just $50 for each claim with both companies.
If I have a loss, will this Plan pay full replacement costs? Yes! You will receive the replacement cost or equivalent value of the equipment that is covered - not a depreciated value - as long as your equipment is insured for full replacement cost.
ARRL - If your claim is due to theft, send a police report to the Claims Administrator at once. Sales receipts for the replaced equipment are required before payment is made unless waived. For repair claims, an estimate of damage must be submitted. Claims resulting from theft or damage to newly acquired property must include a proof of purchase.
HRIA - Equipment damaged by lightning must be sent to HRIA before a check will be issued. There are exceptions.
Reviews by hams who have the insurance including some who have filed claims.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/63
NOTE: Some reviews are very old and no longer apply. Both of the two providers have changed underwriters in the past couple of years. This means that older complaints are most likely no longer applicable. Both companies are responsive to their customers and work to correct deficiencies.
I have included links to both companies. You will have to decide for yourself which one is best for your situation.
It does not take a disaster to cause you to need ham radio insurance. About 10 years ago the Salt Lake City hams were providing radio communications for a Jordan River clean up project when one ham accidentally dropped his HT in the river! The repairs were very expensive. Ham Radio Insurance would have covered the repairs.
Don't just think earthquake, flood, fire, lightning, wind, theft, etc. Think kid with soda pop and peanut butter sandwich, think fumble fingers and a four foot drop onto the concrete driveway, think teenager running over HT in driveway, think radio in fish bowl, etc.
Think about it...
N7OZH - until next time.
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