The Digital Trekker Blog - Latest Comments

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Jack — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:04:12 -0000

Matt, Sorry about the loss of the X100. Great advice on your post though. My wife is constantly haranguing me to keep my insurance list up to date. Like you, I've spent a fortune on premiums but never had to file a claim. Yet.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Piet Van den Eynde — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:46:07 -0000

Great story :-) I misplace items all of the time like that. Strange policy though about having to call in your travel plans. My gear is insured too. Worldwide. Period. I once had a lens stolen from me (not even by force, as some policies require) and got reimbursed swiftly...

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:41:12 -0000

The problem is, when you buy insurance in the US or the UK the companies assume, rightly so, you live there and will travel abroad. But for me, I live abroad and travel to the US. My life is one long trip. This screws with the insurance company's reality. So I need to find insurance here in Malaysia. But from what I can tell there is so little need for it here that it is not offered by anyone. I am in contact with one insurer at the moment. I'll keep you posted.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:34:49 -0000

Good thought. I'll post something on this soon. Thanks

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:33:44 -0000

Good thought. I'll post something on this soon. Thanks

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Keshan Gunasinghe — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:54 -0000

Yeah I have the sam problem here in Singapore. I can't find insurance for my gear anywhere!

Kesh

PS. I just got an X100 too. It’s now my everyday camera. I used it for most of my recent trip to Brazil, leaving the 5D for just for animal/jungle stuff. A great learning too. Really makes you think when your limited to one fixed focal length for most of a trip. Super fun to use too!

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Radoslaw Komuda — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:03:47 -0000

Sorry to hear that. I think that X100 is very cool and for a photographer like you - a perfect way to shoot some casual photos. ;)

BTW: Do you watch pictures the very same evening, after a shooting day? For example when on an assignment? Or you just back up them and get ready for the next day of shooting. Could you present your regular day, a day of shooting and when post-productiong? Would appreciate that... ;>

Re: Depth of Field: Keith Talley

Marty Backe — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:47:10 -0000

FYI, the problem that some people have is their audio and/or speakers are not optimally set, so one channel is can be very hard to hear. I've had an ongoing issue with my desktop speakers, so I can barely hear you, but Keith is fine. But if I listen on another system it's great.

Generally, it's recommended that audio podcasts not be stereo mixed to avoid problems like these.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Duncan Fawkes — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:31:39 -0000

Glad you found it! My insurance here in the UK (with Aaduki) seems more straightforward - its an amount insured with only items over 1k having to be listed (and I think that's fair enough). Covers 45 (or 60) days worldwide without telling them (but gonna double check that!).

Certainly believe when they make things difficult like you say it's a purposeful disincentive to catch you out and a pretty despicable practice IMO. Worth looking at other providers.

Re: May 2011 Wallpaper

Domain registration — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:15:50 -0000

Wonderful blogs I have to do this because this deserves a good like.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Chris Reichman — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:35:28 -0000

Erin,
As an American wedding photographer i use Travelers and it covers everything and is afordible. But when I brought up the annual trip I make to Kenya, my agent laughed at me. "that's like going to the wild west" was her exact statement. So if your staying in the country finding coverage isn't that hard, but if your like Matt and live anywhere other than "safe America" good luck.
Matt, thanks for the reminder, I need to check my list and if I hear of any better insurance I'll pass it along.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Jordan Nielsen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:15:23 -0000

You have to remember that it is a legal document you signed with your insurance company. They say they will be faithful to their side as long as we are faithful on ours. If we do not provide accurate information, they have every legal right not to insure us.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Jordan Nielsen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:08:03 -0000

From the limited knowledge I do have about insurance, I know that it is best to talk to and work with an insurance professional that is knowledgable about the field you wish to insure in. As well, doing the research on the company that insures you is very important as well. The company may have amazing rates, but in the end, they will never give you anything, because they are impossible to deal with. Working with an insurance pro will help you decide which company to go with.

I once had a lawyer tell me , jokingly, the montra that all insurance companies have, "the purpose of the insurance company is to not pay." Their in the business to make money not give it away. So research is key!Glad you found your camera, Matt!

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:58:24 -0000

go for it!

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:57:43 -0000

I am open changing (in fact talking with another company now) but most insurance companies shutter at the thought of camera gear going to the places I go. Plus, living abroad is a no no for insurance companies. Malaysian companies don't even offer insurance for gear at all or so I have been told.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:54:54 -0000

OK, that is just plan crazy! Wow, how blessed are you!

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Matt Brandon — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:53:35 -0000

Though I don't like to be such a skeptic, you could be right. Certainly companies have done worse to same a buck.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Chris Plante — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:52:18 -0000

I don't carry camera insurance. I may be covered with my home owners content insurance though. I have all my receipts and should check into it. Anyways, I am a hobbyist so have less to to lose, I suppose. My gear isn't valued near as much the "pro's". In many cases, the amount of insurance paid for years could add up to a large expense. I always try to balance the "what if" with "how much" when in comes to any insurance.
Also, insurance companies make money by NOT paying out claims. I believe this is why they make it "not user friendly". That way there is a higher likely-hood of us forgetting. When we forget a detail, they don't pay a claim.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Mateamiche — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:58:19 -0000

Glad you found it!!
I lost my 50mm 1.4 lens the other day...couldn't find it anywhere and could remember when I used last. Last photo I took was on a shoot at somebody's house, not there...Then I remember I went to the local camera store and tried out a Think Tank bag and put my camera on it....So I went to the store (12 days had passed) and went strait to the bag, put my hand inside and there it was!! Can't believe how lucky I was....but it got me thinking on insurance, I don't have any!

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Mgmorse — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:57:19 -0000

Thanks for the timely reminder, Matt. I had my camera bag stolen right out from under my nose while I was folding laundry in an Italian laundromat; it was a big, fat time waster getting the police report completed, so best option is still "don't get thieved." I did get a nice, new version of all my gear with the insurance payment. At your suggestion, I'm updating my inventory list first thing in the AM.

Re: When Insurance Is No Insurance

Erin Wilson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:49:21 -0000

Is this really the best option for insurance? I'll be curious to see if your readers have any other suggestions. I can't quite imagine a more awkward, arcane system.

Re: The Absurdity of Working For Free!

Ron Nickel — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:51:19 -0000

I'm in Canada and I can't view this video. Would love to see it!

Re: Depth of Field: Mitchell Kanashkevich

Ved — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:12:34 -0000

great interview, thanks for sharing!

Re: 10 Handy Travel Accessories

Matt Brandon — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:55:04 -0000

Yes I still use the Pogo when I travel. I wish the battery was better. But at this point, even with the iffy battery, I haven't felt the needed to spend the extra money and buy a Polaroid. But I got to say it has crossed my mind as @gavingough loves his and make a strong case for it.

Re: My day with the Fuji X100

Frankie — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:27:42 -0000

Hi Matt,

I bought my x100 a few weeks ago in cathay photo near city hall in Singapore. I paid S$1450 and they threw in the fujifilm brown leathercase. I wonder if it actually was a free case or the cost was added in.

Frankie.