A comparison of travel insurance policies for musical instruments

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all Baggage is a paid add-on. Buy it and an instrument is ordinary belongings, not a valuable
• The most you get for one instrument£400 for any individual item, pair or set, inside the £2,000 belongings limit
• Carrying it in the hold The hand luggage rule applies to valuables and money, and an instrument is neither
• If it does not arrive with youThe £250 delay payment buys essential toiletries and clothing. Nothing goes towards hiring an instrument
• What you actually get paid Replacement cost only if the instrument is under two years old and you kept the receipt; older than that, current value

Obligations review

• Only if it is under two years old Replacement cost applies only where the instrument is under two years old and you still hold proof of the original purchase; otherwise it is paid at current value

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all Baggage is an optional extra, and an instrument is treated as a valuable within it
• The most you get for one instrument · £500£500 for a single item, and £500 for all your valuables together, so the instrument fills the pot
• Carrying it in the holdValuables in the hold are excluded, unless the airline required you to check the instrument in
• If it does not arrive with you The £500 covers toiletries, medication, clothing and hiring sports equipment. Hiring an instrument is not on the list
• What you actually get paid Settled at second-hand value or purchase price less wear, not at what a replacement costs

Obligations review

• A set counts as one itemItems bought together to be used together count as a single item, so an instrument, its case and bow share one limit

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all Baggage is a paid add-on, and an instrument is treated as a valuable within it
• The most you get for one instrument · £300£300 for a single item, and £300 for all your valuables together, so the instrument fills the pot
• Carrying it in the holdValuables in the hold are excluded, unless the airline required you to check the instrument in
• If it does not arrive with youThe £250 covers toiletries, medication, clothing and hiring sports equipment. Hiring an instrument is not on the list
• What you actually get paidSettled at second-hand value or purchase price less wear, not at what a replacement costs

Obligations review

• A set counts as one item Items bought together to be used together count as a single item, so an instrument, its case and bow share one limit

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all Musical instruments are named in the list of things the belongings section will not pay for
• The most you get for one instrument The exclusion is absolute, so no single-item limit applies to an instrument at all
• Carrying it in the hold Cabin or hold makes no difference where the item is excluded from the section outright
• If it does not arrive with you The delay benefit pays for essential toiletries, medication and clothing, not to hire an instrument
• What you actually get paid There is no settlement to reach, because the instrument is not covered in the first place

Obligations review

• Sending it on ahead Nothing shipped as freight is covered, so sending an instrument ahead separately falls outside the section too

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all · £1,500 An instrument is ordinary baggage here, and it is not named in the definition of valuables
• The most you get for one instrument£150 is the most they pay for any one item, and the baggage excess is also £150, so a claim for the instrument on its own recovers nothing
• Carrying it in the hold The hold restriction applies to valuables and electronics, so an acoustic instrument is not caught
• If it does not arrive with you There is no baggage delay benefit at all on this policy
• What you actually get paid Paid on what the instrument was worth when it was lost, using a set depreciation table

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at allMusical instruments are named in the list of things the belongings section will not pay for
• The most you get for one instrument The exclusion is absolute, so no single-item limit applies to an instrument at all
• Carrying it in the hold Cabin or hold makes no difference where the item is excluded from the section outright
• If it does not arrive with you The delay benefit pays for essential toiletries, medication and clothing, not to hire an instrument
• What you actually get paidThere is no settlement to reach, because the instrument is not covered in the first place

Obligations review

• Sending it on ahead Nothing shipped as freight is covered, so sending an instrument ahead separately falls outside the section too

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all Musical instruments are named in the baggage exclusions, alongside antiques, bicycles and golf equipment
• The most you get for one instrument The exclusion is absolute, so the £250 single-article limit never comes into play
• Carrying it in the hold Cabin or hold makes no difference where the item is excluded from the section outright
• If it does not arrive with you The £75 delay payment is for essential items, and an excluded item cannot be claimed for anyway
• What you actually get paid There is no settlement to reach, because the instrument is not covered in the first place

Obligations review

• Left in a car overnight Baggage left in an unattended vehicle overnight is excluded outright, and by day it must be locked out of sight with forced entry evidenced

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all Musical instruments are named in the baggage exclusions, alongside antiques, bicycles and golf equipment
• The most you get for one instrument The exclusion is absolute, so the £300 single-article limit never comes into play
• Carrying it in the holdCabin or hold makes no difference where the item is excluded from the section outright
• If it does not arrive with you The £100 delay payment is for essential items, and an excluded item cannot be claimed for anyway
• What you actually get paid There is no settlement to reach, because the instrument is not covered in the first place

Obligations review

• Left in a car overnight Baggage left in an unattended vehicle overnight is excluded outright, and by day it must be locked out of sight with forced entry evidenced

Cover review

• Is the instrument covered at all · £300 Covered, but an instrument is defined as a valuable, which brings tighter limits and rules
• The most you get for one instrument · £250 £250 for a single article and £250 for all valuables, falling to £50 without a receipt
• Carrying it in the hold Valuables checked into the hold are not covered, with no exception for airline instructions
• If it does not arrive with you There is no baggage delay benefit at all on this tier
• What you actually get paid Paid on value at the time of loss after wear and tear, and reduced again without proof of purchase

Obligations review

• Just £50 without a receipt Without a receipt or other proof of ownership and value the single-article limit falls from £250 to £50