It isn’t the most exciting thing to be spending your money on, but taking out guitar insurance may save you a lot of upset and expense if your instrument is stolen or damaged. Whether you play as a hobby or as your livelihood, you need to be sure that you can have your guitar repaired or replaced as quickly and easily as possible if you need to.There is a common misunderstanding that specialist insurance isn’t required as your guitar will be covered by your own home insurance policy. However, this may not be the case as there are often exclusions if you play for money, take the guitar out of your home, or have an instrument worth over a certain amount. Cover in these policies may also be limited in other ways, such as allowing claims for theft but not for accidental or malicious damage.Protecting your guitar Guitar insurance policies can be as distinctive and individual as the guitars themselves. Whether you want cover for a single guitar or several, a policy can often be tailored for you. If you have a cheap instrument or a very expensive one-off, in most cases cover can be arranged for those too. Almost any combination of guitars is possible, and some policies will also let you add related equipment such as cases or amps to the cover. It is important that any policy you choose fits your situation. Make sure that you are covered for the correct amount to avoid a shortfall if it comes to replacing your guitars, and that the policy does not, for example, limit the cover to damage occurring only in your home or studio if you regularly take the guitar elsewhere. On the other hand, you also need to be sure that you aren’t paying extra for features that you will never use. If your guitar never leaves your house or studio, then you are unlikely to need a policy that includes cover outside these places.It can be difficult to find a policy that meets your needs exactly, so it will probably be worth speaking to a specialist insurance intermediary who can tailor a policy to your requirements. This approach will avoid unnecessary costs and give you peace of mind that your guitar insurance policy has no hidden clauses or exemptions that might cause problems in the event of a claim.
