Today someone broke into my car and grabbed by bag. I have Marsh Equip through PPA so all though I have cried my eyes out over the lost equipment, I did not have anything that could not be replaced. All my shoots were backed up and at home.
I filed a police report and will call Marsh tommorrow but has anyone ever filed a claim with them? Any advice?

I haven't... but just wanted to send over a big


That sucks

Thank you! I have cried out like every once of fluid in my body but am just really happy that I did not have any sessions on my laptop (which they took) and had downloaded all my cards.

Sorry to hear that but thank goodness you were wise enough to have insurance and have backed up your files... the images are just irreplaceable. I'm assuming it should be a fairly quick easy process since the insurance is through PPA. Let us know how it goes!

Oh, that's rough. Were you in a sketchy part of town or was it just bad luck?

it was a combination of both, i guess. i was in norcross, ga only 2 miles from my office at the LA fitness, i worked out from 5:15-6:30 came out and it was gone.

That sucks. I hope your claim with Marsh goes quickly. A friend of mine (not to scare you) had her equipment stolen from her car and it was on her parent's home owners policy and I guess insurance has just been a pain in the behind.

I just got my list a couple weeks ago from what State Farm officially has listed on my inland marine policy. Wow. I spent the last couple days updating.. my 5D wasn't on there, nor were a lot of my newer equipment purchases. I'd recommend to everyone to update those lists every quarter... because you NEVER KNOW!

Thieves and opportunists travel... there are no safe places in my book. Recently at our church parking lot that has security roaming around a laptop was stolen.

Good point updating the list... I keep forgetting to do that, thanks for the reminder!

alecia, i hope the recovery goes well for you. i have not signed up with these guys yet - how are their rates? please follow up on your experience with marsh... I'm really interested in opening a policy with them. My equipment is currently on my State Farm policy, and I'm honestly trying to keep as much of my business away from them as possible haha.

sorry to hear about your situation, but I'm sure it will work out for you. PPA wouldn't be associate with them if they were crap... so you've got that going for you!

there is a big difference between homeowners insurance and insurance on professional equipment - i recommend no one rely on their homeowners.

exactly why i'm going to be signing up with marsh this year lol.

State Farm is great, but your policy, usually with a rider for the equipment, has to be written correctly for you to have full new replacement, not reimbursement. You also must have an itemized list for State farm with every piece of equipment includign serial numbers. I had just bought my fisheye, and went on a trip to Savannah. I couldn't find it, and worried that maybe someone had "helped me lose it". I called SF, and they asked if it was on my list. Um, what list? I spent the next 2-3 days putting that together. I found the lens too, under the room A/C unit. silly round things and their rolling.

Besides, at least in FL, our deductible on our homeowners' is so high that it wouldn't help much unless every piece of my camera equipment was stolen. When I got my equipment insurance my agent also said that homeowners' would be really fussy about covering business equipment. So even though my desktop never leaves the house, it's part of my equipment list, too.

I have a riders on my homeowners insurance that is specifically for buisness. it has no deductible and I did have to turn in a list. I have farm bureau and I think it was only $ 1.49 cents for every 1,000 dollars. not bad at all if you ask me.

thats basically what i've got right now.... really not bad! however, i am going to be switching ASAP to marsh... state farm has weaseled around too many things with me regarding my car etc....

The way it was explained to me by my State Farm agent is it SHOULD BE an Inland Marine policy. Why? Homeowners policies, even with riders, usually do NOT cover the property if taken off the premises. Where as Inland Marine completely covers them wherever you go. Including if you have to ship your camera to say Canon or Nikon. You don't need to worry about UPS/Fedex $1 per $100 insurance, since Inland Marine will cover it.

I pay a total of $35 a month for Inland Marine and $18 for my $2M liability. With the multiline discounts, Car, Inland and Liability is $150 a month. That's for $30k in equipment too...

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you! I would be SO bored without all my equipment!! (lol ) I hope it all gets resolved quickly!!

I'm sad for Alecia. I would be crying too if my gear was stolen. I left you some blog love and I hope you get your stuff back, or they catch whoever took it.

Catch em??? I hope they try to get away -- and then resist arrest....

Glad it was all insured. Let us know how Marsh treats you, I'm comparing them to Hill/Usher right now...

Don't you mean snake farm?

OHHHH NOOOO! So sorry this happened to you! Huggz and Huggz...We will just keep our fingers crossed that Marsh treats you well! Let us know how things come out.

LOL never heard that. Yeah though... they're snakes... really tried to screw me on a deal with my car and I stayed on them until they handled it. I guess I got lucky, but I'm very careful in any dealings with them.

Thank you everyone!!!
I started the claim process today and it might be slow going. I have to fax all my equip info, serial numbers and receipt copies tomorrow am so I will keep you posted.
Marsh has seemed really concerned but who knows when it comes to acutally paying... we will see.
I would recommend to everyone that you make an itemized list of everything that you own so that if this ever happens you are ready. I had mine ready to go so it has made it a bunch easier.