Camera Equipment Assessors

Not entirely sure where to put this, so moderators please move if needed.

Backstory: my car caught on fire, and was destroyed, along with my Leica M9 and the 35mm Summilux, documented here: https://richardman.photo/2022/05/the-not-quite-indestructible-leica-m9/ After much back-n-forth, the insurance company actually did pay up, so I will replace the gear at some points.

One of the biggest sticking points was that since I bought camera in 2012, and the lens in 2004, both used, I do not have any credit card receipts or other proofs of purchase. I did record the serial numbers of them. At least for the camera, I managed to find an email trail from the dealer where I bought from, although not the actual invoice, and the company accepted that (plus other photos).

Anyway, most of my other equipment do have invoices, but not all. For example, I have an XPan II purchased in 2009 and other stuff that I do not have the invoices. Note that the purchase price is not so important, since they pay out the FMV, but insurance companies do want proof of purchase. I am now worry that if something were to happen to those equipment, I'm going to have a hard time fighting the insurance company again.

I'm thinking one possibility is to have an affidavit, signed by a lawyer or a professional camera assessor, that says something like they have seen my camera equipment and that I do solemnly confirm that they are mine etc. etc. Has anyone done anything similar?

Photograph your cameras and the serial numbers on them

chriscrawfordphoto said:

Photograph your cameras and the serial numbers on them

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That wasn't good enough initially. I guess it could be "anyone's stuff"

I suppose all depends upon the adjuster and the company. After my study caught fire, the company covered for the CLA of much equipment and replacement of what was damaged. This also included several guns and binoculars as well as several cameras and lenses. Damaged books only needed pics of those burned.
I learned that metal and glass is more likely to be destroyed by smoke and fire than paper.

This is one of the advantages of adding extra coverage by "scheduling" the equipment - they already have a list when you pay for the extra premium.
I think you mean an affidavit or sworn declaration sworn before a lawyer, not by a lawyer.
Canada Customs used to have a green card - a Y38 IIRC - which allowed you to list equipment with serial numbers before you travelled outside of the country. The would then date and stamp it. It was never definitive, and I think they started to also require a look at invoices before stamping it, but it at least provided supporting evidence of prior possession.
In the end, there is no one answer. Your insurer may have a suggestion though - if so, follow that!
And I'm leaving this here, for want of a better location.

MattKing said:

This is one of the advantages of adding extra coverage by "scheduling" the equipment - they already have a list when you pay for the extra premium.
I think you mean an affidavit or sworn declaration sworn before a lawyer, not by a lawyer.
Canada Customs used to have a green card - a Y38 IIRC - which allowed you to list equipment with serial numbers before you travelled outside of the country. The would then date and stamp it. It was never definitive, and I think they started to also require a look at invoices before stamping it, but it at least provided supporting evidence of prior possession.
In the end, there is no one answer. Your insurer may have a suggestion though - if so, follow that!
And I'm leaving this here, for want of a better location.

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I have done this in the past. I added an equipment rider to my homeowner's policy. All they required was a list of equipment with serial numbers and approximate value for replacement cost. I compiled receipts for what I could but it was not required to add the rider.

US customs has a similar form. I used this when taking a bunch of equipment to Alaska. We would be going through Canadian customs on the way back and then to American customs. It was to document that I didn't purchase (or steal) the equipment outside the country. I didn't need receipts, but they inspected the equipment when I turned in the form.

Yea, regarding add a "schedule" to my homeowner insurance, since I make like $200 a year on print sales and such, and that I have a "professional website", my home insurance would not underwrite such a schedule :-/ So I had to get insurance from a 3rd party company.

In the end, the home/auto insurance came through with flying colors paying for the car and the burnt iPhone, and the 3rd party also paid for the burnt Leica, but it was a fight to get that camera payout. For the longest time, I wasn't sure that they will do it.

Thanks !

Call KEH and ask if they will put together a letter discussing the present prices of those particular cameras.

cramej said:

US customs has a similar form. I used this when taking a bunch of equipment to Alaska. We would be going through Canadian customs on the way back and then to American customs. It was to document that I didn't purchase (or steal) the equipment outside the country. I didn't need receipts, but they inspected the equipment when I turned in the form.

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We used to do this with video equipment. I think the form was called a "carnet".

Well, you know insurance companies. On an Addams Family TV episode, the head kahuna of an insurance company once berated one of the employees for "Violating our most sacred trust. Taking other people's money in, and refusing to pay it out".

I would just dummy up a handwritten bill of sale for the fair market value. All's fair in love, war, and the insurance claim business.

momus said:

I would just dummy up a handwritten bill of sale for the fair market value.

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Free legal advice: "Don't commit insurance fraud this way".
Particularly if you have contributed to a thread about it on a public forum.

MattKing said:

Free legal advice: "Don't commit insurance fraud this way".
Particularly if you have contributed to a thread about it on a public forum.

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Seriously

MattKing said:

Free legal advice: "Don't commit insurance fraud this way".
Particularly if you have contributed to a thread about it on a public forum.

Click to expand...

Siriusly!

Show this to your insurance company