Valuation · transport · climate
Musical instrument insurance through Hienfeld
An instrument travels to rehearsals, stages and abroad. That is where the damage happens, and that is exactly where home contents insurance stops.
- Several insurers compared objectively
- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Instrumentenverzekering via Hienfeld.
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert. nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Finass acts as an intermediary through, among others, Hienfeld and compares that objectively with the range offered by other insurers. An instrument insurance is an all-risks property insurance for a described instrument with accessories: the case, the bow, the mouthpiece, amplifiers and pedals when those are on the policy. The cover normally applies worldwide or within an area named on the policy schedule, and is therefore wider than the home contents cover at home.
The difference with the home contents insurance is narrow. That covers belongings in the home against a list of perils, has a sub-limit for musical instruments and outside the home often covers only a limited number of events. A violin that falls in the dressing room, a guitar that comes off the baggage belt or a wind instrument left behind on the bus rarely falls under it. For wider collections and valuables there is also the valuables insurance.
For instruments, the determination of value is the most important part of the application. If the policy works with a valuation by an expert, the amount is fixed and you do not have to prove afterwards what the instrument was worth. That is the purpose of Article 7:960 of the Dutch Civil Code, which provides that a payment may not put you in a clearly better position. Without a valuation, market value applies and the discussion still turns on provenance, year of manufacture and condition.
This page deals with one situation. The full overview is on Compare construction all risks (CAR) insurance.
What to look out for
Four provisions that always prove decisive when an instrument is damaged.
Valuation, purchase invoice and repairability
Have a valuation report drawn up and update it periodically. With old stringed instruments the market value changes. Also record how you deal with reduction in value after a repaired break: some policies pay that difference, others only the repair costs. Photographs of distinguishing features, labels and damage belong in the file, as does the serial number of any electronics.
On the road and in the vehicle
Most damage happens away from home. Insurers therefore impose requirements: the instrument in a sound case, not left in view, and almost always no cover for theft from a a vehicle left unattended or for an instrument handed over as hold baggage. If you fly with the instrument, check in advance whether an exclusion for air transport applies.
Wear, parts and climate
Normally outside the cover are strings, skins, bow hair, reeds and mutes, and everything that comes under normal use and maintenance. Also shrinkage cracks and opening glue seams through dryness, damp or changes in temperature are usually excluded, as is damage arising during maintenance, repair or restoration by you or by someone else. Keep the instrument at a stable humidity.
Hobby, teaching or stage
Professional use changes the risk and sometimes the acceptance. If you play for payment, teach on location or take the instrument on tour, report that when you apply. If you conceal it, the insurer can rely on Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and the payout under Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code and reduce or refuse the payment. Lending the instrument to someone else likewise calls for a separate provision.
What does your premium depend on?
- Agreed value: the basis for the sum insured
- Type of instrument: string, wind, keyboard or electronic instrument
- Use: hobby, teaching or professional performance
- Area of cover: the Netherlands, Europe or worldwide
- Storage conditions: storage, security and climate at home
- Excess: often separate for transport and theft
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
What is covered
| Situation | Home contents insurance (inboedelverzekering) | Musical instrument insurance |
|---|---|---|
| A fire in your home destroys the grand piano in the room | Yes | Yes |
| Your cello falls over in the dressing room and the soundboard cracks | No | Yes |
| A pupil drops the instrument during a lesson at your home | Provided that | Yes |
| The amplifier and pedals are damaged while unloading the van | No | Provided that |
| You leave your flute on the train and it does not come back | No | Provided that |
| Your instrument falls in value because the market for that make collapses | No | No |
At home and standing still, the home contents policy is usually enough; as soon as the instrument leaves the house, the answer shifts.
Frequently asked questions
This is what people ask us most.
Is my instrument not simply insured on the home contents policy?
Up to a certain amount and against a limited number of perils, and almost always only in the home. Drops, knocks and loss on the road are the typical instrument claims and those do not fall under it. If the value is above the sub-limit, or you regularly take the instrument with you, a separate policy does cover those situations.
What if the instrument is damaged at a repairer's?
Damage arising during the work itself is usually excluded on your policy. The repairer is liable for that and should have their own public and employers' liability insurance (AVB) for it. Fire or theft at that repairer's premises can be covered if under the policy the instrument remains insured while outside your own keeping. Ask for written confirmation of receipt in advance.
I play an instrument belonging to an orchestra or a foundation. What do I need to arrange?
With a loan you are not the owner, but you do run a risk: if you damage the instrument you are liable, and on a personal liability insurance the care, custody and control exclusion applies to property you have in your keeping. Have the loan agreement record who insures the instrument and have yourself named as a user on that policy.
What do I have to do if it is stolen?
Report it to the police straight away and notify the insurer; Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code requires you to report as soon as you are reasonably aware of it. Supply the valuation report, photographs and the serial number, and register the instrument with a register of stolen instruments. That increases the chance of recovery and at the same time supports your claim.
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