Stolen equipment - Insurance companies

Ruffy

Ruffy

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Paul
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Hey guys, having a nightmare here, just returned from a lovely holiday in Mexico with the family only to find my 5d has gone missing from our suitcase.
The camera is about 7 years old, I have contacted our insurance company who have taken on the claim but have now asked for my receipt...are they having a laugh, I don't have a receipt for anything I brought last year let alone over 7 years.

I have the box still, I also obviously have all my current photos on my IMac which say they were taken with my camera.

What else can I do ?
At my wits end, more gutted that I have lost the photos :(
 
Where did you buy it, can they help?
Credit card record?
Bank statement from the time?
 
I always stick the receipt/invoice in the box when that goes into storage...

I iwould think that if you can provide proof of ownership/possession (pics of the original box?) they will honor the claim; but probably only at current market ("replacement") value though, and probably minus your deductible. Depending on your insurance company/policy it might not be worth making a claim at all... i.e. if you have a higher deductible (the camera is only worth ~ $400), and especially if your rates will go up due to having made a claim.

That's one of the biggest scams IMO... you pay for insurance protection and then your rates go up if you actually use it. That happened when my house was robbed and I lost a bunch of photography/computer stuff. But my (current) gear insurance policy is much better, no deductible and the rate doesn't increase after a claim... well, it hasn't yet...
 
When I purchased it we banked with HSBC, we now use another bank so we done have any records [emoji35]
 
Did you register it with Canon? There may be some record of it in your Canon account.

Ray
 
tbh, some insurers might not pay at all if it was not with you attended/in your hand luggage. Hope you can get it sorted.
 
They are almost always going to ask for a receipt. It's a good reason to buy online; you have the record stored in your email.
 
connersz said:
They are almost always going to ask for a receipt. It's a good reason to buy online; you have the record stored in your email.
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Like we all have email from 7 years ago.... I'd struggle to find an email from 2 years ago :)
 
Thanks for the help guys, I have it listed on my home insurance policy however they are still asking for the receipt...long battle ahead me thinks [emoji22]
 
Random thought. Why do they want a receipt? Presumably so that you can prove that you owned this camera which has been stolen. But ironically it isn't proof of that; it's just proof that you once bought a camera.

On the other hand, you have thousands of photos on your hard disk, spanning several years, all with the camera model and serial number all faithfully recorded in the EXIF data. Does that not constitute proof in their eyes? If not, why not? Ask them.
 
StewartR, this is exactly my argument my friend....
 
It's hardly unusual to not have a seven year old receipt, or email.
They're being rather unreasonable imo.
I hope it's sorted in your favour Paul.
 
What they usually want is some proof that you actually owned it and what age it is, given that you are telling them it's 7 years old it's not like you are trying to sting them for new for old. Have you got a photo of you with the camera? Speak to them and offer some proof of ownership, if that doesn't get you anywhere I'd take to social media - facebook and twitter, it often focusses their minds.
 
Update for those interested, I have today sent of an email with a batch of photos with the EXIF date showing, several pictures that were taken on my iPhone with my daughter using the camera, a picture of me last year with my camera on my shoulder and a photo of the box and all its contents along with the crime reference number, I'll keep you posted on there response....
 
I work for an insurance broker and spent many years working in both home insurance and claims. With a claims handler hat on, I would be happy, for a 7 year old camera, to accept photos with EXIF data as proof that the camera existed, backed up by the box and the manual. I fail to see how the claim could be disputed beyond that.

As far as the potential payout is concerned, assuming your policy provides new for old cover, which most home insurers do, the replacement will be the nearest equivalent new model. Therefore, I would expect settlement to be based on the cost of a 5D Mk3.

Of course, you need to bear in mind that the person handling the claim may not know much about cameras, so you will have to steer them in that direction for replacement once the claim has been accepted and state what you want as a like for like replacement. I dealt with a camera claim a few years back. The claimant had lost a 1000D but replaced it already with, I believe, a 650D. I did not agree that claim in full and only agreed to pay the cost to replace with the current equivalent, an 1100D, leaving the claimant to pick up the difference.

Let me know how you get on. Cleary I have no knowledge of your cover or any possible exclusions for it being in the hold; your policy may class cameras as valuables and exclude valuables in baggage out of your control. On the other hand, your policy may still exclude this but not class cameras as valuables in which case you will be OK. Too many possibilities to give a definite answer, but I hope this has helped.
 
Goody13, thank you for your comments, I had taken specific insurance out on my home insurance to protect all my camera equipment as I got stung many years ago when I had my camera bag stolen from our car in Devon of all places, luckily it was only a non-expensive lenses in the bag, I'm not expecting a brand new 5D3 however it would be nice lol, I will just have to wait and see...I don't suppose they could magic all my photos that were on the memory card back [emoji22][emoji22][emoji22]
 
Sadly, nothing that can be done about the photos on the card, but remember to include the cost of a replacement card/cards as part of your claim. If you have new for old and your claim is agreed, you should expect to get a 5d Mk3.

I dealt with a compact camera claim once and wasn't familiar with the line up. The camera was about 3-4 years old and the person claiming was looking a second hand cameras on Amazon and provided the appropriate link. I looked at the specs of the one that had been stolen and researched the same brand with equivalent specs and advised the person claiming that I felt that camera would be a suitable replacement as they had new for old cover.

They were really happy with that option.
 
Goody13 said:
I work for an insurance broker and spent many years working in both home insurance and claims. With a claims handler hat on, I would be happy, for a 7 year old camera, to accept photos with EXIF data as proof that the camera existed, backed up by the box and the manual. I fail to see how the claim could be disputed beyond that.

As far as the potential payout is concerned, assuming your policy provides new for old cover, which most home insurers do, the replacement will be the nearest equivalent new model. Therefore, I would expect settlement to be based on the cost of a 5D Mk3.

Of course, you need to bear in mind that the person handling the claim may not know much about cameras, so you will have to steer them in that direction for replacement once the claim has been accepted and state what you want as a like for like replacement. I dealt with a camera claim a few years back. The claimant had lost a 1000D but replaced it already with, I believe, a 650D. I did not agree that claim in full and only agreed to pay the cost to replace with the current equivalent, an 1100D, leaving the claimant to pick up the difference.

Let me know how you get on. Cleary I have no knowledge of your cover or any possible exclusions for it being in the hold; your policy may class cameras as valuables and exclude valuables in baggage out of your control. On the other hand, your policy may still exclude this but not class cameras as valuables in which case you will be OK. Too many possibilities to give a definite answer, but I hope this has helped.
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Very interesting. A 5Diii as a replacement for a 5D seems generous, but great if that happens. I thought new for old would mean equivalent specification so possibly a 6D and in some cases a reduction for wear and tear. I suppose all policies define new for old, but must be open to debate no doubt.
 
It should be like for like. I suppose you could argue a 6D as a replacement but isn't the 5D3 the current equivalent replacement today for what a 5D would have been, say, 8 years ago?
 
Hmmm...a 6D over a 5D2, I would argue that, I hear what your saying but from my point of view, I'd have a second hand 5D2 replacement over a brand new 6D but that's my preference, so...if that was the case, there would be a brand new 6D coming for sale soon lol
 
Archie747 said:
I thought new for old would mean equivalent specification so possibly a 6D
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Surely the all important differences of 1/4000th to 1/8000th in the shutter speed and the CF/ SD difference drives you towards the 5Diii over the 6D as a replacement ;)

Hope it's sorted soon.
 
I still see no issue with a 5DIII on the basis it is a natural progression.
 
connersz said:
They are almost always going to ask for a receipt. It's a good reason to buy online; you have the record stored in your email.
Click to expand...

Not true actually with our insurer they hold a list of our equipment with the serial numbers that we don't need a receipt if we need to make a claim
 
f/2.8 said:
Not true actually with our insurer they hold a list of our equipment with the serial numbers that we don't need a receipt if we need to make a claim
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Me too, I have just had to do a current inventory for them, with serial numbers of each individual item and the current replacement value, I don't use Grays prices as they are full RRP, but I don't use Amazon either - I actually use Fixation as they are one of the preferred dealers many camera insurers us for supplying replacements. Often they will provide the replacement, because they can get a hefty discount compared to paying to cah and you sourcing the same gear.
 
Ruffy said:
Hmmm...a 6D over a 5D2, I would argue that, I hear what your saying but from my point of view, I'd have a second hand 5D2 replacement over a brand new 6D but that's my preference, so...if that was the case, there would be a brand new 6D coming for sale soon lol
Click to expand...

Apologies, I thought it was a 5D mark 1 you lost. Probably best to get over the receipt point first and then argue over the replacement. If it carries on long enough the mark iv may be out!
 
I keep receipt for a lot of my major purchases. I have a couple for halfords professional tools since they have a lifetime warranyty. I keep them in one drawer. Had a look the other day to tidy it out. What's happened? The ink on the receipts have faded completely. Some of the receipts were 5-6 years old. So worthless if you bought the camera from a physical store. OTOH, anything online usually results in an invoice.
 
Ok so a little heads up, received a call yesterday confirming they will replace and it has been handed over to a company called Be Valued who called me to ask what type the camera was as the insurance company had been rather vague, he said that all they said was that it was a Canon 5D Mark ii, well that's what it is I said lol, they have not confirmed if it will be a Mark 3, I'm guessing that mark 2's aren't available to buy new anymore so fingers crossed, I am of course hoping it won't be anything different they offer ???
 
Assuming the polic is new for old, they need to replace with the nearest equivalent new model.

Be Valued is a company that sources electrical goods and the like and they have a database to determine the nearest equivalent model.

If they can find a new mk1 or mk2, which I doubt, then that is what the insurance company would replace with.

I have a 70D which has now been superseded by the 80D. If something happened to that tomorrow I would expect another 70D as they are still available new, but may not be in a year's time when I would then expect an 80D.
 
I can't find any new Mk1's or Mk2's, they have of course said that the replacement will be a UK model and not a grey import, I would assume or rather hoping that it will be a Mk3...if they drag there heels, it could be a Mk 4 but I think that's a little hopeful lol
 
It won't be grey, I'm pretty sure of that. Doubt it would be a Mk4 either as there will still be new Mk3s around for a while after the Mk4 is released.
 
Fully aware of the grey import, they have already confirmed it will be a UK model, as soon as I know, I'll feedback here.
 
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