Camera insurance. The right cover for your photography and video equipment.

Body, lens, tripod, battery, storage medium, bag – all of these items belong to your household contents and are covered by your household contents insurance.

However, although it will pay many types of claims involving your photography equipment, a regular household contents policy is often insufficient to meet amateur photographers' needs.

Below, we explain which type of insurance comes into force in which loss event. 

Somebody breaks into your apartment and steals your camera and all your photography equipment. In this case, your household contents insurance will cover the loss. To avoid underinsurance, it is important to correctly declare the total value of your household contents when you take out the policy.

The situation is different if your camera is stolen while you are out and about – be it on the train to Geneva or in a hotel room in Bangkok. For these cases, you need the add-on "simple theft outside the home" in your household contents policy. Furthermore, coverage limits generally apply here. This means that your traditional household contents insurance only covers equipment that is stolen outside your home up to a certain amount. The indemnity is often limited to CHF 1,000 or CHF 2,000.

When you take out your household contents policy, therefore, make sure that the sum insured for theft outside the home is adequate for your needs. Or contact your advisor to change your cover.

A moment of carelessness and your tripod tumbles to the ground – before you know it, the lens is smashed and the camera body is broken. Standard household contents insurance does not cover accidents like this.

In this situation, household contents all risks insurance is the ideal option as it also gives you good coverage against damage and destruction caused by external influences such as:

• Falls
• Knocks
• Water damage
• Damage during transport 

Another crucial fact is that household contents all risks also pays out if you caused the loss yourself – for example when setting up your equipment or changing lenses outdoors.

Unsure which solution is best for your photography equipment? Our advisors will be happy to help you find the perfect insurance cover for your needs.

The espresso in Naples was so good that you left your camera at the bar. A lens slips out of your rucksack during the bumpy bus ride to Machu Picchu.

If your camera or your photography equipment gets lost while you are out and about, this can be especially annoying. Even more frustrating is the fact that most standard household contents policies do not cover such cases.

Here, too, our household contents all risks insurance will help you out, as the cover includes not just damage but also the loss of your camera and equipment.

"I've got household contents insurance, so my camera is covered." This is what many people think. However, it is only true to a certain extent. Fundamentally, your camera is insured as part of your household contents, but the cover does not apply to all situations.
Classic household contents insurance covers loss events caused by burglary, fire and water damage in your apartment, for example. However, if your camera is stolen, lost or damaged while you are out and about, or if you are using it for professional purposes, the situation is often different.

• Theft outside the home, e.g. from your car, on the train or from a hotel room, is not automatically covered. For this, you need to add the "theft outside the home" component to your household contents insurance.
• Traditional household contents insurance does not cover loss – e.g. if you leave your camera in a café. 
• Damage caused by accidents is not insured as standard either – such as when your camera falls off the tripod while you are setting up.
• As a fundamental rule, private household contents policies do not cover equipment used for professional purposes by self-employed people. Special solutions are required here.

Anyone who travels frequently, works as a professional photographer or owns particularly valuable equipment should therefore extend their insurance cover in a targeted way – for example with our household contents all risks policy or our single-item insurance. This offers much more protection, including on the go and worldwide.

The cost of your insurance is determined by the value of your camera and the associated equipment, among other things.

The scope of cover you request and your place of residence also affect the amount of the premium.

Want to find out the exact figure? Our advisors will be happy to put together a personalised quote for you. 

If you are self-employed and use your camera for professional purposes, such as for customer orders, professional photo shoots or social media content, then in most cases your private insurance cover will no longer suffice. Furthermore, in many cases, your normal household contents policy will not pay claims involving your professional equipment.

Whether you are taking nature photographs, travelling or simply going about your daily business – your camera can easily get damaged or lost. If the worst comes to the worst, the important thing is to keep a level head and act quickly in order to assert your claims without any problems.

1. Document the loss/damage: write down when and where the incident occurred and the details of what happened. The more precise the information, the easier the settlement process will be later.
2. Prepare the paperwork: collect relevant documents and evidence, such as purchase receipts, serial numbers, and ideally also photos of the damaged equipment. In the event of theft you must report the matter to the police, even if you are abroad. In the event of damage, a cost estimate for the repairs is also useful, if you have one.
3. Report the claim quickly: do not wait to notify your insurer. The sooner you do so, the faster your claim can be assessed and – ideally – paid out. Keep all the documents you need to hand.
4. Contact your insurance company: depending on the provider, you will have to report the incident online, over the phone or via a customer account. Are you insured with Allianz? Then you can submit your camera insurance claims conveniently online or get personalised advice.

Your camera, your lens or the complete set: with us, you can take out comprehensive cover for your photography equipment.

How you benefit with Allianz:

• Insurance against theft, damage and loss
• Worldwide coverage – including for photo shoots, travel and outdoor use
• Ideal for high-end individual items and extensive equipment

Would you like personalised advice? Our advisors will be happy to help yo