Compare musical instrument insurance

Why should you get musical instrument insurance? 

Whether you are a professional musician or you are just beginning, you can find insurance cover to protect you and your instrument from loss, theft, accidental damage and when you travel. If you are going to be using your instrument near to people, or if you are going to be performing in public, then you can also benefit from public liability insurance as well.

Why do I need musical instrument insurance?

Even if you are just starting out learning to play an instrument, it can be costly if the item is lost or damaged.

For example, a basic violin can cost from £50 while more expensive models can set you back £800 and an antique model Stradivarius violin could cost anything from thousands to tens of thousands of pounds.

Likewise, an ordinary piano might cost £500, but a quality grand piano would cost several thousand pounds.

The quality of the instrument, its age and provenance, and the cost of replacing it all count towards the premium you will need to pay to insure it.

Depending on what type of musical instrument you have, it could cost you a lot of money to replace it. If your livelihood depends on having a functional musical instrument with you at all times, insurance can protect you for this. 

You can make sure your valuable instrument is covered with musical instrument insurance.

Some home insurance policies will cover damage to your instruments while they are in your home but will not usually cover items away from home as standard.

Read more about home insurance with our Uswitch Guide: What is home insurance?

What types of musical instruments can I cover?

You can cover most types of musical instruments including:

If you are involved in creating electronic music, video and sound editing, or production, then you may be using laptops, iMacs, and specialist computer equipment which will also need to be protected. Check with your insurer whether this is covered under their policy. You may need DJ Insurance or Audio/Recording Studio Insurance for this particular type of insurance. Many of these specialist policies will also cover your music software and collection as standard.

What types of risk does musical instrument insurance cover? 

Loss, theft or accidental damage: Most policies cover these events as standard.

Travel: If you are taking your musical instrument abroad some policies will cover you for a set number of days.

Personal accident coverage: If you are travelling to perform with your musical instrument you can be covered for death, disability, or loss of sight or limbs.

Public liability: If you are using your musical instrument around other people, such as students or a paying audience, the policy can cover you for any injuries they might suffer.

What sort of musical instrument cover do I need?

Different musical instrument policies may offer different coverage options. If you are not travelling or performing professionally you could take out a cheaper policy without all these extras.

However, if you are a professional musician and are moving around to gigs or concerts on a regular basis with your instrument, then you will need to ensure you are properly covered.

Some instruments are more difficult to move around than others – for example, transporting a double base or complete drum kit will require you to plan ahead when you are travelling. Drums take time to assemble and disassemble and there is more opportunity for smaller parts to be lost or stolen in the process.

Find out about home insurance for high net worth homes

How much coverage do I need?

Policies may offer a limit per instrument, or a total coverage limit for all instruments. Depending on how many musical instruments you wish to insure, estimate the right level of cover for you. 

If you are a professional musician you may have a practice kit and a performance kit, and these may need to be insured for different risks. If you have any questions you can talk to your insurer about how and where you are covered.

Or you may have hire instruments that you lend to students if you are a music teacher. Again, lending out instruments to children or beginners carries different risks so you need to ensure that you have the right cover.