Taxidermy Insurance question

[cberg]

  Just wondering how you guys and gals handle your insurance needs? The more work we take in the more nervous I am getting about fire and loosing all the horns and mounts we have in the shop as well as capes. Here is my question,... what would the insurance company do if you had a loss? You cant replace horns. Capes wouldn't be that hard on most animals, but you cant value the racks. Just wanted to hear from any of you that has had a claim or what your insurance agent has told you.

[bucklucky]

Good question.

[huntnphool]

That is a great question and one I would be very intersted in hearing a answer for. How does this work for home owners with mounts? When you add up all the expenses associated with each mount, tags, fuel, taxidermy etc. the money can really add up.

[509er]

Stickslinger might be able to answer this question.  Stickslinger?

[Ricochet]

A friend lost an antelope, a blacktail, and a bighorn mount in a fire at his office.  He got paid for the loss but there was a limit because they were personal items.  I assume you'd have to have additional coverage on your homeowner's policy if you had many mounts.  The value of the mounts is not the sum of the costs incurred to acquire them, the trophy size and quality of the taxidermy is important.  Photos of the mounts are critical when assessing the value.  A few photos might be a welcome addition to your safe deposit box.  My friend had several pics of his bighorn mount which he sent to Mr. Jonas for an appraisal.  He ended up getting $10,000 for the bighorn mount (it was a 164" Cali ram).
As for you taxidermists, you have two choices.  You can pay a premium price to insure anything that might come into your shop or you can require your clients to sign a disclaimer stating that you will not be held responsible in case of damage, fire, or theft.  All commercial tanneries I know state on their work orders that they are not responsible for loss or damage, you need to protect yourself in the same way.  

[wastickslinger]

All policies are different between companies. Best thing to do is make sure that you inform your agent of the values of your mounts. Keep track of taxi bills. Take photos. I cant speak for all companies but most will not put a sentimental value on a mount. Lets say you had a 350 bull shoulder mount and you lost it in a fire. Likely that you will get paid for the amount spent on taxi plus cape value plus horn value(usually ebay value). So if insurance company can purchase a set of 350 horns for $500 thats what you get plus cape and taxi bill.

While on the subject of insurance. Call your agent tomorrow and ask how much coverage you have on your guns. You will probably be shocked. Likely any where from $1000-$2500 is the policy limit unless you have specifically increased your gun limit.

Just because you were sold a replacement cost policy does not mean everything is fulluy covered. There is usually a whole page of policy limits. Guns, furs, jewelry, cash, coins, electronics, business property, trailers, recreation vehicles, any more. All of which can be increased for a little premium.

I strongly suggest you request a copy of your policy and take a day and read through it. The biggest mistake insureds make is trusting that their agent has a clue. Many of them just want to sell you a policy and help you save money.

Feel free to ask any question about a policy, I will try to help out.

By the way I an not an agent, I am a property adjuster. I get to see first hand what is covered and what is not.

[Ricochet]

My friend must have had good insurance, or his company did, but if I remember right it was his homeowner's insurance that paid because they were personal items he kept at his office.  He called me (as his taxidermist) and I put him in contact with Mr. Jonas.  After receiving the photos and score sheets, Mr. Jonas put a "market value" of over $12,000 for the three mounts ($12,000 was the limit of his coverage for this type of loss).   His insurance policy treated mounts as "art" and as such they are worth more than the sum of their parts.  After all, a Rembrandt painting is worth more than the paint used and the canvas its on.  Maybe it was having the professional appraisal that made the difference.    

[wastickslinger]

 After all, a Rembrandt painting is worth more than the paint used and the canvas its on.  Maybe it was having the professional appraisal that made the difference.    

Not if its not insured right or properly documented.

[wastickslinger]

Its worth what it would sell for if you were to try and list it? Like your picture example, it would be worth what you could buy one for right? So that is how most insurance work for mounts. We owe to replace with like kind and quality of what it could be purchased for. Quality is huge. If Hunter A had a taxi mount his buck for $100. He will get paid for that quality of a mount. If hunter B has a buck mounted for $5000 and he can pove it, he will get paid for that qaulity of a mount It wouldnt make sense to pay them eqaully.  Does that make more sense. So yes your friend could very well have had been paid for 12K worth of mounts, he was able to prove quality of his mounts and cost into them. This is why it is crucial to have it documented what you spent on the taxi bill. Or a few real good photos and a good property adjuster. Make sure your "art" limits are enough if you try and go that rout for coverage.

This could be a good discussion. Many people might not be covered for what they thought they were.

Once again, talk to your agent and read your policy. They will all vary a bit.

[actionshooter]

Heres something to think about. I know a guy who had a house fire and lost a full body wolf and a goat. He claimed the only way to replace the trophys was another hunt, he had a hellavu fight, but he won. He got $13000 to pay for hunts in BC to try and get another goat and wolf. He did have full replacement coverage, but im not sure which company it was.

[yelp]

That is a great question and one I would be very intersted in hearing a answer for. How does this work for home owners with mounts? When you add up all the expenses associated with each mount, tags, fuel, taxidermy etc. the money can really add up.

Here is a program through SCI...Also they have a list of trophy values...Thought you all may be interested...

http://www.huntandtravel.com/trophyins.htm

http://www.huntandtravel.com/trophyins=trophylist.htm


http://www.huntandtravel.com/downloads/trophyapp/sci_trophyapp.pdf

[whacker1]

 For the homeowners insurance component they will pay based on the replacement cost.  Since there isn't a way to actually replace, I would have your homework done on replica's and lots of pictures to make replicas happen.  You can schedule them as art as someone else mentioned, and that way have a specific value associated with each piece.  I actually was just looking into scheduling the Buck cberg mounted for me last year.  In addition to scheduling some guns as their are limitation on both firearms and art on most policies

On the taxidermy business side, there are Insurance programs that are specific to the trade that I have access to, but I haven't had a need to pursue them as there are so few Taxidermists pursuing insurance.     Chuck, I will do a little research and get back to you next week.  I will post here, so that any of the other Taxi's can see what is available.


Neil
Insurance peddler extraordinare

[cberg]

Thanks Neil

[whacker1]

OK, here is the low down - I have identified four companies that can provide coverage so far, still researching the others.  The most common claim that seems to come up is the breakdown of freezers that contain cape's - spoilage coverage.  They all pay the cost to replace the contents of others (game animals that you are working on), based on the limit we choose for spoilage, so as long as the limit is adequate, you can buy capes to replace the capes you have lost due to spoilage. 

As far as how they deal with the replacement of antlers / horns / irreplacable animals "once in a lifetime" lost in fire - No one can answer the question specifically.  The only way to replace would be to make replicas of Antlers or buy via those willing to sell Antlers or sell replicas of Antlers (e-bay type auctions).  Wouldn't be the same set of Antlers, but would be something close.  But the most likely response would be to pay some sum of money to the owner of said animal to make it right - this would not be a fun negotiating process, but I think that I would rather work with an owner and an insurance company to find an agreeable value for a Big Horn Sheep, then have any other sort of alternative.

The loss of a once in a lifetime animal - goat, sheep, etc. - valuation or replacement cost would be very difficult.  but an insurance company is going to have to make it right somehow - even though replacement is not an option.

Most Taxidermy contracts include language that puts the responsibility of the animal back on the owner of the animal, even though it is in the care, custody and control of the Taxidermist.  I think this contract language would help those taxidermists , but I don't believe that would solve the problem in its entirety.   I think it could also backfire on some as it could negate the insurance companies ability to negotiate a payment to make said animal right.

As you can see there is lots of speculation in my writing.  I do this, because no one is willing to give absolutes on this circumstance, because Taxidermy is such a unique industry. 

I am willing to help Taxidermists find coverage and analyze one over the other.

[huntnphool]

Call AIG, problem solved