Observatory Insurance

[DeepSkyMan]

Hi there folks, I’ve been trolling the market looking for an acceptable insurance deal for my observatory.  After getting knocked back by my home contents insurer I’ve managed to source a company who will provide full coverage for £401 p/a.  Coverage includes structure and contents, all items individually listed and quoted.
 

Just wondering how other stargazers have faired in this endeavour.

Kind Regards

Paul

[Bukko]

Hi Paul,

When I was living in the UK, contents insurance was straightforward.. until I housed stuff in a dome. They were happy for me to lug everything in and out each night but would only consider the dome as a shed and cover only a few hundred pounds. Trying to argue the dome resulted in a reduction to the risk they carried got me a blank response.

Here in France, I needed to change my house insurance company to find someone through an agent, who would insure me at all. I have reasonable cover for the observatory, very limited for theft, but pretty much everything else. The catch is my buildings and contents insurance is about a thousand pounds per year... I think you are probably doing pretty well in comparison...

Gordon

[Xsubmariner]

Paul, I was quoted £600 for insurance from a specialist company which mirrors your experience. Likewise with Gordon my observatory is treated as an outbuilding and limited accordingly.  
Where I have been a member of various societies associated with other hobbies it is usually the case these groups offer insurance at very good rates for their members.

These rates are enabled through economies of scale by virtue of the large membership numbers. In my experience the membership costs of these bodies was paid for through the considerable savings in insurance.

I checked the main societies websites associated with Astronomy and none offered preferential members insurance as a benefit.

I am led to believe most Astronomy Societies are struggling with poor new membership rates.  Perhaps if they were to negotiate preferential insurance rates for members equipment, Observatories  and outreach events they may find more people drawn to membership. A win win for everyone.

[Stuart1971]

I have an obsy and my kit is covered on the house insurance, as items in an outbuilding, and the scopes, mount and cameras are listed individually as items of value, but all under £3000 each which was the limit for one item.  and it cost me around £60 extra a year…

Same as my bikes in the garage, all individually listed with values…

Edited January 23 by Stuart1971

[JeremyS]

I too spoke to my insurance broker and got astro kit included in the home insurance. Larger value items needed to be listed. It wasn’t that much more on the premium.

Edited January 23 by JeremyS

[Second Time Around]

Same here.

[paul mc c]

Yep and same here.

[paul mc c]

On 22/01/2024 at 18:02, DeepSkyMan said:

Hi there folks, I’ve been trolling the market looking for an acceptable insurance deal for my observatory.  After getting knocked back by my home contents insurer I’ve managed to source a company who will provide full coverage for £401 p/a.  Coverage includes structure and contents, all items individually listed and quoted.
 

Just wondering how other stargazers have faired in this endeavour.

Kind Regards

Paul

Pm me.

[Skipper Billy]

When our home insurance was due for renewal I shopped around with a specific requirement of a good level of cover for outbuildings and the contents.

We were originally with Halifax and a phone conversation with them at renewal time produced their Platinum policy which gives £25k cover for outbuildings and the contents.

I was very clear about my gear in the observatory and provided details and photos etc.

This and cover for a named electric bike worth 3k and two named items of my wifes jewellery resulted in a premium increase of about £60. How much of that was for the obsy and the bike and the jewellery and natural annual inflation I cant tell you but I think we pay about £400 a year for the above which now also includes full accidental damage cover and all the usual stuff for a large 4 bed detached house with multiple outbuildings etc which I thought was very reasonable although we do live in an area where you could hold a reign of terror with a balloon on a stick 🙂 

Having said all of that - we have never made a claim - yet!

 

[ollypenrice]

19 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

although we do live in an area where you could hold a reign of terror with a balloon on a stick 🙂 

I'll have you know that my PC is not covered against being soused in spat out coffee!  I'm already searching for ways in which I can delight my friends with this phrase...

lly

[Skipper Billy]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

I'll have you know that my PC is not covered against being soused in spat out coffee!  I'm already searching for ways in which I can delight my friends with this phrase...

🙂 🙂 

[JAC51]

Our house insurance is with Swindon and covers the observatory and contents. The only stipulation was that the observatory had to have a mortice lock. At the time I was looking I was also told that the NFU mutual would also insure an observatory as being the farmers mutual they deal with things on outbuildings all the time. Don’t work for either of the above. 

[Shed9]

If in the UK, give the NFU a call, they do insurance and fully understand the implications of 'sheds' with high value equipment.  They are generally a lot nicer to deal with as well.

[DeepSkyMan]

Guys, in the end I’ve gone with an all risks policy with  Sansvar, the broker is Access Insurance, in the end the policy cost me £483.
 

Kind Regards

Paul

 

[Stuart1971]

16 minutes ago, DeepSkyMan said:

Guys, in the end I’ve gone with an all risks policy with  Sansvar, the broker is Access Insurance, in the end the policy cost me £483.
 

Kind Regards

Paul

 

😮😮😮