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- Overview: Best travel insurance plans for cameras 2023
- Most value-for-money: Starr TraveLead
- Highest coverage: Tokio Marine Xplora Plus
- Honourable mention: Allianz Travel
- FAQs about travel insurance plans for cameras
- What to do if you lose your camera overseas
Overview: Best travel insurance coverages for camera equipment in 2023
Disclaimer: All the coverage limits and premiums stated are based on the maximum plan single-trip coverage offered by the base plan tier for each insurance policy. For example, the coverage limits and premiums listed for Singlife Travel Insurance are under their Travel Lite Plan.
All policy plans were filtered based on an average 5-day trip to an ASEAN country like Thailand.
The coverage benefits listed here aren’t exhaustive either. Please refer to the respective insurance T&Cs for more comprehensive details.
Travel insurance policy
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Coverage for lost/stolen camera
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Other coverages
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Premium
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AIG Travel Guard Direct
[Classic] ![]() |
Limit per article: S$500
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Up to S$200,000 overseas medical coverage
Up to S$12,000 medical expenses incurred in Singapore
Up to S$5,000 trip cancellation
Up to S$1,000 for baggage delay
Up to S$3,000 baggage/personal belongings
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From S$30
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Allianz Travel Insurance
[Bronze] |
Limit per article: Up to S$1,000 (max. benefit for high-value items)
Note: Only 50% of the cost to replace lost, stolen, or damaged camera will be reimbursed if all claims conditions are met
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Up to S$200,000 overseas COVID-19 medical coverage
Unlimited emergency transportation
Up to S$5,000 pre-trip cancellation or trip interruption from COVID-19
Up to S$500 for baggage delay (min. 6 hours)
Up to S$3,000 baggage/personal belongings
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From S$33.88
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Limit per article: S$500
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Up to S$200,000 overseas medical coverage (Below 70 years)
Up to S$10,000 for medical expenses incurred in Singapore (Below 70 years)
Unlimited medical evacuation and repatriation
Up to S$1,000 travel delay (S$100 per 6 hours either overseas or in Singapore)
Up to S$500 baggage delay (S$200 per 6 hours either overseas or in Singapore)
Up to S$3,000 baggage/personal belongings
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ASEAN: From S$33
Asia: From S$39
Worldwide: From S$55
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Limit per article: S$250
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Up to S$200,000 for overseas medical coverage (Below 70 years)
Up to S$7,500 for medical expenses incurred in Singapore
Up to S$150,000 accidental death and disability coverage (Below 70 years)
Up to S$300 travel delay (S$50 per 3 hours)
Up to S$5,000 trip cancellation
Up to S$200 baggage delay (S$100 per 6 hours)
Up to S$2,000 baggage/personal belongings
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ASEAN: From S$42
Asia: From S$44
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Limit per article: Up to S$300 (Premium), or up to S$500 (Business, First)
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Up to S$200,000 overseas medical coverage
Up to S$500,000 for personal liability
Up to 21 days of automatic travel cover extension (subject to conditions)
Up to S$7,500 trip cancellation
Up to S$300 travel delay (S$100 per 6 hours either overseas or in Singapore)
Up to S$150 baggage delay (S$150 per 6 hours either overseas or in Singapore)
Up to S$3,000 baggage/personal belongings
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ASEAN: From S$24.30
Asia: From S$26.10
Worldwide: From S$38.70
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HLAS COVIDSafe Travel Protect360
[Enhanced] |
Limit per article: S$500
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Up to S$250,000 overseas medical coverage (Up to S$50,000 for COVID-19)
Up to S$15,000 medical expenses incurred in Singapore
Unlimited medical evacuation
Up to S$250,000 personal accident and disability coverage
Up to S$1,000 trip delay (per 6 hours)
Up to S$7,000 trip cancellation (Up to S$1,000 for COVID-19)
Up to S$1,000 baggage delay
Up to S$5,000 baggage/personal belongings
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From S$36
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Limit per article: S$500
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COVID-19 coverage
Up to S$250,000 overseas medical expenses (Below 70 years)
Up to S$25,000 medical expenses incurred in Singapore (Below 70 years)
Up to S$150,000 accidental death and disability coverage (Below 70 years)
Up to S$5,000 trip cancellation
Up to S$750 travel delay
Up to S$600 baggage delay (S$150 per 6 hours)
Up to S$3,000 baggage/personal belongings
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Area A: From S$37
Area B: From S$44 Area C: From S$69 |
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Limit per article: Up to S$500 (Lite) or up to S$700 (Plus, Prestige)
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Up to S$250,000 overseas medical coverage
Up to S$50,000 accidental death and disability coverage
Up to S$5,000 trip cancellation
Up to S$1,000 trip interruption (Itinerary change)
Up to S$3,000 for baggage/personal belongings
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ASEAN: S$42.24
Asia, Oceania: S$52.42 Worldwide: S$77.93 |
Sompo Travel Insurance
[Essential] |
Limit per article: S$200
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Up to S$200,000 overseas medical coverage
Up to S$100,000 COVID-19 medical coverage
Up to S$100,000 personal accident and disability coverage
Up to S$500,000 for personal liability
Up to S$2,000 for COVID-19 trip cancellation or trip postponement each
Up to S$1,200 baggage delay (S$200 per 6 hours either overseas or in Singapore)
Up to S$1,000 baggage/personal belongings
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Area A: From S$64
Area B: From S$90 Area C: From S$165 |
Starr TraveLead Travel Insurance
[Bronze] |
Limit per article: S$1,000
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Up to S$200,000 overseas COVID-19 medical coverage (Up to S$15,000 for follow-up treatment in Singapore)
Up to S$150,000 personal accident and disability coverage
Up to S$5,000 trip cancellation (Up to S$1,000 for COVID-19)
Up to S$500 travel delay (S$100 per 6 hours)
Up to S$3,000 for baggage/personal belongings
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From S$27 (with added baggage coverage)
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Limit per article: S$1,000
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Up to S$300,000 for overseas medical coverage (Below 70 years old)
Up to S$15,000 medical expenses incurred in Singapore
Up to S$200,000 for accidental death and disability
Up to S$5,000 trip cancellation
Up to S$1,200 for travel delay (S$100 per 6 hours)
Up to S$1,200 baggage delay
Up to S$5,000 for baggage/personal belongings
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Zone A: S$70
Zone B: S$101 |
Read more:
Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance Plans (2022)
Best Travel Insurance in Singapore (2022)
Best Travel Insurance Plans and Promotions in Singapore (November 2022)
Top 3 Things Travel Insurance Should Cover (And How Much is Enough)
So which travel insurance policy is the best for camera equipment coverage?
Most value-for-money: Starr TraveLead Travel Insurance (Bronze Plan)
For those on a budget, Allianz Travel Insurance (Bronze Plan) offers excellent camera-related coverage for only S$21 onwards in premiums, subject to your trip’s duration.
Offering a claim benefit of up to S$1,000, you can rest assured your valuable camera and accessories will be well protected.
This is one of the rarer travel insurance policies that allow for maximum camera claims as compared to other similarly-priced bronze plans like Allianz Travel’s one, which only allows claims of up to 50% of the original camera equipment cost.
You can view more policy details here.
Highest coverage: Tokio Marine Xplora Plus Travel Insurance (Classic Plan)
The Tokio Marine Xplora Plus Travel Insurance (Classic Plan) is another worthy contender to safeguard your camera and equipment. It offers up to S$1,000 coverage for stolen, misplaced, or damaged cameras and video cameras per article limit.
Compared to the above Starr TraveLead policy, this Tokio Marine Xplora Plus policy has a higher coverage limit of up to S$5,000 for baggage and personal belongings overall. Thus, if you’re a paranoid or forgetful traveller, this extra bit of coverage might serve you well.
Unfortunately, the downside to this plan is its hefty premium charge depending on the country zone you’re embarking to — S$70 for Zone A and S$101 for Zone B.
You can view more policy details here.
Honourable mention: Allianz Travel Insurance (Bronze Plan)
An honourable mention goes to Allianz Travel for its above-average coverage and decent premium price for camera equipment.
Likewise, it offers up to S$1,000 in coverage for cameras except there’s a catch. Only 50% of the original cost of the camera and related accessories can be claimed in benefit, provided that the relevant receipts and documents claims are submitted.
Premiums start from S$33.88, which is still fairly affordable.
You can view more policy details here.
FAQs about travel insurance coverage for camera equipment
Q: What coverage does travel insurance offer for your camera equipment?
A: In general, travel insurance with camera equipment coverage should entail photography gear, lighting equipment, your camera and lenses on and off filming premises as well as during transit or transportation.
Q: Is it possible to add equipment coverage to existing travel insurance policy?
A: Typically, baggage coverage is an existing category already included in your plan’s benefits.
However, there are some policy plans that offer you the base tier featuring basic medical coverage. Therefore, you’ll have to be careful and ensure you tick or check the box for add-on baggage coverage in such cases.
Q: Should I buy the travel insurance offered together with my air ticket?
A: No. Although seemingly cheap, the coverage under these plans isn’t as extensive as originally thought. The coverage outline is usually designed to be as minimal as possible.
In turn, this also means that the “cheap” premium price might be more expensive than what its coverage is actually worth.
Q: What kind of documents must I submit during the claim for lost, stolen, or damaged cameras and equipment?
A: In general, you’d need the basic documents like the purchase receipt, serial number of your camera gear, a photo of your gear, and maybe even a photo of you with your camera.
Of course, the documents required vary depending on your plan. Please read through your respective policy’s T&Cs closely to avoid doubt.
What to do if you lose your camera and equipment overseas?
#1 Contact your travel insurer to inform & ask about the claims process
Although a bit bleak, having damaged camera gear is more ‘favourable’ than it being lost or getting stolen. Regardless, it’s best for you to contact your travel insurance agency immediately to report the situation and file a claim.
Depending on whether it’s lost, stolen, or damaged, your insurer will then determine the appropriate amount to reimburse you after successfully processing your claim.
#2 Report to the local authorities
This should be another no-brainer if your camera gear and related equipment are lost or stolen. It’s also best to do this immediately so that action can be taken as quickly as possible.
While it’s good to remain positive, some countries have a higher statistical theft rate than others. Thus, locating your misplaced or stolen equipment might take longer than expected in countries where theft is more commonplace.
Alternatively, you can consider retracing your steps to visit the places you’ve last been in. You’ll have a higher chance of recovering your lost camera and equipment before someone else takes it away!
Sometimes, taking matters into your own hands might be just the solution in the nick of time.
#3 Visit the Singapore embassy
If need be, you can also consider visiting the Singapore embassy to seek assistance. They might be able to advise or help liaise you with local authorities better to expedite the search for your camera.
However, most embassy visits are typically reserved for more emergency situations such as losing your phone or passport overseas.
Find More About Travel Insurance Providers
Compare and make the best decisions to find the best travel insurance providers for your needs
- Find Out About Etiqa Travel Insurance Singapore
- Find Out About HL Assurance Travel Insurance Singapore
- Find Out About Great Eastern Travel Insurance Singapore
Read these next:
Where to Buy Travel Insurance 2022 (With COVID-19 Coverage): Insurers, Credit Card Rewards, or Airlines
Travel Insurance Plans For Stolen/Lost Phones: Claim Up to S$2,000
10 Tips on Buying the Right Travel Insurance in Singapore
Travel Insurance Add-ons: Which Ones are Worth Your Money?