Piano Replacement Insurance

[Keith Roberts]

First, you can't go by anything a neighbor says unless he is a piano tech
and then why call you? Second, I wouldn't give an estimate without being
able to see the piano, so you will just have to tell them they have to wait
until the piano is in a safe place so you can inspect it.
Keith R
----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 5:04 AM
Subject: Piano Replacement Insurance


> I have a client that wants me to write a damage estimate for a
storm-damaged piano (tree fell through roof and hit corner of piano - only a
small crater easily visible in photo). It is an old no-name upright (Cable,
I think) that appears to have been in better-than-average condition. The
case reportedly has a couple cracks in it and the neighbor says the
soundboard has separated (I cannot go in house because of physical
dangers/insurance).
>
> Now, the bottom line is easy: the piano had a maximum pre-damage worth of
$1,000 (really less, I know). It needs to be refinished, plus some repairs.
Damage easily exceeds value. Piano is a total loss. OK. No problem with
that.
>
> However, the owners the type of insurance that many have (including me!):
replacement insurance. If my 10-year old TV or couch gets stolen or an
elephant steps on it, my insurance will pay for a new item of similar type -
regardless of what its current value might have been.
>
> This dude bought an old upright for a few hundred bucks, it got hit by a
tree, and now he has ordered a new Mason & Hamlin 50 upright piano as the
replacement. I can word a statement very carefully and put in the
appropriate disclaimers, but still I feel less than comfortable doing
anything with this situation. I don't know that anything illegal is going on
here, but boy, it sure doesn't feel very good.........  Any thoughts?
>
> Terry Farrell
>
>