Violin & Strings Insurance
Violin, Cello, Viola & Double Bass Cover
String instruments are fragile, irreplaceable, and often of enormous sentimental and financial value. Many violins, cellos, and bows are antique or hand-crafted — and standard home contents policies offer inadequate protection. Specialist strings insurance is essential for any serious player.
What's Covered
- ✓Full instrument and bow cover
- ✓Humidity and environmental damage
- ✓International touring and airline cover
- ✓Specialist valuation for antique instruments
- ✓Cover during lessons, rehearsals, and performance
Common Risks for Violins
- ⚠Cracked or split tops from humidity changes
- ⚠Bow hair and rehair damage
- ⚠Neck breaks and bridge collapses
- ⚠Theft of instrument and bow
- ⚠Case damage during airline travel
Real Claim Example
A professional violinist's bow was cracked during a domestic flight. Their specialist policy covered bow repair and temporary hire while the original was repaired.
The Specialist Risks of String Instruments
String instruments are some of the most environmentally sensitive instruments in existence. A humidity shift of 10–15% over 24 hours can cause a top crack on an acoustic violin, cello, or guitar — and treatment in many traditional instrument-making regions means the instruments aren't built for the relatively dry winters many performance venues produce with their central heating systems. The combination of fragility and potentially enormous value — professional violins routinely sell for $50,000–$500,000 — makes specialist strings insurance not optional, but essential for any serious player.
Bow Insurance — Often Forgotten
The bow is often worth a significant fraction of the instrument's value — and sometimes more. A quality French pernambuco bow for violin or cello can be worth $5,000–$50,000, and antique bows by makers like Tourte or Sartory command even higher prices. Yet many musicians insure their instrument carefully while forgetting to list the bow on their policy, or under-insuring it. When arranging strings insurance, list every bow with its current appraised value and check that each is covered individually in the event of loss.
Tip: Have bows appraised by a specialist at the same time as the instrument — valuations often reveal bows worth far more than the owner realised, and this information is critical to getting the right insurance.
Airline and International Tour Cover
Flying with a string instrument introduces risks that go far beyond the normal transit environment. Cargo hold temperature and pressure changes can stress top joints and crack ribs even in approved flight cases. Checked baggage is at risk of rough handling and loss. Most serious touring string players choose to purchase a seat for their instrument on the aircraft — and specialist insurance should cover this requirement where needed. When touring internationally, check that your policy provides full territorial coverage, not just domestic cover with limited overseas extension.
- →Consider purchasing an airline seat for instruments valued above $20,000
- →Ensure transit cover includes air cargo in the hold
- →Check territorial limits for international touring
- →Document instrument condition with photographs before every flight
Humidity, Temperature, and Environmental Damage
Unlike most other instruments, string instruments actively suffer from environmental conditions. Top cracks, seam openings, and varnish damage from humidity and temperature extremes are legitimate insurance claims under specialist policies — but may be excluded under standard equipment or home contents cover. When arranging strings insurance, specifically ask how environmental damage is covered, what documentation is required, and whether gradual deterioration from poor storage conditions is included or excluded. A climate-controlled case and in-case humidifier can reduce claims significantly.
Other Instrument Types
Get a Quote
Tell us about your violin & strings insurance needs.