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23 June 2026

Home contents vs specialist insurance ‐ what musicians need to know

By Lark Music

Person adjusting controls on an orange guitar amplifier whilst holding a black electric guitar.

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Longer days and warmer weather mean one thing for musicians – gig season. With everything from big festivals to weddings to pub garden gigs packing out the summer months, this is one of your busiest times of year – so now’s the perfect time to check you’ve got the right level of insurance to protect your musical instruments and gear when you’re away from home.

While home insurance can work well for many musicians, different policies offer different levels of cover, and small details can make a big difference if you need to claim.

So in this article, we’ll take a look at whether your home insurance provides enough cover, the differences between home contents insurance and specialist musical instrument insurance, and the questions you can ask to make sure your instruments and equipment are covered.

A person plays guitar on stage near a drum kit at an outdoor event with blurred audience in the background.

Summer risks for musicians – why the right insurance matters

Are you excited to get on stage this summer? Whether you’re heading out on tour or gigging closer to home, nothing beats making music for a live crowd. But with every performance, there’s always an element of risk – and in peak season, these are higher than usual.

Whether you play guitar in a function band, flute in an ensemble, or you’re a soloist on tour, summer could mean you’re travelling for longer or rehearsing more regularly away from home – increasing the chances of equipment getting lost or being damaged in transit.

You could be performing on temporary outdoor stages, with cables and amps open to the elements, or playing to lively crowds who are drinking and dancing as they celebrate special events – leading to a higher risk of accidents that could damage your kit.

And with this season generally being the most lucrative for musicians, it’s even more important to make sure you’re covered so, if something goes wrong, you don’t lose out on earnings. So, as the summer heats up, now’s the time to make sure you have the right insurance for your needs.

Does my home insurance cover musical instruments?

Home contents insurance generally covers musical instruments, but there are certain conditions it’s important to know about.

Firstly, most home insurance policies typically have a maximum amount you can claim for any one possession. This is called a ‘single item limit’ and you will need to check it’s enough to cover the full value of your musical instrument. If it isn’t, you need to let your insurer know so they can add your instrument(s) separately to the policy as a high-value item which you may need to pay a higher premium for.

Secondly, and most importantly for this time of year, home contents insurance doesn’t always include cover for your instruments when you take them away from home. To do that, you may need to add protection for personal possessions to your home policy, which may also cost more.

A person holds the neck of a violin, with their fingers positioned on the fingerboard.

Person in a yellow jacket carries a guitar case on their back and pulls a yellow suitcase down a city street.

When might home insurance not be enough?

Even if you add your high-value instruments to your home insurance and take out a personal possessions policy, there are still some instances when your home contents insurance might not be enough.

For example, some home insurers might not provide cover if you’re being paid for your musical services, as this could be seen as professional use rather than personal – which affects both gigging and teaching.

Likewise, if you need to hire an instrument while yours is being repaired or replaced, your home contents insurance may not cover the costs of this. Any repairs can also have an impact on the value of your musical instrument, and your home policy might not cover any loss of value either.

Five key questions to ask your home insurer

It’s easy to think your contents insurance is enough to cover your musical equipment, but it’s the small details that can cause an issue if you need to claim. The best thing to do is check with your home insurer now to make sure your policy is fit for your needs.

Here are five key questions to consider asking:

Am I covered away from home?
Does my policy cover my musical instruments if I take them outside my home, and under what conditions?
What value is covered and what are the costs?
Are there single item limits and do I need to list my instrument separately? What proof of value or ownership do I need to show if I claim? What is the excess, and would a claim affect my home premium/claims record?
Am I covered for travelling and transit?
Does my policy cover accidental damage while travelling in a car, van, train or plane, or when loading in or out, or in a venue?
Does my policy cover professional use?
Does my cover still apply if I’m getting paid for gigs or teaching?
What else does my policy cover?
Does my policy cover accessories like bows, mouthpieces and pedals, and cases? How does my policy handle repairing an instrument compared to replacing it, and who chooses the repairer?

If your home insurer cannot meet all your needs, then it could be time to consider specialist music equipment insurance.

What does specialist music insurance cover?

Specialist musical instrument insurance is designed with musicians in mind, so it’s shaped around how, where, and when you play. It’s generally cost-effective while being tailored to a musician’s specific needs, for example if you gig or teach, or you own a valuable instrument.

There are a range of different providers who offer varying levels of cover depending on your needs, so always check the policy wording to find out what’s covered.

At Lark Music, our policies include*:

Flexible cover with no excess to pay on musical instruments
No two musicians are the same, so our specialist instrument policies are tailored to your needs, from full-time professional musicians to part-time to amateurs. And with no excess to pay, claims can be settled quicker so you can play again sooner.
Protection against core risks, including loss of value after repair
Your musical instrument may be highly valuable and any damage could cause a loss in value. Our policies not only include cover for damage, loss and theft as standard, but can also cover any loss of value in the event of a repair.
Cover for accessories
We understand that musical instruments come with a range of vital accessories, from bows and mouthpieces, to pedals and hard cases. Specialist musical instrument insurance offers protection for accessories too.
Travel by road, rail or air covered
Gigs and concerts can take you up and down the country, our policies cover for travel in the UK or abroad. If you’re touring this summer, you can do so with peace of mind – whether you’re going by road, rail or air.
Cover for the costs of hiring an instrument
We know how important your musical instrument is to you, especially if music is your source of income. That’s why, if your instrument is damaged or beyond repair, you can access cover for the cost of hiring an instrument in the interim.
Optional Public Liability and Personal Accident cover
You can add on specialist musicians’ Public Liability cover to your instrument insurance, to protect you against the cost of a claim if someone else is injured or their property damaged while you’re performing, teaching, rehearsing or recording – another important cover when you’re playing in public. At Lark Music, we can provide both Public Liability and Personal Accident cover.

*Policy terms and conditions apply

How much does musicians insurance cost?

Specialist musical instrument insurance may be more cost-effective than you think. Your quote usually depends on the number and value of the instruments, items, equipment, and accessories you want to insure. At Lark Music, policies start from just £25 a year depending on what you insure and the cover you choose.

Home insurance vs Lark musical instrument insurance

So what’s better for your needs – home insurance or musicians insurance? It depends on what you’re after from your cover. To help you decide, here are the key differences between home insurance and Lark Music’s specialist music insurance. Other music insurers may offer different cover, so don’t forget to check their policy wording if you look elsewhere.

Home contents insurance	Specialist musical instrument insurance from Lark Music
Cover for musical instruments at home	Cover for musical instruments at home and away from home
Single item limit - a cap on the amount you can insure any one item for. All higher value items may have to be listed separately at an extra cost	No single item limits - all instruments, gear and accessories insured for the exact amount they would cost to replace, whether you’ve got one guitar or a whole studio full
Personal possessions cover - can protect instruments away from home, but may not apply if you’re getting paid	Unlimited professional use - including paid performances and teaching
Excess typically paid as normal	No excess to pay on musical instruments¹
No claims discount may be affected in the event of a claim	Cover for loss of value following a repair
	Cover for hire costs if you need to rent an instrument while yours is repaired or replaced
	Cover for travel and transit, without restrictions

Instrument insurance checklist

Whether you use home contents insurance or specialist music insurance is up to you. What’s important is that your instruments and gear are protected for how you use them, with no hidden gaps in your policy.

To help you find the right cover this summer, use this handy checklist.

Does my home insurance:

Cover my musical instrument and equipment out of the house?

Cover the full value of my instrument?

Cover travelling with my musical instruments?

Apply if I’m getting paid to perform?

Cover my musical accessories?

Cover the costs of repair and any loss of value?

Cover costs of hiring a replacement instrument?

Need me to pay any excess?

Affect my no-claims discount if I claim?

Time to explore your options?

From drummers to bassists, guitarists to violinists, wind players, brass players, pianists and more, right now you could be getting ready for a season of more concerts, more gigs, more rehearsals, and more travelling. So make sure your insurance is note-perfect for your needs.

Review your home insurance today to check it’s enough for your needs, and why not get a quote from a specialist music insurance provider to explore your other options?

At Lark Music, our policies are designed for musicians. You can view documents before you buy, and you’ll get proof of insurance immediately after purchase. If you need to make a claim, you’ll deal with a specialist team who understands instruments and repairs.

After more than 35 years protecting musicians, our straightforward and cost-effective policies reflect the realities of performing, teaching and touring – so you can enjoy a summer full of music with complete peace of mind.

Get a quick quote online today

Policies vary by provider – this guide is for general information purposes, not advice. Always check your own policy terms.

¹No excess applies to Keynote insurance product only.

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Lark Music is a trading name of Howden UK Brokers Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 307663. Registered in England and Wales under company registration number 02831010. Registered Office: One Creechurch Place, London, EC3A 5AF. Calls may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes.