Summary: Professional or commercial use of photographic and musical equipment can be arranged under the Commercial Articles Coverage Form, CM 00 20 01 13, used with the Insurance Services Office (ISO) inland marine insurance program. This coverage form affords open perils coverage (subject to certain exclusions) for cameras and musical instruments owned by or in the care, custody, or control of the insured.

Generally, the form covers property used by such insureds as photography studios, motion picture production companies, professional musicians (individually or in groups), boards of education, and municipalities. The form requires the scheduling of individual items, with a limit of insurance provided for each item. However, provisions exist for blanket coverage. And, as written under ISO's modular format, the form is combined with a declarations page, a common policy conditions form, and an inland marine general conditions form to make a policy. This form was revised in 2013.

Topics Covered: Coverage Exclusions Limits of insurance Deductible Additional conditions Additional acquired property Coverage options Declarations page

Coverage

We will pay for direct physical loss of or damage to Covered Property from any of the Covered Causes of Loss.

1.Covered Property, as used in this Coverage Form, means:

a.Cameras, projection machines, films and related equipment and accessories;

b.Musical instruments and related equipment and accessories; and

c.Similar property of others that is in your care, custody or control.

Analysis

The Commercial Articles Coverage Form defines “covered property: as cameras, projection machines, films, and related equipment and accessories. The Commercial Lines Manual rules contemplate coverage for property used for commercial purposes even though the form itself does not mention a requirement that property be used commercially in order to be covered. Therefore, there should be no question as to coverage where property insured under the form is used for other than commercial purposes.

The manual rules state that television cameras and equipment, coin or token operated devices, property of camera dealers or manufacturers, and aerial or radar cameras are not eligible for coverage under this form; however, no corresponding exclusion pertaining to these types of property is contained in CM 00 20 itself. Therefore the underwriter's need to be familiar with this eligibility requirement is vital.

Musical instruments and equipment, including stationary organs to be used for remuneration or before the public are eligible for coverage under the commercial articles form. Note that instruments belonging to the members of any formally organized group of musicians, such as an orchestra, band, or chamber music ensemble, are also covered by the provisions of the commercial articles coverage form. In addition, unlike the former musical instruments floater, a combination of groups or individuals—several bands represented by the same booking agent or individual members of a music association, for example—can be rated together as one risk.