Get Woodwinds Insurance And Stay Financially Protected During the Pandemic!

 Your daughter is a woodwind instrument player. She has been a part of her high-school quintet for three years and has participated in many noted events and competitions. Everything was going well, and then came the pandemic followed by shutdowns. However, now when things are getting slightly better, her tiny band wants to resume practicing. However, given the current global health scenario, is it a good idea to play woodwinds with other band mates?

 

Do you find the above scenario similar to yours?

 

Are you a parent with the same thoughts running in your mind? Do you wonder - do woodwinds instruments spread the corona virus? You are not alone. Thousands of families have the same question, and it is quite understandable. So, let's discuss this topic a bit more.

 

Do playing woodwinds increase the amount of aerosols in the environment?

 

The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to playing a woodwind instrument is when you play it, say a flute, piccolo, or a trumpet, you need to blow into it forcefully. In light of what various reputable health organizations, like WHO and CDC, have been saying for a long, i.e., besides sneezing and coughing, talking loudly, and even singing can increase the level of corona virus load in the environment, it's better to avoid playing woodwinds, especially outdoors and in groups. Also, make sure that you have Woodwinds Insurance to avoid any unnecessary hassles.

 

What do studies say?

 

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota, musical instruments, especially wind instruments, are considered to be one of the many sources of aerosol production that eventually leads to a viral transmission.

 

Moreover, singing, talking loudly, and blowing forcefully through wind instruments are likely to produce as much as 104 times more aerosols in comparison to speaking or breathing. So, unfortunately, if a woodwind player is COVID-19 positive and asymptomatic, he or she can be a super-spreader of the virus.

 

And, if you do not have Woodwinds Insurance, you are likely to land yourself in financial troubles if someone acquires the corona-virus infection from you being an asymptomatic spreader. Therefore, it is highly important to have a proper and instrument-specific insurance plan handy.

 

Won’t health insurance come to your rescue?

 

What if you already have a health insurance plan? Dear reader, your health insurance plan is for safeguarding you financially in case of a health or medical emergency. However, it will not protect you from third-party liabilities and many other scenarios that only musicians can relate to. So, it is crucial to get a musical instrument insurance plan.

 

Isn't there a way out?

 

Although playing woodwinds in groups or quintets is not a great idea as far as the pandemic scenario is concerned, you should find a way so that the woodwind artists can practice while avoiding the possible risks. Some of the useful tips include:

 

●       Musical instrument players should maintain a physical distance of more than 6-feet while practicing.

 

●       They should not stand and play facing each other to minimize the risk of contamination.

 

●       They should practice in well-ventilated spaces while adhering to all safety guidelines, including open windows, using the best quality air filters, among others.

 

●       The safety guidelines also recommend that indoor practice sessions should not last longer than 30 minutes. So, you should also keep this in mind.

 

A little bit of precautions can go a long way

 

So, these are some of the most important things to consider if you, your kids, or anyone else you know wants to practice playing woodwinds instruments during this tough phase. Always remember, prevention is much better than cure. And, it stands true for health conditions as well as your musical instruments.

Homeowner’s vs. Specialized Insurance Policy Plan for Woodwind Instruments

Picture this - You drove down to the city’s best gig space to get the final venue booking done for your upcoming show. Everything went well until you came out of the venue only to find out that someone broke into your car, and now your woodwind is missing. Without wasting any time, you called your homeowner’s insurance service provider and filed the claim. Your insurer then assigned an insurance claim adjuster to investigate your case.

Investigation started!

The insurance adjuster ran a series of web searches and got to know that you are much of a professional and have played your woodwind instrument (that is covered under your homeowners’ insurance policy) outside your home at several gigs.

But what he found wasn’t good news for you. Why so?

The reason - as you perform outside against monetary benefits, your musical instrument is no longer a household thing, and it would be considered a commercial gear. What does it mean? It means, your homeowners’ insurance plan (that’s intended for your household belongings) will not cover any such item that is being used commercially.

All the convincing talks!

You tried to convince the insurance claim adjuster that you are not a professional woodwind instrument player and that you’ve performed in just one or two shows in one year and have earned as little as $200. Upon hearing this, the claim adjuster shrugged and informed you that no matter you’ve earned $200 or $20, no matter you’ve played ten concerts or one in the last one year, your musical instrument will not come under your homeowners’ insurance plan.

An expensive lesson for life!

Your heart skipped a beat, and you got the lesson, a pricey one, for life.

Having said that,

Have you been through the above hypothetical situation in life?

Or, do you think that your homeowners’ insurance plan will come to rescue if your musical instrument is broken, lost, or stolen?

If so, then you are not alone. In fact, a majority of professional musicians think that their musical instruments are covered under their homeowners’ insurance plan. But actually, they’re not.

So, if you are also a musician and play your instrument for monetary benefits, check if or not you are comprehensively covered before you land in rough waters. And, the best and safest thing to do here is getting a dedicated Woodwinds Insurance.

Homeowners’ Vs. Specialized

Going further, you will come to know about the main differences between homeowners' insurance plan and specialized musical instrument insurance in light of protecting your gears. Let’s get started!

Homeowners’ Insurance Policy Woodwind Instrument Insurance Policy It is very unlikely that it will cover any damage/loss to a third-party while you’re performing or teaching. If you teach music or perform live, you are very likely to get public liability cover with this policy. It mostly covers items that you keep in your home. If you take your gear out and it’s stolen or damaged, you will not get any compensation for the same. It is a specialized insurance policy. No matter where you go if your instrument is damaged, lost or stolen, you will get complete cover depending on the scenario. Your home insurance provider might not understand the degree of damage you can go through if your instrument is lost, damaged, or stolen. A specialized Woodwind Insurance provider understands the degree of the loss and will get it fixed or replaced as soon as possible.

It does not matter whether you are a musician, a music teacher, or a music store owner; with a dedicated insurance policy for musicians you are absolutely-financially safe.  A reliable and reputable music insurance company will make sure that you and your instruments are protected against any loss, damage or theft. Plus, their services are transparent, on-time, seamless, and reliable. Most importantly, their team is always ready to help you with your queries and confusions.

Tips to Maintain Your Woodwind Gear and Importance of Woodwinds Insurance

Musical instruments are fragile. And, owing to the amount of precision and fineness that goes into manufacturing these gears, time to time maintenance and care are a must. So if you are a professional musician or an amateur music enthusiast, always remember, a well-maintained gear offers the best playability. Plus, maintenance also increases the life of the musical instruments and protects these from easy breakage or damage.

Maintaining musical instruments is especially crucial for young people who generally don’t get time to take proper care of their woodwinds. In this world of quick-fixes, just a couple of minutes of daily care are sufficient to get your horns performing well for many years.

Don’t overlook the importance of musical insurance

And, another important thing is Woodwinds Insurance. To protect your gear from the unforeseen situations, you should get proper insurance coverage. And, when your gear is well-maintained and well-protected insurance, you can take a sigh of great relief.

Here we have outlined some easy care tips that will keep your woodwind performing great for years to come. Let’s read on!

General cleaning instructions for all woodwinds

●        Make sure to clean your instruments using a gear-specific swab post every playing session. And, never leave the swabs inside the horn, no matter what.

●        Make sure not to use a cleaning cloth that’s way larger than your instrument. Musical gears like piccolos and oboes have got small bores. So, you might find it difficult to clean than using a large piece of cloth.

●        Clean your instrument, as and when needed, to get rid of the grease and fingerprints. Refrain from using alcohol to clean the parts made up of plastic.

●        Besides taking care of the instrument, you should also consider checking out the case to ensure that the handles, hinges, and latches are properly. Also, make sure to keep the inside of the case clean.

Instrument-specific maintenance instructions

Piccolo or Flute

●        Keep all the sockets and tenons neat and clean.

●        If you’ve got a silver flute, avoid polishing it on your own as it can cause further damage to the instruments.

●        Make sure to check the seal of the head cork along with its position.

●        You should only use a standard cleaning cloth for cleaning your gear.

Oboe or Clarinet

●        Always keep the tenons lubricated, but make sure not to overdo it.

●        Check out the bell rings and sockets to find if they are in place or have gotten loose.

●        If your clarinet is a wooden one, check for leaks and cracks at least once in a year.

●        If your gear is made up of brass, make sure to clean the sockets and tenons regularly.

Saxophone

●        Keep all the sockets and tenons neat and clean and well-lubricated. Avoid over-lubricating those

●        Make sure to check out the guard screws on a weekly basis.

●        To prevent your saxophone for damaging due to the bottom blow, make sure to use a neck strap.

Bassoon

●        Make sure that the bocal corks and tenons of your bassoon are well-lubricated.

●        Be very careful when assembling your gear because a little bit of carelessness can damage the whisper key bridge and pad.

●        If your gear is a wooden one, check for leaks and cracks at least once in a year.

The bottom line

No matter what kind of woodwind instrument you own, taking proper care will ensure the long-life of your thing. And, for the unfortunate and unforeseen situations, you have Woodwinds Insurance plans. Choose a good and customer-oriented insurance provider; find suitable insurance coverage and peace of mind guaranteed.

Because of the increasing popularity of musical instrument insurance plans, you will find multiple options to choose from. So how to find a reliable insurance service provider? Is this question crossing your mind at the moment? Well, such questions are quite obvious when you have plenty of options, and you don’t know which one you should go for. Make sure to choose a service provider that’s licensed and registered. It will ensure best-in-class and hassle-free services. Also, before you begin searching for an insurance company, make sure to understand your specific needs in the first place. When you know what you want, it becomes easier to find the right option.