Three quarters of camera claims caused by dropping them says service plan specialist Domestic & General
5 August 2008
Are camera owners guilty of being butterfingers? And why is water such an attraction to photographers?
Domestic & General has analysed the latest claims on cameras and found that nearly three quarters of claims involve dropping the camera onto a hard surface or into water or falling while holding the camera. Dogs and children are blamed for the dropped camera in one in six of these cases.
One in four of the claims involve dropping the camera into water - all sorts of water from baths and ponds to rock pools, rivers and the ocean.
Nearly one in ten of the claims arise from the owner falling over while trying to take a shot, often into water. Many photographers admit to perching precariously to get the shot they are after and this leads to accidents.
3% of claims arise from the owner running over the camera in a car.
Here is a small selection of extracts from claims made over the past 6 months:
“I slipped on the damp ground and the camera fell out of my hands and down the cliff face onto the rocks below.”
“I was taking some shots in the garden. As I changed the lens I lost my grip on the camera. I tried to cushion its fall by sticking out my foot but ended up ‘volleying’ it across the concrete slabs and down the steps.”
“I was setting up to video my dog as he was playing in the garden. I didn’t see him coming and he knocked into me and I dropped the camera into the pond.”
“My children bumped into me by the swimming pool and I fell in with the camera in my hand.”
“The damage occurred as I was changing lenses. One of my dogs ran into my tripod, knocking it over into the water. So my camera landed face down in the river.”
“I packed the camera into a travel bag for a family day out and loaded the car up. When I started to drive off I heard a pop. I got out and checked the tyre but when I looked I saw the camera on the road. It had fallen out of the bag and I had accidentally driven over it in the car.”
“I carry my camera everywhere with me and had it in my back pocket. The screen broke when I sat on it.”
-ENDS-
Notes for Editors
The statistics in this release are based on claims made to D & G over a 6 month period - last Q 2007 & first Q 2008. Case studies are available as is photography in some cases.
Dropping camera onto hard surface 39%
Dropping camera into water 25%
Fell with camera in hand or pocket 9%
(% of above caused by children or pets 15%)
Accidents involving cars 3%
Other 24%
Total 100%
Domestic & General is the UK’s largest specialist provider of service contracts on domestic appliances, electronic equipment and gas central heating systems. The company offers breakdown plans for over 100 appliance brands, over 2,000 independent high street retailers and catalogue companies, and also operates a Quoteline service.
For more information, please contact the D & G press office on 020 8879 8580 or email pressoffice@domesticandgeneral.com.