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Handbell Insurance Features & Benefits
Our handbell insurance is designed around you and can be tailored to meet your needs on a per instrument basis. You can quote and buy online or our highly experienced team can help you arrange your handbell insurance by phone.
£12 Discount for members of Handbell Ringers of Great Britain.
What we offer...
Our Harmonic policy provides cover for your instruments against accidental damage, loss, and theft, the policy can also be extended to include your liability for damage or injury to other people or their property.
- Cover for accidental damage, loss, and theft.
- Cover can be at your premises, United Kingdom or worldwide depending on how you use each instrument.
- Standard cover comes with £0 excess (£100 and £250 available) in the event of a claim.
- Theft from an unattended vehicle included as standard.
- Cover for single and multiple instruments all on one policy.
- Our policy allows you to choose unique cover on an individual instrument basis.
- Harmonic will cover your instruments regardless if you are a paid musician or you are just playing for your own enjoyment at home.
- Free cover for £750 worth of musical accessories (per claim limit of £750) and anything else you use to play your instrument that is valued between £10 and £350.
- Courier costs are covered in the event of a claim up to £250.
- Hire costs in the event of a claim up to £1000.
- Cover is included for instruments (loan/approval) valued under £3,500 for up to 21 days that you become legally responsible for.
- Depreciation after a covered repair if your instrument has reduced in value due to the damage.
- Postage cover when you send an item off to be serviced (return cover should be covered by the repairer) subject to the territorial limits selected for that item.
- Temporary loan cover for anyone using your instruments with your permission on items valued up to £25,000.
- Public Liability cover including Music Teaching is available as an add-on to your policy up to £1, £2 or £3 million.
- Discounts for ISM, BFS, MU members and many more musical associations
Handbell Insurance FAQs
You can cover this under our Harmonic policy.
Unlike many other insurers, we have tried to reflect in our cover that your instrument may be larger than a glove compartment/boot. You need to activate any vehicle security measures but there is no requirement for your vehicle to have an alarm. But if an alarm is fitted it must be activated.
You can select not to insure this risk. If you do continue with this cover the policy schedule under Unattended vehicle cover will show Yes and the policy schedule is endorsed as follows:- "Please note that we will not make any payment for damage caused to your insured equipment or music accessories while left in any unattended vehicle unless you have taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the insured equipment and musical accessories are completely hidden within the vehicle or in a luggage compartment or locked boot and that all security measures on the vehicle are put into full and effective operation."
Yes, you can insure all your instruments, musical instruments and accessories under a single policy. Subject to those items being acceptable to us.
Yes, our cover allows you to add different types of instruments to your policy. Subject to those items being acceptable to us.
You may find that the cover available under a home insurance policy doesn't cover you for all the risks to your instrument. Consider the following:
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If you take your instrument out of the home, say to school or a gig, you will need to check that your household policy covers this (normally an out of home extension is required).
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Most home policies require theft involving force but in practice instruments are most often left in unlocked rooms or store rooms.
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This extension will normally have a single item limit. Is your instrument below this limit?
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Will it cover loss/theft for a building (e.g. a concert hall/school or if left on a school bus?)
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What is your policy excess (typically £100, £250 etc.).
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Will a claim following damage to your instrument affect your Contents No Claims Discount (if applicable).
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Will your contents insurers know where best to repair your instrument?
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If you damage your instrument, would your contents policy pay for a loan of an instrument to enable you to continue to play?
Why choose a specialist policy with New Moon Musicians Insurance.
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A specialist policy covers your instrument in and outside the home for the UK and can be extended to cover the instrument on a worldwide basis.
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A standard £0 policy excess applies (although you can consider taking an excess if required).
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Policy extensions to include loaning of an instrument.
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Other benefits include:
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Worldwide, UK and Premises only cover options
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Theft cover
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Accidental damage cover
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Loss cover
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Unspecified musical accessory cover comes as standard (limit £350)
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Unattended vehicle cover
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Hire costs in the event of a claim
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14 days free cover when you borrow/acquire a new instrument (limit £3,500)
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UK wide repair network
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Depreciation cover is included as standard within New Moon’s music instrument policy.
As long as you are within your policy Geographical Limits (e.g. UK) it is acceptable for you to keep your instrument at school.
You must be 18 years of age to enter into an insurance legal contract. The policy should be taken out by a parent or person over 18 years of age. The policy has a standard extension which allows the policy holder to loan the instrument to another person who may be under 18 years. In a typical case a parent will insure an instrument under this policy even through it is played by their child at school etc.
If you represent an orchestra, a group, an ensemble, a brass band or a rock band you can either submit a quote to us online or call us and we are happy to complete your quote over the phone.
You have, subject to suitable case, cover for airline travel (assuming not insured on a premises only basis). If you have selected UK cover and you are flying outside the UK you must upgrade prior to travel to worldwide cover. Cover for your instruments is provided for either “carry on”/ hand luggage item or if it is placed in the aircraft hold, subject to the item having a suitable case. It is not acceptable for the item to go in the hold in a soft instrument case. If the instrument is going into the hold it must be in a hard or flight case.
Aircraft travel is often difficult for musicians and we recommend that you check with your airline prior to booking your ticket regarding their position on musical instruments. For some airlines and high value instruments you may need to book a seat for a large instrument. Even if you do this, on occasions , airlines still put your instrument in the hold and it is therefore important to ensure that you have a suitable hard/ flight case whenever traveling. Our policy will not cover your instrument if in a soft or unsuitable case even if you planned to take as hand luggage only to find out at the airport that the airline insists that it goes in the hold.
Important : Airlines have strict liability under law for damage during flights – you will see that all policies (including ours), advise that you must claim off the airline first and recover any outstanding amount from your insurance. Please note that airlines often decline liability if you take the instrument outside of the arrival lounge. It is important therefore that you check your instrument prior to leaving the lounge.
Air flight tips : we recommend taking a photo prior to travel to show the package/ case. Where applicable strings tension should be adjusted to reflect air temperature fluctuations during flight. Brass instruments should be packed including where applicable a Styrofoam cone in the bell etc. If in doubt talk to your local Luthier or music shop. Always label your case and put as much packing as possible to protect your instrument. Remember to remove sharp items and any liquids etc.
Very Important : The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has placed some strict rules around items with Ivory, Brazilian Rosewood, Abalone or similar materials built into your instrument. If travelling overseas this can cause problems and your instrument may be retained by officials and destroyed. No insurance provider currently covers loss, destruction or retention by officials. You need to check with relevant bodies prior to travel that your instrument is not going to be retained and destroyed by officials, as this loss will not be covered by any insurance.
Should you wish to make a complaint, you may do so by telephoning on 01892 280323, emailing m or by writing to:
The Customer Services Manager, New Moon Musicians Insurance, Jubilee House, Long Bennington Business Park, Long Bennington, Newark, NG23 5JR.
We take all complaints seriously and will endeavour to respond immediately. Where this is not possible, we will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days confirming the name of the member of staff dealing with your complaint.
We will provide you with a full written response within 20 business days or explain the current position and agree a time scale for a full response. If upon receipt of the full response from New Moon Musicians Insurance you remain dissatisfied you may be eligible to refer your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
The FOS is an independent body that arbitrates on complaints. They can be contacted at:
Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR
Tel: 0800 0234567 (for landline users) 0300 1239123 (for mobile users).
Email:
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
You have six months from the date of our final response to refer your complaints to the FOS. This does not affect your right to take legal action, however, the FOS will not adjudicate on any case where litigation has commenced.
New Moon is able to provide liability cover for music teachers working from home, visiting students homes or providing tuition at venues.
You will probably need Public Liability cover as a minimum. New Moon Musicians Insurance can cover some small events if you have a policy with us.
For larger events we recommend Graham Sykes Insurance - www.graham-sykes.co.uk/event-insurance
The History of The Handbell
The history of handbells traces back to the early Christian church in England, where large bells were rung in towers to signal various events and gatherings. However, the concept of handbells as a separate musical instrument emerged much later. In the 17th century, small bells were developed in the Netherlands and later adopted in England for use in handbell teams. These early handbells were primarily used for change ringing exercises, a distinctive form of bell ringing popular in British bell towers.
The development of handbells as a musical instrument gained momentum in the 19th century in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The first tuned handbells were created by John Warner & Sons in London in 1846. These early handbells were made of bronze and featured a clapper mechanism for striking the bell. The tuning process involved shaving metal from the inside of the bell to achieve the desired pitch.
Handbell ringing became increasingly popular in church settings, and handbell teams began to form. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, composers like Percy Grainger and LeRoy Anderson started incorporating handbells into their compositions, further solidifying the instrument's role in the world of music.
During the mid-20th century, the art of handbell ringing experienced a revival, with the formation of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain in 1967. Handbell ringing expanded beyond traditional settings, finding a place in secular and community performances. Today, handbell teams are active in churches, schools, and community groups, and handbells are crafted with meticulous precision, offering a unique and delightful contribution to the world of musical expression.