Exhibition and Transportation Insurance

It can happen in the blink of an eye. While setting up an exhibition, a model falls and gets damaged, or during an event, a festival tent is destroyed by unexpectedly strong winds overnight. Fortunately, there is a way to protect yourself against such damage. The Swiss Model Flying Association (SMV), in cooperation with the Fred Schneider General Agency in Thun and Allianz Suisse, offers exhibition and transport insurance.

Every model airplane pilot knows the routine. A quick check before takeoff: Elevator. Check! Rudder. Check! Ailerons. Check! Everything’s working perfectly. Then the flight can begin. Before organizing an event, the organizing committee should also take a moment to conduct a quick check. For example, they should verify that the venue has been reserved, catering has been arranged, invitations have been sent out, advertising has been placed, and so on. An important consideration is whether all items—whether owned, rented, or borrowed, such as tables, grills, models, etc.—are insured against loss or damage. Damage can quickly determine whether an event makes a profit or a loss. Starting at just CHF 79.00, items can be insured for up to 10 days with a coverage limit of CHF 25,000.00. The insurance coverage runs from the time of pickup from the rental or lending company until return and covers any damage as well as loss during transport and for the duration of the event.

It’s also important to determine whether the items are already insured by the landlord or rental company—and, above all, what kind of coverage they have. The old saying “Better safe than sorry” is sound advice, but it’s not always strictly necessary. However, if certain types of damage are not covered by the rental company’s or lender’s insurance, it’s worth checking with Allianz Insurance. Please note: Vehicles and trailers cannot be upgraded to a higher level of coverage—such as from liability to partial or comprehensive coverage—through this insurance policy. This must be handled through the appropriate vehicle insurance policy.

Exhibition and transportation insurance covers damage or loss resulting from the following events:

• Collision, fall, or collapse of the vehicle,
• Burglary from a locked vehicle,
• Collapse of engineering structures (tunnels/bridges),
• Natural disasters (fire, lightning, earthquake, flood, hurricane-force winds of 100 km/h or more, etc.),
• Falling of goods during loading, transshipment, or unloading,
• Burglary or robbery during the event,
• willful damage and vandalism.

New items are insured at their purchase price, while used items or those with artistic or collector’s value are insured at their current market value. The deductibles are CHF 200 per item or group, or CHF 500 in the case of malicious damage or vandalism. Registration is relatively simple using the registration form and the accompanying inventory list. After determining which items—whether owned, rented, or borrowed—are to be insured (Note: Avoid double insurance), these can be entered in the inventory list, specifying the owner and the replacement value (replacement cost or current market value). For small items valued at less than CHF 1,000, groups can also be formed (e.g., festival benches, tableware, trophies, etc.). The insurance plan is then selected based on the total amount listed on the registration form and the desired coverage period. Once the organizer’s name and the name and date of the exhibition have been entered, the documents can be submitted to our insurance partner, the Fred Schneider General Agency in Thun. Please note that the application should be submitted as early as possible so that insurance coverage takes effect in a timely manner.

Detailed information about exhibition and transport insurance can also be found on the SMV website under the “Model Flying/Insurance” section. The brochure “Your Insurance Package” summarizes all the important information. In addition, the policy and the registration forms are available in the download section. For further information or questions, our insurance partner, the Fred Schneider General Agency in Thun, and its knowledgeable team are also available to assist you.