Triumph Followed by Tragedy

In 1987, our firm restored the 1884 Hilborne Roosevelt pipe organ at Highway Tabernacle Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after a fire devastated the entire church. Although a fire’s destructive capabilities are obvious, water damage can be just as destructive. As our announcement of the enlargement and re-voicing of St. Mary’s 1981 M.P. Moller/Murphy organ turned from triumph into tragedy we are reminded of the dangers of water damage.

Often even small amounts of water can reek havoc on an organ. Water damages pipes, action, leather, and wood. Excessive water will seep into even the most solidly constructed windchest and cause damage to pipework and internal leather. Only after slow careful drying can the true damage be realized. Possible warping and glue failure in critical areas can also occur. Fortunately, St. Mary’s had the foresight to be adequately insured to cover such tragedies.

Owning a pipe organ is a wise, long-term musical investment. In order to adequately protect this investment, we offer some suggestions for both insuring and maintaining your instrument. In preparing this article, I approached our own business insurance provider, Mr. Chris J. Konell of Konell Insurance concerning these issues. Chris is a Certified Insurance Counselor with over 20 years of Insurance expertise.

First, your instrument should be appraised by a knowledgeable organ consultant or builder. With the ever rising costs for pipe organ replacement, this appraisal should be conducted annually to ensure that these replacement costs are covered. This assessment is essential to having the proper insurance coverage. Conventional wisdom states that one can never be overly insured.

While each insurance carrier has different definitions, coverage, limitations, and exclusions, traditionally, most organs are insured under the content’s section of the insurance policy. Too many times when there has been extensive damage from a catastrophe such as fire, there has not been enough coverage for both an organ and all other damages throughout the church. We are often asked to appraise for the worst possible replacement scenario, Fire! For this type of coverage we usually specify a replacement cost for Like, Kind and Materials. Considering that pipe organ replacement costs can be well into the six and seven figure range, it is often recommended that an Insurance Rider be applied to the existing contents coverage that specifically applies to the organ.

Chris cautions that “what most people fail to understand is that contents coverage applies only for the insured premises, meaning the church and its grounds. There is either no off premises coverage or very limited coverage given for contents off the grounds.” In the case of a new building project or major remodeling, an instrument is sometimes best protected by removing and placing into storage. Insurance coverage for both the storage and transportation to and from the location is often recommended. In order to obtain this type of offsite coverage, he recommends obtaining a written appraisal for the organ and then determining the length of time the organ will be off the premises. An Inland Marine Rider would cover the organ when it is off the church grounds. According to Chris, “It would be imperative for a Church which is sending an organ into storage or to be renovated, to obtain this type of coverage.” This coverage is especially important when your organ is in storage, because the maintenance of the storage unit may be out of your direct control. Therefore, check your policy and make sure you are covered no matter where it is located. But, before making any changes to your policy consult your insurance agent.

Not only does your instrument need to be insured; it needs to be protected within a properly maintained building. As mentioned, water can do immense damage to an organ. Therefore all sources of water must be periodically checked. These sources include the roof, air conditioner condenser units, plumbing, and interior sprinkler systems.

With proper care, your organ will last for generations. In the unfortunate event of a disaster be sure that your organ is fully covered by the right insurance plan.