Damage Waiver

The $59 damage waiver is an optional add-on that reduces your out-of-pocket liability for covered accidental damage during the rental. It is not insurance. It does not transfer your responsibility for the kit — it just caps it for the kinds of events most likely to happen on a wedding day.

What the waiver does

With the waiver, your maximum liability for a covered event is $250. Whatever the actual repair or replacement cost runs beyond that, the studio absorbs.

Without the waiver, you are liable for the full repair or replacement cost of any damaged item, up to the retail value of the kit.

Covered events (with waiver)

• Accidental physical damage during the rental — drops, dings, bumps, cracked lens elements, broken filters.
• Light liquid exposure on weather-resistant gear (a champagne splash on a weather-sealed camera body, a light drizzle).
• Strap or mount failure resulting in a drop.

Excluded events (always your responsibility)

The following are excluded from waiver coverage. If any of these happen, you owe the full cost regardless of whether you bought the waiver.

• Theft of any kind. A police report isn't required and doesn't change what you owe, but we recommend filing one so you can claim the loss on your own insurance.
• Theft from an unattended vehicle. Industry-standard exclusion — don't leave the kit in the car.
• Loss — gear that simply does not come back in the return box.
• Submersion or heavy water damage — dropped in a pool, left in a rainstorm, splashed during an outdoor sparkler exit gone wrong.
• Intentional damage, vandalism, or abuse.
• Damage from misuse — using gear outside its rated environment, ignoring the quick-start guide we send.
• Damage to consumables — SD cards, batteries, lens cloths, USB-C cables, lens caps, straps, etc. These are wear items.
• Cosmetic-only wear on the gear itself is normal and not a chargeable event in the first place — but if it amounts to true damage, the assessment applies.
• Late return fees. Late returns are governed by the Late Returns policy, not the waiver.

Lost, missing & unreturned items

Items missing from the return box — and the kit itself, if it never comes back — are charged at documented replacement cost. Current rates:

• Camera body · $1,250
• Battery · $120 each
• 256GB SD card · $80 each
• 512GB SD card · $115 each
• Two-microphone kit · $95 — one charge whether one mic or both are missing (the mics are sold as a pair and can't be bought individually)
• Dual battery charger · $50
• AC power cable · $30

Anything not listed here is charged at its documented replacement cost — the actual price to put that item back into rotation, sourced as described under “How we determine the cost” below.

The waiver does not cover lost or unreturned items. These are charged regardless of whether you bought the waiver.

Repair is never more than replacement value

You are never charged more than an item's replacement value. If a repair estimate comes in higher than simply replacing the item, we replace it and charge the replacement value instead. At this price point a service-centre rebuild of the camera body usually costs more than a new one, so replacement is normally the lower figure — and the one you'll be charged.

Stolen and never-returned are charged the same

A unit reported stolen and a unit that simply never comes back are charged identically — the full replacement cost above. The rental terms already put a kit that isn't returned on the renter (a kit not scanned back is treated as abandoned under the Late Returns policy), so “it was stolen” is not a lower-cost outcome than “I didn't send it back.” If it was stolen, we recommend filing a police report. It won't change what you owe us, but it lets you claim the loss on your own insurance. Charges are applied under the Authorization to Charge clause of the Reservation Terms.

What "$250 deductible" means in practice

Example 1 — covered event:

• You drop the camera and crack the front element.
• A service-centre rebuild would run more than the camera is worth, so we replace it: $1,250.
• With waiver: you pay $250. Studio absorbs $1,000.
• Without waiver: you pay $1,250.

Example 2 — excluded event:

• The kit is stolen from your unattended hotel-room balcony.
• Replacement cost: $1,250 for the camera, plus any other missing items at the rates above.
• With waiver: you pay the full amount (theft is excluded).
• Without waiver: you pay the full amount.

Example 3 — light cosmetic ding:

• Tiny dent in the cage, functional but visible.
• Assessment: $0 (cosmetic-only wear is normal).
• With or without waiver: you pay $0.

Scope of the waiver

The waiver applies per order, not per item. A single $250 deductible covers any number of covered events in the rental period — you don't get billed $250 per dinged item.

How we determine the cost

We use real-world repair or replacement costs from authorized service centers (e.g., Sony, Canon, RØDE) or new-stock pricing from B&H Photo / Adorama for the same SKU. Each charge email cites the source link so you can verify.

Disputes

You have five business days from the assessment email to dispute a charge, including with your own photos or written explanation. After that window, the charge is applied to your payment method on file under the Authorization to Charge clause of the Reservation Terms.