Accelerant received approval in North Carolina for a new commercial inland marine form filing tied to its Bolton Street Ramble Musical Instrument Program, a niche product aimed at professional musicians. The filing was submitted on February 27, 2026, approved on March 2, and took effect March 3 for both new and renewal business.
The program provides inland marine coverage for musical instruments and related equipment on a nationwide basis and is written as an exception to the AAIS inland marine program. The North Carolina filing introduces three new forms: a musical instrument coverage declarations page, the main musical instrument coverage form, and an optional endorsement for personal property coverage for music studios.
The core form covers direct physical loss to musical instruments, related equipment and accessories, certain computer equipment used with those instruments, and valuable papers and records. Coverage extensions and supplemental coverages include debris removal, replacement property, diminished value, borrowed instruments, newly acquired instruments, loss of income, pollutant cleanup, rental reimbursement, and emergency removal.
The declarations page shows several built in coverage features, including $25,000 for borrowed musical instruments for up to 30 days, $25,000 for newly acquired instruments for up to 30 days, $1,000 for loss of income, $10,000 for pollutant cleanup and removal, and rental reimbursement of up to $2,500 per day with a $25,000 maximum per occurrence. Catastrophic coverage for earthquake and flood is capped at the lesser of $500,000 or the applicable scheduled limit, subject to a 5% deductible.
An optional endorsement expands protection to music studio property, including furniture, fixtures, office equipment, supplies, and tenant improvements, but only while at the insured premises listed on the declarations. That endorsement can be written on a replacement cost basis when shown on the declarations.
The filing also offers some notable flexibility for insureds. Property is covered wherever located, replacement cost valuation applies to the insured’s property at the time of loss, and paid losses do not reduce applicable limits. At the same time, the form includes tight exclusions around mysterious disappearance, theft from unattended vehicles unless there is visible forced entry, property shipped by regular mail, voluntary parting, mechanical breakdown, wear and tear, and cyber related losses through separate referenced endorsements.
From a business perspective, this is a specialized commercial inland marine play targeting professional musicians and music studios rather than a broad small commercial audience.