## General Questions ### Do I have to choose a protection plan? Yes. Every Stage Gear rental requires a protection plan before your order is confirmed and equipment is reserved. You have two options: the Damage Waiver or a Certificate of Insurance. Until you select one and complete payment or paperwork, your order is not reserved and another customer could rent the same equipment. ### When do I choose my protection plan? You select your protection plan at checkout on the Stage Gear rental platform. If you're not sure which option is right for you at the time of checkout, you can indicate that you haven't decided yet — but be aware that your order won't be reserved until a plan is elected and confirmed. We strongly recommend choosing at checkout to secure your equipment. ### Can I change my protection plan after I've chosen one? No. Once a protection plan is selected and confirmed — either at checkout or through your Broadway Media account portal — the election is final and cannot be changed. Please review your options carefully before confirming. ### What happens if I don't choose a plan before my equipment ships? Your equipment will not ship until a protection plan is confirmed. If your ship date arrives and no plan has been elected, your rental will not ship. If you selected COI and haven't submitted an approved certificate, the same applies — your equipment will not leave our facility until we've reviewed and approved your COI. Orders that are delayed due to a plan not being elected or an incomplete COI are not eligible for refund. ### What equipment is covered by these protection plans? All audio-visual equipment listed on Broadway Media's Stage Gear rentals site — including projectors, audio systems, microphones, wireless systems, cases, cables, and accessories. Your protection plan applies to the full equipment package on your rental, not individual items. ## Damage Waiver ### What is the Damage Waiver and how does it work? The Damage Waiver is the simplest protection option. You pay a non-refundable fee equal to 10% of your total hardware rental cost, and in return, Stage Gear waives its right to bill you for covered accidental damage to the equipment up to $20,000. There's no claims process — if covered damage is found during the return inspection, we handle it internally at no additional charge to you. **Important:** The Damage Waiver is not insurance. It is a contractual waiver — Stage Gear agrees not to charge you for covered damage. It does not involve an insurance carrier and cannot be used to recover anything. ### How much does the Damage Waiver cost? The Damage Waiver fee is 10% of your total hardware rental cost. For example, if your equipment rental totals $2,000, the Damage Waiver fee is $200. The fee is non-refundable once your order is confirmed. The estimated cost is shown at the product level on our website, and the final amount is calculated at checkout based on your full rental term. ### What does the Damage Waiver cover? The Damage Waiver covers accidental physical damage to equipment that occurs during your rental period while the equipment is in your care. This includes: - Accidental drops or impacts - Damage caused by normal use in a professional theatrical or audio-visual production environment - Breakage that results from careful handling where something simply goes wrong Coverage is subject to a maximum of $20,000 per rental. ### What does the Damage Waiver NOT cover? The following are expressly excluded from the Damage Waiver: - **Theft or loss** — if equipment is stolen or goes missing, you are responsible for the full replacement cost. - **Intentional damage** — damage we determine was caused deliberately. - **Gross negligence** — reckless handling of the equipment. This includes exposing equipment to any liquid or water, using equipment outside the conditions it was designed for, or allowing unqualified people to operate it. - **Liquid or water damage** — contact with any liquid constitutes gross negligence and is not covered. - **Missing items** — accessories, cables, cases, or components not returned to us. - **Improper repacking** — shipping damage caused by failure to repack equipment in its original cases and foam, or use of an unauthorized carrier. - **Damage above $20,000** — you remain responsible for costs above the cap. ### What is the coverage cap? The Damage Waiver covers up to $20,000 in damage per rental. If the cost of repair or replacement exceeds $20,000, you are responsible for the amount above the cap. ### Do I need to file a claim if damage happens? No. The Damage Waiver is applied automatically by Stage Gear when covered damage is identified during the return inspection. We'll notify you of any damage found and confirm whether it's covered. You don't need to do anything other than return the equipment. ### Can I lose access to the Damage Waiver on future rentals? Yes. If equipment is returned with significant damage, or if you have a pattern of repeated damage across multiple rentals, Stage Gear reserves the right to deny you the Damage Waiver option on future rentals. We'll notify you in writing if this applies. It does not affect the current rental. ### What if I'm using the equipment recklessly — can the Damage Waiver be taken away mid-rental? Yes, under specific circumstances. If Stage Gear becomes aware that equipment is being used with gross negligence during the rental — for example, if you contact us about water damage — the Damage Waiver dissolves automatically as of the date the gross negligence occurred. We will not revoke a Damage Waiver without cause, and we will not do so simply because damage occurred from a normal accident. ## Rental Flex Protection ### What is Rental Flex Protection? Rental Flex Protection is an optional add-on that gives you access to flexibility benefits not available under the standard rental terms — including cancellation and credit rights, a free reschedule, a one-day late return grace period, missing accessory forgiveness, and expanded wear and tear coverage. It costs 8% of your total rental cost at checkout. It is not insurance, and it is not a replacement for the Damage Waiver or COI. You still need to choose one of those two protection plans — Rental Flex Protection is an addition on top of whichever plan you choose. ### How much does it cost, and can I add it later? At checkout: 8% of your total hardware rental cost — the same calculation as the Damage Waiver. The higher post-checkout rate reflects the anti-gaming premium. You can add Rental Flex Protection at any point before your equipment ships via your BMD account portal. ### What happens if I need to cancel my rental? With Rental Flex Protection, your cancellation rights depend on how far out you cancel: - **More than 90 days out:** Full refund of eligible rental fees (Flex fee, Damage Waiver fee, shipping, and processing fees are excluded from the refund). - **14 to 90 days out:** 100% account credit for eligible rental fees, valid for 12 months. - **Within 14 days:** Account credit if a qualifying event forces cancellation (government emergency, school/venue closure, documented force majeure). General weather or personal preference does not qualify. Without Rental Flex Protection, the standard cancellation policy applies — which is much more limited. ### How does the Free Reschedule work? The Free Reschedule is actually a credit mechanic, not a date swap. Here's how it works: you initiate the reschedule in your account portal at least 14 days before your start date. Your original rental is canceled and you receive a Flex Credit for 100% of your eligible rental fees — valid for 12 months. You then use that credit in the portal to find available inventory for your new dates and check out at no additional cost (or pay the difference if the new rental is more expensive). This approach means you can see exactly what's available for your new dates before committing. Inventory is not guaranteed — if nothing is available for your preferred new dates, the credit stays in your account until it expires. ### What is the Emergency Extension Option? If life gets busy, Rental Flex Protection gives you one (1) Business Day of late return forgiveness — no late fees. To use it, you must notify BMD at hello@broadwaymedia.com before your original 12:00 p.m. return deadline. BMD will confirm availability (if another customer needs the equipment immediately after your rental, the extension may not be possible). If BMD provides updated return labels, you must use them — failure to do so voids the benefit. ### What is Missing Accessory Forgiveness? If you return everything except one small accessory worth $50 or less — an XLR cable, a power cord, an adapter — we'll forgive it. You also get 7 calendar days from when we send you your Return Inspection report to find the item and ship it back before the charge is finalized. This doesn't apply to microphones, wireless transmitters, receivers, projectors, or cases. ### What is Enhanced Wear and Tear Coverage? With Rental Flex Protection, we interpret Normal Wear and Tear more generously. Minor tape or adhesive residue, typical transmitter belt wear, and typical theatrical marks that come off with routine cleaning can be treated as wear and tear rather than chargeable damage. This coverage has a dollar cap of 150% of the Flex Fee you paid. So if your Flex Fee was $200, we'll cover up to $300 in expanded W&T cleaning costs. Anything above that cap is assessed at standard rates. ### Can I get Rental Flex Protection even if I'm paying by Purchase Order? Yes. The Flex Fee is paid separately from your rental fees, and it must be prepaid by credit card or check — the same rule that applies to the Damage Waiver. POs cannot be used to pay for Rental Flex Protection. ### What if my Damage Waiver gets dissolved for gross negligence — what happens to Flex? If you elected both the Damage Waiver and Rental Flex Protection, and the Damage Waiver is dissolved mid-rental for gross negligence, Rental Flex Protection dissolves at the same time. All remaining benefits are voided. The Flex Fee is non-refundable. If you only have a COI (no Damage Waiver), your Rental Flex Protection is not affected by Equipment Protection Plan events. ### Does Rental Flex Protection transfer to a new rental after a reschedule? No. When you use the Free Reschedule benefit, Rental Flex Protection does not carry over to the new rental — it was used on the original order. When you check out for the new rental, you'll have the option to add Rental Flex Protection again at the applicable rate. ## Certificate of Insurance (COI) ### What is the COI option? If your organization already has insurance that covers rented equipment, you may be able to use that policy instead of paying the Damage Waiver fee. You submit a Certificate of Insurance from your insurer, we review it to confirm it meets our requirements, and once approved your order is confirmed. There is no additional fee for this option. ### What does my COI need to cover? Your COI must evidence the following minimum coverages: - **General Liability:** At least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. - **Equipment / Property Coverage:** Sufficient to cover the full MSRP replacement value of all equipment on your order. Acceptable policy types include All Risk, Inland Marine, Entertainment Package, Hired-In Equipment, or Rented/Leased Equipment coverage. - **Lost Rental Revenue:** Coverage for lost rental income if equipment is destroyed, calculated at your weekly rental rate for a minimum of 4 weeks and maximum of 12 weeks. ### What language must appear on my COI? Your COI must include the following endorsements: > "Broadway Media Distribution, Inc. dba Broadway Media is an additional insured on a primary and noncontributory basis with respect to general liability. Waiver of Subrogation is granted in favor of Broadway Media Distribution, Inc. dba Broadway Media with respect to general liability and workers' compensation. Broadway Media Distribution, Inc. dba Broadway Media is loss payee as it relates to rented/leased equipment." Certificate Holder Box must read: > Broadway Media Distribution, Inc., 105 W 86th Street, #218, New York, NY 10024 For the full requirements, see the [COI Requirements page](/legal/coi-requirements). ### When do I need to submit my COI? Your COI must be submitted to hello@broadwaymedia.com before your scheduled ship date. Equipment will not ship until we've reviewed and approved your COI. We target review completion within two Business Days of receiving your submission. No refunds will be issued for rental fees if your shipment is delayed or canceled because your COI was submitted late or did not meet our requirements. If a late submission requires us to use expedited shipping to meet your delivery date, you are responsible for those additional shipping costs. ### What if my insurance expires before my rental ends? We won't approve a COI that expires before your Return Due Date. If your policy expires mid-rental, you'll need to provide a renewed certificate before we approve the order. Plan ahead — we review coverage dates carefully during our COI review process. ### If my equipment is damaged, do I pay Stage Gear or my insurer? You pay Stage Gear directly. We will invoice you for the full cost of repair or replacement. It is then your responsibility to contact your insurance carrier and file a claim for reimbursement. We'll provide you with all the documentation you need — photos, inspection reports, and invoices — to support your claim. We do not communicate directly with your insurer or manage the claims process on your behalf. ### My organization is a public school — can we use a COI? Yes, and it's often the preferred option for school districts. Most districts carry equipment floater or inland marine coverage that satisfies our COI requirements. Contact your district's risk management or business office to request a certificate. If your district's policies prevent you from consenting to New York governing law, please notify us in writing before placing your order so we can discuss an accommodation. ## Inspections & Condition ### What happens before my equipment ships? Every piece of equipment goes through a Pre-Shipment Inspection performed by our Asset Manager at Stage Gear. This includes operational diagnostic testing, firmware verification, and photographic documentation of condition. These records are stored and become the baseline against which your return is evaluated. You can request copies of your Pre-Shipment Inspection records at any time. ### What is the 24-hour inspection form? When your equipment is delivered, you have 24 hours to complete and submit a Customer Inspection Form documenting the condition of everything you received. We send this form to you by email when your order ships, and a printed copy is included inside the equipment packaging. This is important: if you don't submit the form within 24 hours, the equipment is automatically considered to have arrived in the same condition as our Pre-Shipment Inspection documented. You will not be able to later claim that damage was pre-existing. We strongly recommend photographing all equipment when you open the packages, and comparing it to the tracking information we've provided. ### What happens when my equipment is returned? Our Asset Manager performs a Return Inspection within 30 days of receiving your equipment (we target 10 Business Days, but peak season may extend this up to the 30-day limit). The inspection includes diagnostic testing, comparison against Pre-Shipment records, and photography of any issues found. We'll notify you of the Pass or Fail result and next steps. ### What counts as normal wear and tear? We're reasonable about this. Normal wear and tear refers to minor, expected deterioration from careful use. We do not charge for: - Minor cosmetic scuffs from careful handling - Projector or unit diagnostic resets - Routine cleaning of surfaces, lenses, or grilles - Air filter replacement - Accumulated lamp or laser hours on projectors - Microphones and wireless units returned clean and functional If it costs us money to repair something beyond routine maintenance, that's when a charge may apply. ### What happens if my equipment arrives broken? Contact us immediately — on the same Business Day if possible, and no later than the next Business Day. Complete the Customer Inspection Form with photographs of the issue. We'll do everything we can to resolve the problem, which may include sending a replacement unit if one is available. If you wait past the 24-hour window, we're significantly limited in what we can do for you. ## Shipping & Returns ### How does shipping work? Stage Gear pays for and manages outbound shipping. We select the carrier and speed to target delivery by 5:00 p.m. your local time on the Monday your rental starts. You'll receive a UPS tracking number for every package when your order ships. We are not responsible for carrier delays beyond our control. ### How do I return my equipment? A pre-paid return shipping label is included inside your equipment packaging. Simply repack everything in the original cases, apply the return label, and drop it off at a UPS location. That's it — we take care of everything else. Return deadline: Equipment must be scanned into UPS by 12:00 p.m. in your local time zone on the Monday marking the end of your rental. Late fees begin if this deadline is missed. ### What if I can't find the return label? Contact us at hello@broadwaymedia.com or 1-800-277-0343 as soon as possible during Business Hours and we'll send you a new one. Do not use a different carrier or create your own shipping label — you must use a label provided by Stage Gear. ### Who is responsible if equipment is damaged during shipping? On the way to you, we bear the risk of loss. On the way back to us, you bear the risk until the equipment is scanned into UPS's tracking system. If UPS loses your return shipment after you've obtained a scan receipt, you're not responsible for the disappearance — but you'll need to initiate the UPS claim (UPS requires the sender to file, and that's you on the return). We'll help with documentation. ### What if I return equipment late? Late fees begin the day after your Return Due Date, based on a prorated daily rate (weekly rental cost divided by 7). Fees accrue until the equipment is scanned into UPS — not until it arrives at our facility. Late fees accumulate until they reach the MSRP replacement value of the overdue items, at which point we treat the equipment as unreturned and invoice for full replacement. ## Schools, Purchase Orders & Signing ### We're a school district. Which protection plan is recommended for us? Most school districts use the COI option, as many districts carry inland marine or equipment floater coverage that satisfies our requirements at no additional cost. Check with your district's risk management office. ### Can we pay by Purchase Order? Yes. Stage Gear accepts Purchase Orders from accredited government agencies and school districts. Our payment terms are 2/5 NET 15 (2% discount if paid within 5 Business Days; full balance due within 15 days of invoice). Note: Purchase Orders cannot be used to pay for the Damage Waiver fee — that must be prepaid by credit card or check. ### Who needs to sign the rental documents? Rentals placed on behalf of an organization require an Authorized Signatory — someone with actual authority to bind the organization to a contract. For school districts, this is typically a principal, assistant principal, business manager, or department head with contracting authority. A teacher may sign if they have been expressly delegated authority by an administrator. Personal liability note: Whoever signs the rental documents on behalf of your organization personally represents that they have authority to do so. If the organization later disputes that authority, the individual signatory is personally liable for all amounts owed. ### Do we need the Organization Authorization Form? Yes, if you're renting on behalf of a school, district, nonprofit, government agency, or any other organization. The Organization Authorization Form confirms who your organization is, who is signing, and that they have authority to do so. It also captures Purchase Order information if applicable.