Once you reach the point of turning your passion for taking photos into a commercial photography business, the first step you should consider is obtaining the correct insurance for photographers and camera equipment insurance! It’s a common mistake to assume a standard Homeowners Policy can provide the best photography insurance for photographers, but this is not always the case.
It will only be a matter of time before you’re being asked to provide a certificate of insurance to show photography liability insurance (Bodily Injury and Personal Property) for both yourself and your client, or the location you’re shooting at. You may find when you need rented photo equipment insurance to pick up gear, the owner/ rental house will request a certificate naming them as an Additional Insured and Loss Payee. You won’t be stepping foot on location, or walking out the door with that photo gear, unless the correct photography equipment insurance coverage is shown on the certificate issued.
What about your owned photography gear? A commercial photographer will also need to make sure their photo and grip equipment is correctly covered by their photography insurance policy. Camera equipment moves around from location to location, or in some cases out of the country; it’s imperative that your photo insurance policy adequately covers your gear while stored at your home/ studio, but also wherever you go. This includes computers and photographer lighting equipment insurance. Photo equipment insurance should be covered on an “all risk” basis and should not exclude theft.
As your business grows, so does your risk of exposure! A commercial photography liability insurance policy covers the above mentioned (and much more!) and can be purchased either for a short-term project or on an annual basis. Our team of experienced agents will review your photo operations and help build the best photo insurance plan to meet your specific needs. Another commercial photographer coverage to consider is Workers Comp if you’re hiring a crew or have employees. There are also some reshoot exposures to consider, coverage for props and wardrobe that could be damaged on set, or coverage if you rent vehicles like grip trucks. The best insurance coverages for photographers can be added to your photo insurance policy with limits based on your needs. Let us help you secure the commercial photographer coverage you need!