insurance for wedding photographers

lisarhinehart

Now that I'm considering starting my own wedding photography business, I think it will be imporant for me to have insurance.

My first thought was to cover if I broke a lens or something else that wouldn't be covered under warrenty, or for equiptment that is no longer under warrenty. I also think it would be important to have in the case of some unforseen event preventing me from making it to a wedding (I'm thinking car accident or something), but maybe not b/c wouldn't you just refund?

What do you insure? How much does it run? Who would you reccomend?

aktse

lisarhinehart wrote:

Now that I'm considering starting my own wedding photography business, I think it will be imporant for me to have insurance.

Pros need insurance -- equipment + a liability policy.

Sometimes, it's not as simple as refunding the money. What happens if you miss a critical shot and wedding party sues? What happens if you only have one body and it breaks? What if you're using a flash with an umbrella and it falls? On the cake? On a guest? Or if someone trips and falls over your camera bag? Or, you tell the bride to pose near something, and she trips, falls and rips her dress? Working pros (and not just wedding photogs) need a liability policy in addition to a policy that covers your gear. Your photo gear will break+fail; the question is when...

dgrin search is your friend; this topic has been covered many times.

These are a few insurance companies that seem to work well with pro photographers.
Hill and Usher
Marsh Affinity Group Services (PPA's insurance)
Tom C Pickard.
Prosurance (ASMP's insurance)
Hartford

Blurmore

I have Hill and Usher, needed coverage in a hurry (venue requirement) they delivered. The policy is actually underwritten by the Hartford. But I can recommend Hill and Usher.

Cygnus Studios

aktse wrote:

Pros need insurance -- equipment + a liability policy.

Sometimes, it's not as simple as refunding the money. What happens if you miss a critical shot and wedding party sues? What happens if you only have one body and it breaks? What if you're using a flash with an umbrella and it falls? On the cake? On a guest? Or if someone trips and falls over your camera bag? Or, you tell the bride to pose near something, and she trips, falls and rips her dress? Working pros (and not just wedding photogs) need a liability policy in addition to a policy that covers your gear. Your photo gear will break+fail; the question is when...

It is now easier to get money in a lawsuit than hitting the lottery, and more and more lawyers are jumping on the bandwagon. If you are providing any service without insurance you are playing Russian Roulette.

While insurance isn't exactly cheap, it is far cheaper than the lawyer who will defend you.

heatherfeather

I use Hill and Usher too.

For me in AK it runs about $700 per year, which I consider to be cheap because of the peace of mind that accompanies the policy.

Ed911

I have my camera equipment insured through my home owners via an "Inland/Marine," separate rider. Cost is like $10 per thousand. Covers accidents, losses due to theft, etc. My laptop computers are insured too...anything that I take to a venue is covered. You drop it...it falls in a creek...etc...they will pay to have it repaired or replaced. With lenses and camera bodies costing thousands...you can't afford not to have it.

$200 a year covers $20,000.00 in camera gear and associated equipment. Not a bad trade off in my book.

One catch is that you must have your home owners insurance through them...for me, it's Farm Bureau...looked around and they were at the top of the customer satisfaction listing and had the best prices.

My wedding insurance is via PPA (Professional Photographers of Ameraica)...if you list your primary activity as wedding photographer, they require liability insurance. It's provided as part your membership.

Heather, just wondering how much insurance you get for $700 in Alaska...is that camera gear + liability?

Scott_Quier

Hill & Usher FTW. Like blurmore, I needed it quick. A phone call, a couple of e-mails and I was covered. Took about 2 days. Price? About $675 for all my gear (damage and replacement coverage), liability, E&O, and a couple of other things I don't remember.

Something not mentioned yet is the need for "errors and omissions". This will cover you when you don't get the requested shot of great-grandpa and they come back at you for breach of contract or something.

heatherfeather

Ed911 wrote:

Heather, just wondering how much insurance you get for $700 in Alaska...is that camera gear + liability?

plus a bunch of bells and whistles I can't remember either. The Hill and Usher errors and omissions coverage is not available here, which stinks.

ChatKat

Exc;usions
Be careful if you travel because many policies don't cover you if you take your equipment out of your studio - even locally. You might need a listed articles policy.

I have a policy for liability and my studio from one company that covers me for my studio gear and premises (even part of your home may need a business policy and I have the PPA gear policy - a listed articles policy that covers gear worldwide and for things such as being stupid and dropping your lenses or camera.

Shima

I have business insurance through State Farm (it was easiest since they already cover my house and cars). I have both equipment insurance (for whatever happens, accidental or not on the job) as well as the liability insurance.

ChatKat

Shima wrote:

I have business insurance through State Farm (it was easiest since they already cover my house and cars). I have both equipment insurance (for whatever happens, accidental or not on the job) as well as the liability insurance.

I have State Farm for personal insurance, but, to cover my equipment off premises, it would not cover me without having a listed articles policy and It did not have coverage for international travel. I got the PPA Gear policy which covers you for off site use and travel as well as it gives you access to PPA Attorney assistance for things like copyright violations and errors and omissions.

Shima

ChatKat wrote:

I have State Farm for personal insurance, but, to cover my equipment off premises, it would not cover me without having a listed articles policy and It did not have coverage for international travel. I got the PPA Gear policy which covers you for off site use and travel as well as it gives you access to PPA Attorney assistance for things like copyright violations and errors and omissions.

My coverage covers me on site, I stated that I was a wedding photographer and needed coverage on location, they said no problem. It probably doesn't cover me internationally, but I never asked for that.

It's listed as a Business Policy on the main page in my documentation from them. The equipment is covered on the Inland/Marine page like Ed911 mentioned, I just checked.

Art Scott

Are all of you being insured for full replacement price or are you being depreciated on your gear value???

Are covered in case you should accidently drench your gear with soda pop or it falls from the roof of your car as you're changing locations and forgot to put inside the car????

Sounds stupid I know.....but I watched a Pentax LX roll of the roof of a car and hit the pavement it had a very large lens of approx 2' long and 6" in diameter.....car came to halt and passenger had it scooped up before I could see what the lens was that was attached.......he wasa a very unfriendly photog as i tried asking him a couple of questions and was told to mind my own business....I just wanted pointers on shooting in the hills of Ark, with the rolling fog and such.........that was over 30yrs ago and I bet he still has nightmares over that..............

Had photog friend that worked for Ma Bell and his OLY OM10 was soaked in a resturant by a kid from behind him that poured a whole 16oz of coca cola into his bag......

Stuff happens...................

lisarhinehart

thanks all
Thanks for filling me in on all those ins and outs-- there is much to keep in mind. I'll call State farm as they supply my home-owners insurance, and make sure that the policy I'd get would cover:

* Equipment
* Liability (would this include errors/omissions, or would i have to go to Hill/Usher)
* The above when I'm working off-site

I'm thinking of mentioning their "Inland Marine" rider, since you've mentioned this, but it's mostly Greek to me

Thanks again!

FedererPhoto

lisarhinehart wrote:

I'm thinking of mentioning their "Inland Marine" rider, since you've mentioned this, but it's mostly Greek to me

Thanks again!

"Inland Marine" is basically the term for "both on and off-site"



Does anyone want to share their experiences and insight with the PPA insurance offerings?

Scott_Quier

lisarhinehart wrote:

Thanks for filling me in on all those ins and outs-- there is much to keep in mind. I'll call State farm as they supply my home-owners insurance, and make sure that the policy I'd get would cover:

* Equipment
* Liability (would this include errors/omissions, or would i have to go to Hill/Usher)
* The above when I'm working off-site

I'm thinking of mentioning their "Inland Marine" rider, since you've mentioned this, but it's mostly Greek to me

Thanks again!

Ask about full replacement in the circumstance where you drop something into a non-recoverable location. Also ask about water damage. I approached a friend who is a SF agent and she basically said she couldn't cover that sort of thing for less than about $1K/yr. I was sorry to do so, but I had to look elsewhere.

fadelessphoto

I know you guys all have insurance and things can always go wrong. But how frequent is such a mess to happen? Did any of you or known friends got sued for forgetting shots of grandma with aunt annie?

Scott_Quier

fadelessphoto wrote:

I know you guys all have insurance and things can always go wrong. But how frequent is such a mess to happen? Did any of you or known friends got sued for forgetting shots of grandma with aunt annie?

Nothing has happened yet.