Photographer insurance will protect you if photo equipment gets lost by accident or stolen. You can also use this to cover lawsuits for bodily injuries, property damage, and copyright infringement. Policies included in a photographer insurance plan are general liability, professional liability, commercial property, and more.
So do photographers need insurance? Photographers need to have the minimum level of liability insurance upon the client’s request. Clients who have big projects might only hire you if you have $1 million-$2 million liability coverage, which they can be named as additional insureds.
You have a lot of options. However, a comprehensive protection plan will comprise of the following best insurance for photographers:
Liability insurance-Either a general liability or professional liability policy. At the minimum, you need to have at least $300,000 in coverage
Commercial property insurance-While this is usually ideal if you have a photography studio, commercial property insurance is still useful if you don’t have one as it can cover photography equipment
Business owner’s policy-This acts as a commercial property and general liability insurance at the same time.
Workers compensation insurance-You can use this insurance to cover expenses without using personal money when an employee sustains a work-related injury or disease
Cyber liability insurance-Takes care of expenses you face after an error or cyber attack. This the best business insurance for photographers that need protection against phishing, malware, ransomware, etc.
Photographer liability insurance is a term that pertains to either a general liability or professional liability policy. The sections below discuss how each works.
| General liability insurance per occurrence limit | General liability insurance aggregate limit | |
|---|---|---|
| RV Nuccio | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Full Frame | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Pro Photographers | $1,000,000/$5,000,000 | $1,000,000/$5,000,000 |
| NEXT(Best) | $500,000/$1,000,000 | $500,000/$2,000,00 |
| Thimble | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Hiscox | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 |
| The Hartford | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| CoverWallet | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Hill and Usher | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| PPA | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Progressive | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Allstate | $1,000,000/$2,00,000 | $2,000,000 |
Accidents can happen in a photography session, especially if you do this outside. Further, the use of dangerous props increases the risk of people getting hurt while you’re taking photos.
Freelance and professional photographer insurance programs offer a general liability policy as a primary coverage. That said, protection begins with this. Use the table above to compare the general liability policy from some of the companies we recommend.
General liability insurance for photographers takes care of situations where your photography session results in an injury or property damage to third parties. Here are some scenarios where you’ll find this insurance useful:
You were working with a model for a reptile-themed photo shoot. The model was bitten by the python she was holding. Because of this, you were sued for injuries as well as trauma
During a home photoshoot, your lighting toppled, hit the client’s wall, and exploded. The wall sustained noticeable damage. And so, the client demanded compensation for fixing it
These are the expenses that your general liability policy can take care of each time clients, independent contractors, homeowners, businesses, and other third parties file a claim for bodily injury or property damage:
Medical treatment
Reimbursement or refund for the damaged property
Legal expenses
Settlements
Court judgments
Similar to the general liability policy of graphic design insurance plans, the general liability policy of professional and freelance photographer insurance plans also covers claims of copyright infringement.
This is why you can’t skip having it. In practice, you can also use a general liability policy to cover claims if another business entity accuses you of using their intellectual property without proper attribution or monetary compensation.
On a side note, this business liability insurance for photographers can also cover related claims for:
Slander
Libel
Invasion of privacy
Just as with their videographer insurance packages, insurance companies allow you to avail optional coverages from the general liability policy of their photographer’s insurance packages. The following are the optional business insurance for photographers you can usually get:
Tools and equipment coverage
Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage
Customer property coverage
Waiver of subrogation
| Professional liability insurance per occurrence limit | Professional liability insurance aggregate limit | |
|---|---|---|
| RV Nuccio | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Full Frame | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Pro Photographers | $1,000,000/$5,000,000 | $1,000,000/$5,000,000 |
| NEXT | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Thimble | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Hiscox | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 |
| The Hartford | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| CoverWallet | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Hill and Usher | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| PPA | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Progressive | $500,000/$1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Allstate | $500,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
You have legal responsibility over your services. This is why clients can file a claim if negligence, mistakes, or any other issues you commit while working result in financial losses. General liability insurance doesn’t cover this exposure. You need another type of commercial photography insurance coverage-professional liability insurance.
Use the table above to compare the professional liability insurance from some of the companies we recommend for photographers.
Professional liability insurance takes care of claims filed by clients against a photography service. Here are the situations where you’ll find this photo shoot insurance policy useful:
Clients filed a claim and accused you of submitting an output that poorly and hastily done
Clients filed a claim and accused you of faking your certifications and work portfolio
Clients filed a claim and accused you of conniving with another business to gain better commission
Clients filed a claim and accused you of leaving a photography project after receiving the initial payment
Insurance companies offer professional liability insurance for photographers as an occurrence or claims-based policy. Go for occurrence if you want lifetime coverage. On the other hand, the claims-based professional liability insurance works best if you plan to switch to another carrier in the future.
A professional liability policy is the best liability insurance for photographers that want coverage against sexual harassment claims.
Depending on which company you work with, the professional liability policy of photo production insurance programs might optionally or automatically offer a sexual abuse and molestation coverage.
Insurance companies that underwrite cameraman insurance plans sometimes offer professional liability insurance as an optional coverage to general liability insurance. If availed this way, the limits of professional liability insurance will depend on the limits defined in the quote for a general liability policy.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $170,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $25,000 |
| Contents coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $20,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $25,000 |
| Outdoor signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | $2,500 | Included | Included |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/$10,000 | Excluded | Included | Included |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included | Included | Included |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Included | Included | Included |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded | Included | Included |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Excluded | Included | Included |
For photography studio insurance, what we recommend is a commercial property policy. Commercial property insurance will reimburse your losses if the photo studio gets damaged or destroyed because of:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Civil commotion
Malicious mischief
Lightning
Weather
Sinkhole collapse
Volcanic action
Impact
Falling objects
Vehicle
Aircraft
Use the table above to compare the commercial property insurance of the companies we recommend.
| CoverWallet | Thimble | NEXT (Best) | Hiscox | The Hartford | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $300,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Commercial property coverage limit | $50,000 | $500,000 | $250,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $25,000 |
| Optional policies can be added? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds for free? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOP discount? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A business owner’s policy is a combination of commercial property and general liability insurance for photographers. It’s cost is cheaper than when you bought the two policies separately. Use the table above to compare the business owner’s policy of companies we recommend for photographers.
Numerous options exist for getting photography equipment insurance for camera equipment. You can go for stand-alone tools and equipment coverage, general liability insurance with optional tools and equipment coverage, commercial property insurance, and inland marine insurance.
A stand-alone tools and equipment coverage provides the most comprehensive insurance for camera equipment. Depending on which insurance company you purchase it, this insurance offers $50,000-$100,000 coverage for cameras, lenses, tripods, lighting sets, reflectors, and other implements. The coverage of tools and equipment insurance for camera equipment applies when these exposures happen:
Theft
Fire
Vandalism
Mysterious disappearance
Mechanical breakdown
Electrical breakdown
Electrical surge
Electrical shorts
A stand-alone tools and equipment coverage might offer a rental extension. Adding a photography rental insurance floater allows your stand-alone tools and equipment coverage to reimburse the losses of the owner in case rented or borrowed photography equipment gets damaged or lost because of the perils we mentioned.
| Tools and equipment insurance coverage limit | Rental equipment floater included? | |
|---|---|---|
| RV Nuccio | $5,000/$10,000 | No |
| Full Frame | $2,000/$15,000 | No |
| Pro Photographers | $10,000 | No |
| NEXT | $5,000/$10,000 | Yes |
| Thimble | $2,500/$5,000 | No |
| Hiscox | $5,000/$25,000 | No |
| PPA | $100,000 | No |
A general liability policy can be used as a photography gear insurance, provided that it offers optional tools and equipment coverage.
Optional tools and equipment coverage works similarly to its stand-alone counterpart. The only difference is that you get a lower amount of coverage, which is $5,000-$25,000 in most cases. Moreover, tools and equipment insurance might cover rented or borrowed photography gear subject to which company underwrote it.
A general liability policy with tools and equipment coverage is the best insurance for photography equipment if convenience is what you’re looking for. You can use the table above to compare the optional tools and equipment insurance of companies we recommend.
While most use commercial property insurance to cover buildings, the policy isn’t limited to this function only. After all, your business property isn’t only the photo studio but also the things inside it.
That said, a commercial property policy is the best insurance for camera equipment that got damaged or lost while inside your photo studio.
A commercial property policy can be used as a photo equipment insurance, because it has a contents coverage.
The contents coverage of commercial property insurance can be used when cameras, lenses, tripods, lighting sets, and other equipment gets lost or damaged while in the business premises due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils.
Stand-alone tools and equipment coverage, general liability insurance with optional tools and equipment coverage, and commercial property insurance doesn’t cover camera gear during transit.
Inland marine insurance is the best camera gear insurance for photographers that frequently travel.
If your cameras, lenses, tripods, flashes, and other gears get lost or damaged during transit because of fire, theft, vandalism, impact, mysterious disappearance, negligence, and other covered perils, this photography business insurance will cover replacements and reimburse financial losses.
Authorities will require workers compensation insurance if you’re a photographer with one or more full-time and part-time employees.
Employees can fall from a height while installing lighting or props. Bodily injuries might be sustained due to squatting or bending. Moreover, camera gear is heavy and continuous lifting can result in muscle strains.
Workers compensation insurance will take care of the following expenses if an employee sustains a work-related injury or disease:
Medical treatment
Hospitalization
Medication
Rehabilitation and retraining
Lost wages
Funeral expenses and allowance to dependents in case of death
Cyber liability insurance will cover expenses if you become a victim of data breach. This insurance usually takes care of these expenses:
Public relations
Legal defense
Professional services for containing the breach
Credit monitoring
Fines imposed by authorities
An electronic data loss coverage is included in cyber liability insurance. You can use this to recover financial losses and take care of data recovery expenses in case photos you’re about to edit and submit gets lost following a cyber attack.
A drone photography policy is what you need if you’re looking for a photography and drone insurance program. This is designed for:
Construction photographers
Photographers working for land surveyor firms
Aerial photographer
A drone photography policy package is made out of $5,000 medical expenses coverage, $5,000 bail bond, $100,000 fire legal liability coverage, contractual legal liability coverage, and $100,000 equipment coverage for the drone and photography equipment.
Drone insurance policies might be also included such as hull coverage, flight liability coverage, and more.
Camera insurance, as the name implies, only covers the camera and its attachments. Coverage doesn’t apply to photography equipment such as lighting, stands, drones, and others.
You have two options for getting camera insurance for photographers-avail it through a homeowner or renter’s insurance policy or as a stand-alone insurance program
Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policy comes with a personal property coverage. You can schedule your camera and its attachments in a personal property coverage. When the camera and its attachments get lost or damaged while in the house, condo, or any other place, the personal effects coverage will take care of replacement or repair expenses.
Note that this option is only viable for hobbyist photographers.
The stand alone camera insurance is available as a policy for personal use or commercial use. This one provides comprehensive limits. Moreover, perils excluded in the personal property coverage of homeowners' or renters' insurance are included.
Insurance companies sell photographer insurance for one day as a short-term general liability policy.
A short-term general liability insurance only lasts for hours, days, or weeks. The duration of the coverage depends on your preference. Most insurance companies that sell a 24 hour photographer insurance issue an online proof of insurance immediately.
The general liability policy of one day photography insurance has a $1 million-$2 million per occurrence limit. Some optional policies found in the usual general liability policy might not be included.
So how much do premiums cost? There’s no fixed price as the cost of one day liability insurance for photographer will depend on how long you want to get covered.
| General liability insurance | $1,000,000 per occurrence |
|---|---|
| $2,000,000 aggregate | |
| Professional liability insurance | $100,000 per occurrence limit |
| $200,000 aggregate | |
| Camera equipment insurance coverage limit | $1,000 per occurrence |
| $5,000 aggregate |
Another way of getting short term photography insurance is by buying an events insurance package that lasts for one day.
One day event insurance for photographers consists of a $2 million-$5 million general liability policy, $10,000-$15,000 camera gear insurance, event cancellation coverage, and $100,000-$2 million drone coverage.
While it usually lasts for 24 hours, it’s possible for you to extend the coverage of photography event insurance for up to several days. Note that premiums will be determined based on how long you want to be covered. By the way, some insurance companies allow you to pause your single event photographer insurance.
Most carriers that sell photographer event insurance immediately issue a certificate of coverage. And so, this is a great option for an on-demand policy for satisfying requirements if your existing policy is slow to issue a certificate of insurance.
Use the table above to see the features of events insurance for photographers, as underwritten by insurance companies we recommend.
| General liability insurance aggregate limit | $2,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Professional liability insurance aggregate limit | $75,000 |
| Cyber liability insurance aggregate limit | $100,000 |
| Camera equipment insurance aggregate limit | $200,000 |
As it goes with the name, wedding photographer insurance is a specialty insurance product specifically made for professionals that specialize in wedding photography. Purchase this because your client’s wedding insurance doesn’t extend to your work.
This is available as a short-term coverage or long term coverage. If availed as a short-term coverage, wedding photography insurance lasts for 1-3 days.
Composing this tailored protection package are liability insurance, equipment insurance, professional liability insurance, rental equipment insurance, and inland marine insurance.
The limits of wedding photographer liability insurance can range from $1 million-$2 million. The table above shows the complete features of this coverage.
| General liability insurance aggregate limit | $2,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Professional liability insurance aggregate limit | $75,000 |
| Cyber liability insurance aggregate limit | $100,000 |
| Camera equipment insurance aggregate limit | $200,000 |
Real estate photography insurance is a package program made for real estate photographers that work as an employee or independent contractors of property inspection firms, brokerage firms, and other related businesses.
Policies offered are general liability, tools and equipment, and professional liability insurance. The table above allows you to see the coverage limits of real estate photographer insurance based on a quote we found online.
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability insurance | $39 | $468 | $0-$500 |
| Professional liability insurance | $49 | $588 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial property insurance | $45 | $540 | $1,000-$2,500 |
| Business owner’s policy | $70 | $840 | $500-$1,000 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $60 | $720 | $2,000-$5,000 |
| Cyber liability insurance | $50 | $600 | $500-$1,000 |
| Photography equipment insurance | $41 | $492 | $500 |
The average photography insurance cost is $39 per month or $468 per year for a $1 million general liability insurance. Factors that affect the cost of premiums are claims history, business history, business size, number of employees, and annual revenues.
The average photography equipment insurance cost is $41 per month or $432 per year, provided that you have $100,000 worth of photography equipment to be insured.
Below is another table that shows the respective photographer liability insurance cost of companies we recommend:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RV Nuccio | $4.58 | $54.96 | Cheapest plan |
| Full Frame | $10.75 | $129 | Limited insurance budget |
| Pro Photographers | $15.29 | $183.48 | Home studios |
| NEXT | $17 | $204 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for photographers |
| CoverWallet | $25 | $439.92 | Photography insurance quotes comparison online |
| Tivly | $27 | $324 | |
| Hiscox | $29.16 | $350 | Home studios |
| Thimble | $37 | $300 | One-day coverage |
| The Hartford | $39 | $468 | Employee Coverage |
| Hill and Usher | $41.66 | $499.92 | Studio owners |
| PPA | $42 | $504 | Comprehensive coverage |
| Progressive | $55 | $660 | Photographers with employees |
| National | $59 | $708 | Instant coverage |
| Allstate | $73.83 | $885.96 | Full coverage |
| State Farm | State Farm doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance. | State Farm doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance. | Equipment coverage |
| Travelers | Travelers doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance. | Travelers doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance. | Customer service |
Get cheap photography insurance quote by clicking the “Get Quotes” button on this page. Our quotes generator will allow you to compare the offers and features of insurance packages from numerous insurance companies.
Aside from comparing quotes, you’ll enjoy cheaper photography business insurance cost by doing these things:
Bundling general liability and commercial property insurance in a BOP
Becoming a member of photography organizations
Have indemnity clauses of contracts in your favor
Having high deductibles
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Working with the right insurance company helps you get comprehensive coverage at the reasonable price. Here are the best photography insurance companies. Take a look at their pros, cons, and pricing for a $1 million general liability policy.
Best overall
Get an online proof of insurance and send as a text message, email, or social media post
Fastest general liability insurance for photographers
Great customer service and reputation
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Outstanding value for money
Bundle two or more insurance policies and get a 10% discount
Couldn’t find any
NEXT underwrites a tailored insurance for photographers having general liability, workers compensation, commercial auto, and commercial property insurance policies. Work with NEXT because you can get a 10% discount if you decide to get covered with two or more insurance. Also, the company will give a live certificate of insurance you can send as an email, text message, or social media post. NEXT’s photography liability insurance cost is $17 per month on average.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for photographers
Average cost: $17 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Stable rates
Compare photography insurance quotes to get the best coverage
Get insured online
Photographer insurance has terrorism coverage
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet is an insurance broker selling a tailored photography insurance made out of its partners’ insurance products. With this company, you can get insured easily online. Know that its tailored insurance for photographers offers general liability coverage, professional liability, commercial property, and other business insurance policies. CoverWallet allows you to add additional insureds for free and cancel a policy anytime. It even has an online quotes comparison platform you can use to compare the rates of other companies offering photographer insurance.
Best for: Photography insurance quotes comparison online
Average cost: $25 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Compare photographer insurance quotes over the phone
Responsive customer service
A partner of reputable insurance companies, such as NEXT and Progressive
You need to call to get a quote
You can get wedding photographer insurance and aerial photography insurance packages from Tivly (formerly CommercialInsurance.NET). Call Tivly now and talk with a representative to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing wedding photography and aerial photography insurance quotes over the phone
Average cost: $27 per month
Our rating: 10/10
A monthly coverage option is available
You can pause or cancel your coverage when needed
Comprehensive coverage
No coverage for photography studio
Thimble is fairly new in the insurance landscape, having only been established in 2016. Third-party insurance agencies, including Global Aerospace, Inc., and Markel Insurance Company, underwrite Thimble’s insurance policies.
Their photography insurance product is unique in that you are allowed to buy the coverage for a day or when needed. Each of their policies allows you to add extra insureds at no cost.
Best for: One day coverage
Average cost: $37 per month
Our rating: 9/10
You can get quotes, purchase policies, and file claims online
Discounts available for home-based businesses
Suitable for businesses with 0-10 employees
Photographers in Alaska do not get professional and general liability
BOP is not offered
No mobile app
Hiscox is founded in 1901. Its minimum premium for general liability is $350, but if you have a home studio, you are eligible for a 5% discount. You can get a $300,000-$2 million general liability policy from this company, a minimum of $25,000 commercial property insurance, $250,000 cyber liability insurance, and a business owner’s policy.
Best for: Home studios
Average cost: $29.16 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Flexible coverage
Affordable DSLR camera insurance package
Zero deductible
Photography in Massachusetts and Rhodes Island are not covered
Doesn’t have online quotes for an estimated pricing
State Farm, founded in 1922, has its headquarters in Bloomington. According to its annual report, the company works with 97 million customers, handles 24,000 claims, and has paid $7 billion for catastrophic losses. With an A++ financial strength rating, State Farm assures it has your back.
State Farm photographer insurance includes a drone package that's a go-to for hobby drone photographers looking for affordable coverage.
Best for: Equipment coverage
Average cost: State Farm doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance
Our rating: 9/10
Ability to renew online 24/7
Quotes available in less than 5 minutes
Nationwide coverage
Mobile app not available
Rv Nuccio was founded in 1990 and was the pioneer of specialty insurance programs. Based in Los Angeles, the insurer operates nationwide as an insurance broker and program administrator. Their photographer insurance starts at $55 annually and includes general liability, property and equipment coverage, employee crime coverage, and workers' compensation.
Best for: Cheapest plan
Average cost: $4.58 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Highly tailored coverage for photographers
Strong financial standing
High policy limits
Doesn’t have online quotes for an estimated pricing
Travelers is an American insurance company founded in 1864. While it started as an auto and home insurance company, it now offers specialty products, including photography insurance. The latter is offered in 42 states and Washington, DC.
This insurance company doesn’t offer stand-alone general liability coverage. Instead, protection is sold as a business owner’s policy for photographers having commercial property insurance, general liability insurance, employee crime insurance, and business income protection. Note that you can upgrade Traveler’s BOP for photographers into Power Pac PremierSM. This is a specialized policy offering 40 types of coverages.
Best for: Customer service
Average cost: Travelers doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance
Our rating: 8/10
Free express shipping to and fro repair centers
A network of local agents
A++ financial strength
Costly plans
Allstate was founded in 1931 and has evolved to be one of the most sought-after insurers. In 2021, the insurer wrote over $27 billion in premiums catapulting its market share to 10%. When seeking photographer insurance, you will be required to start your policy with a local agent. In terms of claims filing, you can do so through their official website or over the phone.
Best for: Full coverage
Average cost: $73.83 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Multiple coverage options
A long history of offering insurance to customers in the U.S
One-day photography insurance and shoot-based coverage are not available
Progressive has been operational since 1937. While it started out only offering auto and homeowners insurance products, it has extended its product pool to include an array of business and commercial coverage.
For photography insurance coverage, Progressive lets you tailor your own policy, which will automatically include general liability coverage. In case you have a photography studio where you've hired additional help, you could get workers' compensation coverage and business owner's policy (BOP).
Best for: Photographers with employees
Average cost: $55 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Members get malpractice insurance
Agents that help with access to good photography equipment
PPA membership is compulsory
PPA (Professional Photographers of America Insurance) is a non-profit photography association with over 30,000 members in 50 countries. The NGO founded in 1868 has, with time, curated insurance policies for its members.
The insurer leaves nothing to chance with its general liability insurance. Moreover, its specialty product for photography equipment, PhotoCare, gives PPA members up to $100,000 in equipment insurance automatically.
Best for: Comprehensive coverage
Average cost: $42 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Nationwide coverage
Network of agents available
Poor customer service
National is a nationally recognized insurer that starts its photographers' insurance at $59. The type of coverage includes general liability and equipment, which is the perfect solution if you want to get protected without unnecessary coverage.
Best for: Instant coverage
Average cost: $59 per month
Our rating: 8/10
A policy specifically targeted at studio owners
Comprehensive coverage available
Policies have to be underwritten by a third party
No per-gig insurance coverage
Hill & Usher was founded in 1995 as a boutique construction-only insurance firm. At the time, they specialized in large and hard-to-place commercial accounts. With time, however, they have started offering other insurance packages.
Hill & Usher photography insurance, Package Choice coverage, fulfills all photography coverage needs. The insurer offers Package Choice, the specialty insurance for professional photographers. This policy bundles together property and liability coverage, thus offering photographers the option of paying a single premium for these while still comprehensively protecting their business.
This policy protects your photography equipment both in the US and Canada. If you travel to other locations, you can extend your premium to get international coverage. You also have the option of insuring rented or leased equipment.
Note that this policy also covers your studio. This means that if your computers, printers, furniture, dark-room equipment or supplies get stolen or damaged, you are assured of coverage. What's more, if you intend on making improvements to your studio space, the policy should sufficiently cover these.
Suppose there's property loss. In that case, you are covered by the business income interruption and extra expense insurance, which will reimburse you for any lost income for at least 12 months.
Best for: Studio owners
Average cost: $41.66 per month
Our rating: 7/10
A pool of coverage options
Quotes are available online, or you could work directly with an agent
Coverage for individual jobs is not available
The Hartford is a Fortune 500 company that was founded in 1810. With its A++ financial rating, the insurer is able to offer a variety of insurance products, including photography insurance. The Hartford's photographer's insurance coverage options are quite robust. They offer comprehensive coverage, especially for photographers with studios housing multiple teams.
Best for: Employee Coverage
Average cost: $39 per month
Our rating: 6/10
Affordable plans
Flexibility to tailor your coverage
Coverage is not available in Iowa, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Massachusetts
Minimal coverage options offered
Full Frame has created a successful brand providing business insurance to small photography businesses. They offer scalable coverage options meant to meet the unique needs of photographers in a total of 44 states. Photographers seeking insurance get easy, hassle-free quotes that are handled online. As a photographer, you get to handle your policy directly with the company as the entire process is free of brokers.
The photography insurance policy from Full Frame includes general liability coverage, errors and omission coverage, professional liability coverage, and damage to rented premises coverage, among others.
There are three different policy plans, Annual Plus, Annual, and Event. The Annual Plus policy starts at $184 per year and covers your photography business up to $2 million in general liability. This includes multiple camera insurance options with the option of including additional policies. If you add an insured, you will incur $30 per individual.
The Annual policy costs $129 per year. It includes general liability coverage of up to $2M. The Event policy will set you back $59 and will cover you for one to three days.
Best for: Limited insurance budget
Average cost:$10.75 per month
Our rating: 6/10
Instant coverage for as low as $15.29 per month
You can get a quote and buy coverage online 24/7
Comprehensive drone liability policies of between $100,000 and $2 million
There's a ceiling on compensation
Pro Photographers Insurance has over 50 years of industry experience offering photography insurance products. As a specialist broker, the agents could also help you source top-notch equipment.
Best for: Home studios
Average cost: $15.29 per month
Our rating: 6/10
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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