Photographer Insurance: Liability, Cost & Quote from $11

Advertiser disclosure

Your trust matters to us. Always.

We believe everyone deserves access to clear, honest, and unbiased information when it comes to insurance decisions. While we don’t include every provider or product available, we work hard to offer guidance that’s well-researched, accurate, and helpful completely free of charge.

So how do we keep the lights on? We may earn compensation from some of the companies we feature or link to. This can influence which products appear and where they’re placed on our site. However, it doesn’t affect our editorial standards. Our reviews and recommendations are based on thorough research, real-world insights, and a commitment to helping you make informed choices. No partner can pay to receive a favorable review.

Updated: March 27, 2025 . 6 min read

Written by Ofir Sahar

CEO & Founder

Ofir Sahar

CEO & Founder

Some of the products on this page come from partners who may compensate us when you click on their links or take specific actions. This helps us keep our content free. That said, our opinions are our own and based on independent analysis.

 

Photography business 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. 

Do Photographers Need Insurance?

Yes,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. 

Photographer Liability Insurance

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 For Photographers

General liability insurance per occurrence limit General liability insurance aggregate limit
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
The Hartford $1,000,000/$2,000,000 $1,000,000/$2,000,000
CoverWallet $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. However, Freelance and professional photographer insurance programs offer a general liability policy as a primary coverage. That said, protection begins with this. 

General liability insurance for photographers takes care of situations where your photography session results in an injury or property damage to third parties.

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

Commercial Property Insurance For Photo Studios

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
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

Compare Cheap Photographer Insurance Quotes Online

Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!

Business Owner’s Policy For Photographers

A business owner’s policy is a combination of commercial property and business insurance for photographers. It’s cost is cheaper than when you bought the two policies separately. 

 

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

Photography Equipment Insurance For Camera Equipment

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.

Workers Compensation Insurance For Photographers

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

Rank and Review Insurance Companies

Help others make better decisions

Show more

Photographer Insurance For One Day

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 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. 

Photography Insurance Cost 

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.  

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

Compare Cheap Photographer Insurance Quotes Online

Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!

Best Photography Insurance Companies

 

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. In addition, NEXT issues a COI for photographers instantly online, allowing them to provide proof of insurance quickly.

Average cost: $17 per month

Our rating: 10/10

Pros

  • Best overall
  • 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

Cons

  • Couldn’t find any 

CoverWallet 

CoverWallet tailored photo business insurance 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. 

Average cost: $25 per month 

Our rating: 10/10

Pros

  • Stable rates
  • Compare photography insurance quotes to get the best coverage
  • Get insured online 
  • Photographer insurance has terrorism coverage 

Cons

  • Not an insurance company but an insurance broker

Thimble  

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 policies allow you to add extra insureds at no cost. 

Average cost: $37 per month

Our rating: 9/10

Pros

  • A monthly coverage option is available
  • You can pause or cancel your coverage when needed
  • Comprehensive coverage 

Cons

  • No coverage for photography studio 

State Farm  

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. 

Average cost: State Farm doesn’t state an average pricing for its photographer insurance

Our rating: 9/10

Pros

  • Flexible coverage
  • Affordable DSLR camera insurance package
  • Zero deductible 

Cons

  • Photography in Massachusetts and Rhodes Island are not covered
  • Doesn’t have online quotes for an estimated pricing

The Hartford

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. 

Pros

  • A pool of coverage options 
  • Quotes are available online, or you could work directly with an agent 

Cons

  • Coverage for individual jobs is not available 

Average cost: $39 per month 

Our rating: 6/10  

 

 

About the author

Ofir Sahar

Ofir is the founder and CEO of Insuranks. He established Insuranks in 2019 from scratch and has been running educational insurance websites since 2009 on a mission to help businesses...See full bio.

Recent Reviews

Recent Posts


Additional Business Insurance posts

Become a voice

Do you have U.S. insurance expertise/experience? Would you like to become a voice at Insuranks, help businesses and individuals, and showcase your authority online? Write us!