Whether you are just starting out or have years of experience offering videography services in a freelance or professional setup, you are going to need videography business insurance as protection against exposures when you’re working for festivals, parties, weddings, sports events, and other events.
Videographer insurance is an insurance explicitly designed for videographers. The policy is meant to protect you from risks to be faced. These include loss or damage of filmmaking equipment, venue property damage, bodily harm to a third party, and slip and fall accidents.
Essentially, videography insurance acts like a safety net protecting you from having to pay out of pocket when an unexpected event occurs. Freelance videographer insurance is especially vital for freelancers who are just starting out.
Like many other commercial insurance policies in the market today, video production business insurance will encompass multiple coverages meant to work together to provide the best possible protection. Policies you'll interact with include:
Also read:
Suppose someone at an event you are working at trips over your light stand and sustains injuries or property damage; This will result in a lawsuit, which necessitates video production liability insurance.
Many types of liability insurance are available. But the most useful is general liability insurance and public liability insurance. The former is the best insurance for videographers as it provides a comprehensive shield against different business exposures.
General liability insurance is a primary inclusion in tailored insurance for videographers. It provides protection against the following:
Third-party personal injuries - Accidents can happen at work or in the office. Third parties might trip in your office or get hurt by videography equipment. In such situations, general liability insurance will provide coverage by taking care of the injured person’s medical expenses
Third-party property damage - The language of general liability insurance includes property damage as one of the perils covered. Therefore, you’ll find it useful if an accident happens in the office or at work that results in clients having their phone or other personal effects broken
Legal expenses - Aggrieved third parties can take legal action after experiencing property damage or personal injuries due to your fault. General liability insurance will protect you against the resulting expenses by covering attorney fees, administrative costs, settlements, and others.
As we said earlier, general liability insurance provides protection against the different risks videographers face. In other words, it doesn’t only provide coverage for personal injuries and property damage. Add the following optional policies and you’ll enjoy enhanced protection:
Advertising injury coverage - A client might file a claim after discovering that the service you’re providing doesn’t match what was advertised. Also, other videographers might accuse you of copying their work or inflicting reputational harm. These perils are very problematic and you should consider adding advertising injury coverage to general liability insurance. What this does is cover legal expenses if you’re sued for slander, libel, false advertising, copyright infringement, etc.
Rented premises liability coverage - Rented premises liability coverage is useful if you’re renting or leasing a videography studio. If the videography studio becomes damaged because of a fire, rented premises liability coverage will reimburse the property owner on your behalf
Products and completed operations coverage - If a completed videography service you provided caused personal injuries or property damage, products and completed operations coverage will take care of the associated expenses if a claim is filed
Note that general liability insurance can cover the liability of contractors you’ll hire as a videographer. All you have to do is ask the insurance company to name such contractors as additional insureds. Depending on your carrier, this might be free or come at a cost.
Public liability insurance for videographers is meant to protect your business in the event that a member of the public files an injury claim or if a third party was to claim you damaged their property. The policy should cover the legal fees accrued in the defense against the claim. In the event that the claim is ruled in favor of the complainant, the policy should cover the compensation or reimbursements.
You can make mistakes as a professional. Such mistakes might inflict economic or financial loss to a client. In return, a client has the right to sue you to recoup damages. General liability or public liability insurance isn’t enough. Get professional liability insurance too. This will cover administrative costs, attorney fees, compensatory payments, and other legal expenses if a client sues you for:
Missed deadlines
Misrepresentation
Violation of fair dealing
Violation of good faith
Negligence
Other acts considered errors and omissions
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Tailored videographer insurance doesn’t only offer general liability, public liability, and professional liability insurance. You can also decide to get commercial property insurance. Commercial property insurance provides protection against:
Building destruction - At the very least, the cost of starting a videography studio is $15,500. Imagine how wasteful it will be if your videography studio gets engulfed by flames or turned into rubble by extreme weather. But there's no problem if you have commercial property insurance. It will recoup losses based on the actual cash value or replacement cost of your studio that was destroyed
Building damage - Commercial property insurance will recover your financial losses if theft, fire, extreme weather, and other covered perils inflict damage on the roofing, windows, doors, glass panels, signage, flooring, and other structures of your videography studio
Commercial property insurance for videographers has additional coverages. These allow you to enjoy more protection from the policy. Such additional coverages are:
Tools and equipment coverage - Tools and equipment coverage will cover losses if videography camera and other equipment become lost or damaged within the premises of the studio due to fire, theft, extreme weather, vandalism, and other covered perils
Stocks and contents coverage - Stocks and contents coverage will cover losses if items, not considered as videography equipment and tools, become damaged or lost due to fire, theft, vandalism, etc. Items usually included in this coverage are financial records, computers, printed videography materials, etc. On the other hand, videos and other files stored on a computer or other digital media are excluded.
You use a cargo van or any other similar vehicle to transport equipment and personnel to different project sites. And so, it’s crucial for you to get commercial auto insurance. Commercial auto insurance has the following functions:
Auto liability coverage - Auto liability coverage in commercial auto insurance will cover medical expenses and reimbursements if your videography business’s vehicle causes an accident. Also, this will cover administrative costs, settlements, compensatory payments, and other legal expenses if concerned third parties decide to take things to court
Physical damage coverage - Physical damage coverage has two types - collision and comprehensive. Comprehensive physical damage coverage will cover your videography vehicle’s parts repair or replacement if it got damaged due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils. On the other hand, collision physical damage coverage will cover parts repair or replacement if your videography business’s vehicle incurred damage after colliding with a car or object
MedPay/personal injury protection - MedPay/personal injury protection covers the driver and passengers of your videography business’s vehicle. MedPay covers funeral and medical expenses. On the other hand, personal injury protection covers funeral expenses, medical expenses, after-hospital visits, rehabilitation, lost income compensation, etc.
Workers compensation insurance sees to it that you don’t use business funds or personal money if your assistant or any other employee sustains a work-related injury or disease. This insurance will provide the money you can use to cover:
Video production equipment insurance is a policy that protects your business from the financial obligation of repairing or replacing damaged or stolen business equipment. The latter include the cameras, lighting, laptops and other portable devices, processing equipment, props, and sets. Depending on the insurer you work with, the equipment should cover any damages to the equipment you hired.
Suppose the equipment you are currently using gets damaged or is stolen, and you are halfway done with the job, yet you'd want to see it through. Your equipment insurance should be able to cover the cost of hiring the alternative equipment.
Think of the photography equipment insurance as ensuring you're covered in the event of the worst-case scenario.
Wedding videographer insurance is specialty insurance for videographers, covering said videographers when the worst happens. This insurance policy covers:
Unexpected mistakes like accidentally wiping a client's wedding footage
Slips, trips, and falls that happen while shooting in public
Besides, there's bound to be some friction between you as the contractor and your client. In this case, the wedding videographer insurance should come in handy when it comes to protecting your work and professional reputation.
A single mistake at an event you are a videographer at can lead to a costly claim against your business, thus necessitating videographer event insurance. Seeing as on the day of the event, you are going to spend a significant portion of the day shooting at the venue or on transit, you could consider getting one day videographer insurance. The latter will cover the costs in the event that your equipment is stolen or damaged during the day.
Videographer insurance costs vary depending on several factors and will often come down to your specific needs. You want to work with an insurer that's able to tailor the videographer insurance to your individual business.
Among the factors that might affect the cost of your videographer insurance is the duration that you will need the cover. You could also choose to pay for the insurance on an event basis than getting a long-term insurance policy. However, suppose you are anticipating shooting a number of events within the year. In that case, you should probably consider buying annual videographer insurance. The latter covers all your events within the year, and you could get a discount.
Freelance videographers will pay an average of $22 per month for their general liability insurance, which translates to $250 when you pay your yearly premiums.
Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for: | |
---|---|---|---|
CoverWallet | $15 | $180 | Videographer insurance quotes comparison online |
Thimble | $17 | $204 | Videographer insurance by the hours, days, weeks, or months |
NEXT | $20 | $240 | Videography studios with 1 - 10 employees |
Hill & Usher | $31 | $372 | Highly tailored insurance for videography studios |
Progressive | $54 | $648 | Customizable videographer insurance |
Full Frame | $59 | $708 | Freelance videographers |
The Hartford | $62 | $744 | Business owner’s policy for videographers |
To save money on premiums, look for videographer insurance offered as a Business Owner's Policy. This policy combines general liability and property insurance and will set you back $50 per month or $600 per year on average. As part of the Business Owner's Policy, some insurers will offer business interruption insurance which should cover you in the event that you lose your videography income.
As highlighted, there's the risk of errors and omissions. To cover yourself against the liability of these, you could get professional liability insurance that will, on average, cost you $55 per month.
Don't forget to compare quotes online. Comparing quotes is one of the best ways to find the best coverage and avoid getting scammed. Start doing so by clicking the "Get Quotes" button on this page.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
When looking for a videographer insurance company to work with, you want to look out for insurers whose policy can protect your videography business against costly claims, equipment mishaps, and more. Don't let unplanned events damage your reputation or get in the way of your videography business. Here are the best videographer insurance companies to consider working with. Read to know their pos, cons, and monthly pricing for a $1 million general liability coverage.
Provides four coverage options
Stable rates
Get insured and pay premiums online
Streamlined online policy management
Policy cancellations take a long time to process
Coverwallet will ensure you through its insurance for video production services. This is a tailored insurance coverage offering four coverage options-general liability only, general liability and commercial property insurance, business owner’s policy with workers comp, and a custom plan.
Don’t forget that CoverWallet is ready to help you find the best coverage. Use this company’s online quotes comparison platform to see the offers and pricing of other companies providing tailored coverage for videographers.
Bet for: Videographer insurance quotes comparison online
Average cost: $15 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Affordable pricing with policies starting at $17 per month
Ease of use with quotes being processed online in less than 60 seconds
Coverage amounts of between $1,000,000 to $2,000,000
You can purchase coverage by the hour, weeks, days, or months
You can cancel your coverage at a moment's notice
No long-standing reputation
Founded only in 2016, Thimble, known in the past as Verifly, is the newest kid on the block. Their videographer policy is underwritten by Markel Insurance Company and Global Aerospace Inc., both of which hold good AM ratings.
The videographer insurance policy from Thimble is good because of the insurer's level of flexibility. You do not have to pay for a year of coverage as you can purchase an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly policy. Thimble offers:
General liability
Professional liability
Additional covers including drone insurance
Note that with these policies, you are able to add extra insureds, like the venue administrator, for free. Additionally, you will get waivers of subrogation when you purchase the cover without any additional costs.
Best for: Videographer insurance by the hours, days, weeks, or months
Average cost: $17 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Live certificate of insurance
Bundle two or more policies at get a discount
General liability insurance doesn’t come with products and completed operations coverage
NEXT’s videography insurance offers commercial auto, general liability, workers compensation, and commercial property insurance. You have the option of bundling two or more policies into a business owner’s policy for a 10% discount. Choose NEXT because it provides a live certificate of insurance you can send as a text message, email, or social media post.
Best for: Videography studios with 1 - 10 employees
Average cost:$20 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Quotes are processed in less than 10 minutes after filling out an online application
The standard policy can be a million or higher
Free, customizable quotes are available online
Comprehensive insurance policies are available
Not as digital-friendly
Policies are underwritten by a third-party
No one-day videography policies
While Hill & Usher is a full-service insurance agency, its policies are underwritten by third-party insurers, including Zurich, Travelers, Firemen's Fund, and The Hartford. Still, their specialty photography insurance plan, Package Choice, is one to beat.
This package offers various coverage options depending on a number of factors, including whether the videographer has their own private studio or not. They work with you to ensure that your policy best meets your business needs.
Best for: Highly tailored insurance for videography studios
Average cost:$31 per month
Our rating: 8/10
A pool of coverage options
Longstanding insurer with more than a century of experience
Each client is assigned an agent from the point of a quote request
No one-day videography policy on offer
The Hartford was established in 1810 and has built a solid reputation offering a number of insurance products for vehicles, homes, and businesses.
The Hartford is the most traditional insurer on this list. Its employee coverage stands out as it combines worker's compensation and employee liability. If you are a small business looking for an insurer you can grow with, The Hartford is a pretty safe option.
It is noteworthy that The Hartford offers a Business Owner's policy as part of their photography insurance offering. You can pay a little extra for business property insurance and business income insurance. Further, you get a cover to cushion you in the event that your photography and videography income is interrupted.
Best for: Business owner’s policy for videographers
Average cost:$62 per month
Our rating: 8/10
Option of one-day insurance policies or yearly plan
Tailor-made to meet your videography business
24/7 access to your policy documents
Iowa, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are excluded from coverage
A newer company without much of a reputation
Managed by Insurance Canopy, Full Frame Insurance offers photographers and videographers policy plans for as low as $59. These policies are underwritten by Partner Veracity Insurance Solution.
Note that while their coverage is relatively cheap, the trade-off is you do not have the option of tailoring your coverage to meet your specific business needs. Still, you have the option of multiple add-ons at no cost.
Best for: Freelance videographers
Average cost: $59 per month
Our rating: 7/10
Extensive experience and a strong reputation
Online quotes are processed in a few minutes
Multiple coverage options offered
Takes more than 5 minutes to get insured Processing a quote is tedious as you've got to give a considerable amount of personal and business information
One-day videography insurance is not offered
Progressive has been in operation since 1937, during which time they have diversified their insurance product pool to include photography and videography insurance. Once you contact Progressive, you are provided with an agent who'll work with you to customize your photography business insurance. The insurer boasts an A++ rating and has a robust financial standing. Thus, you can rest assured that claims and reimbursements will be paid on time.
Best for: Customizable videographer insurance
Average cost: $54 per month
Our rating: 8/10
John Murphy Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Worst insurance comapny I have ever dealt with. A commercial vehicle represented by GUARD t boned my wife and daughters family vehicle in the middle of the day. Driver was cited and insurance claim insued. Fast forward 4 months and refusal of full amount of claim is still happening. Driver was found guilty, repairs started on my vehicle and when it comes to the final bill and diminished value we cannot get any help. I am out a family car, have an injured and traumatized wife and children, and now have to get legal and BBB involved for a company to do the RIGHT thing. Scott Lewis, Kevin Ware, Heather White, and Ryan P, lied about communcation on my claim, demonstrated Bias by overpromising and under delivering . They refused to pay the full amount owed and have associates untrained in vehicle condition assessment and reconditioning. Also, not one GUARD insurance representative has contacted my wife (the injured party) in 4 months to follow up on medical treatment. STAY AWAY IF YOU ARE SHOPPING INSURANCE!
Kasey Arey Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
This company gives you a price that was in place for a year and when you have to use it there is fine print were they can go back and charge you more. Would not recommend them to any one. Crooks
Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Had general liability and workers comp with amguard. Paid high premiums and yet still got audited every year and had to pay more. Was able to prove less risk the first two audits and disputed price down but none the less had to pay more just so I could renew coverage. Third time the audit ( based on what I paid my premium on ) was ridiculous and tried to prove that there was no increase in risk from what I paid for my premium. However they would not believe it and required I paid full audit amount in order to have redline removed. Basically you do what they say and pay whatever outlandish bill they come up with or they will make sure you can’t run your business anymore. ????
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
Avoid these SCAM ARTISTS! They don’t pay claims!!! Save yourself the trouble and money!
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
They are the worst, my truck was hit in January 23 and the claim adjuster has not been out to this very day! They have every excuse in the book as to why. They have not been to the collision shop. PLEASE AVOID THESE SCAM ARTIST!