Insuring Photographers: The Ins And Outs Of Liability Insurance

Booking a shoot is always an exciting event for a photographer or a videographer, especially for those who are adding to their budding studio portfolios. Yet, many creatives in these industries often forgo the necessary insurance. While protecting your equipment is important, so too is liability insurance. This article discusses why liability insurance for this industry is essential and what coverage it entails.

Working As A Photographer? The Importance Of Insurance

Photography and videography are both career choices full of creativity but that does not mean that it doesn’t include necessary business decisions to be made. If you are working as a photographer or videographer, it is important to consider getting insurance. Although the photography industry isn’t the most dangerous or high-risk, that doesn’t mean that accidents can’t happen. As a professional photographer or videographer, you are aware that each shoot involves elements that you can and can’t control. For example, you can control how an individual poses but you can’t control an unexpected thunderstorm interrupting an outdoor shoot.

Regardless of whether you are a freelancer or own a photography and video-editing studio, having the correct insurance in place to protect your business is essential. Although it can’t protect against the weather, liability insurance for freelance and professional photographers and videographers will protect your business from other unforeseen elements.

What Does Liability Cover For Photographers Entail?

While most videographers and photographers will automatically get insurance for their equipment, they often forget to invest in liability cover. This type of insurance will protect photographers and videographers in situations where an accident occurs on set or a professional error is made. No industry is protected from lawsuits and no matter how much you try to rectify or apologize for a mistake, an irate client can still sue you. Yet, with the right liability insurance, you can ensure that your business will be protected if this ever happens to you.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance is always recommended for photographers and videographers, even if you are a freelancer. This protection ensures that if an accident occurs while in your studio or on location, that your insurance will cover the cost of any medical expenses. For example, if you are on location shooting for a fashion campaign and the model badly injures herself, the modelling agency could start a lawsuit. With liability cover, your insurance company will cover any medical fees or loss of income incurred. Similarly, if you are a wedding photographer and a piece of your equipment fell damaging a stained-glass window during the ceremony, liability coverage can help you to repair and cover the costs of replacing the venue’s window.

As the photography and videography industry is creative and subjective in nature, it is not uncommon for professionals within these industries to get sued over copyright infringement. If this ever occurs to you, general liability coverage can cover the cost of your legal fees.

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance can protect you in instances where clerical issues occur or a client isn’t happy with the work or services that you provided. Professional mistakes occur and although no photographer wants their clients to be unhappy, you can’t always ensure this won’t happen. By having professional liability insurance, it can cover you for any reshoot expenses or legal fees.

JAUNTIN’: Protecting More Than Just Your Camera Equipment

By not having liability insurance in place, a photographer or videographer could potentially face many unnecessary and unwelcome expenses which can impact not only their reputation but also their business. Equipment protection is important but ensuring that your business stays protected as a photographer and videographer are vital. Making sure that the elements out of your control such as accidents or property damage are covered for means that you can always put your focus into getting the right shot. JAUNTIN’ understands this need and encourages those working as professional or freelance photographers and videographers to get the protection that they need.