As a self-employed photographer, photographer insurance could give you the firm footing you need to succeed. Your career should be about capturing magic moments in the lives of others, iconic cover shots for fashion magazine, or key moments in history.
However, it only takes somebody tripping over a carelessly laid wire, or your expensive equipment being stolen, for the magic to be dispelled, potentially leaving you with legal fees and compensation or replacement costs. This kind of administrative and financial headache can be exhausting, and might even ruin your business.
You can’t guarantee the worst won’t happen but, by taking out a comprehensive photographer insurance policy, you can be financially protected if it does.
What is public liability insurance for photographers?
Public liability insurance can cover legal or compensation costs you’re liable for if a member of the public is injured, becomes ill or dies, or their property is lost, stolen or damaged, as a result of your photography work.
Public liability insurance is important if you work at busy events, such as weddings or graduation ceremonies, where there is an increased risk of accidents involving a third party. For example, you could back into someone on a busy dance floor and knock them over or ask a graduate in a group shot to move to the right, causing them to fall off a stage.
» MORE: Business liability insurance
What other forms of business insurance should a photographer consider?
Professional indemnity insurance for photographers is another type of cover you should consider. It could cover you if a client makes a claim against you for loss or damages as a result of professional negligence. You may also have the option to add coverage for breaches of confidentiality, or loss of documents. In a photography context, this could be a client alleging your photos are of poor quality or don’t meet their brief.
Expensive photography equipment can be protected with equipment cover, which will cover the cost of fixing or replacing a camera that is accidentally broken or a stolen laptop.
If you’re worried your camera might malfunction in the middle of a photo shoot, and it’s not due to accidental damage, you may want to take out equipment breakdown insurance. However, you won’t be able to claim at all if your camera isn’t working simply due to wear and tear.
If you run your business from an office or studio, consider adding contents cover to your policy. This will contribute to repair and replacement costs if an event such as a fire, theft, or flood results in loss or damage.
» MORE: Compare Business Insurance
Do I need photographer insurance?
The only type of insurance you are legally required to have as a professional photographer, if you employ members of staff, is employers’ liability insurance up to £5 million. If you have employees but no insurance, you can be fined up to £2,500 for every day you are not properly covered. The only exception is if your staff are close family members or are based abroad.
While this is the only legally required form of insurance, if you want to join either the Members of the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) or Master Photographers Association (MPA), having both public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance is a condition of membership.
And, even if you don’t have any staff or want to join a professional organisation, it could make financial sense to take out a photographer’s insurance policy. It could be a cost-effective way to protect yourself from the consequences of an unforeseen disaster.
» MORE: Do I Need Business Insurance?
What does photographer insurance cover?
What photography insurance covers will depend on the exact policies you choose, but generally it will cover you for any accidents caused by you or your employees that result in injuries or property damage. It can also insure you against claims of negligence and cover your photography equipment for loss, theft, and damage.
Photography insurance usually includes:
- public liability insurance
- professional indemnity insurance
- stock insurance
- business equipment insurance
- personal accident insurance
Whether you need all of these policies or additional ones, will depend on your business requirements. Often, you can tailor your insurance package to match your specific needs.
What isn’t usually covered by photographer insurance?
You should check exactly what activities will be covered by your photography insurance policy. Many providers will exclude certain high-risk scenarios including:
- aerial photography
- underwater photography
- photography in hazardous locations such as a war zone
If you use a van or car to transport your equipment between shoots, you may also want to check you are fully insured for driving to events. A business car or van insurance policy will get you back on the road as soon as possible after an accident and replace any belongings stolen after a break-in.
For example, if you’re driving to and from events using your own vehicle, you will need to be covered by Business Class 1 car insurance. This will likely be a separate policy taken out with a car insurance provider and not included in your business insurance package.
How much does photographer insurance cost?
The cost of your photography insurance depends upon the types of cover you choose to include in your policy, the maximum cover limits you opt for, and the size and location of your business.
For example, a photographer who mostly works at events – where there is a greater risk of an accident involving a member of the public – may need a higher level of public liability insurance than a photographer who just works in a studio.
» MORE: The cost of business insurance
Photographer Insurance FAQs
What insurance do I need as a freelance photographer?
Although legally you may only be obligated to have employer’s liability insurance. Photographers could consider taking out public liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance, contents or equipment cover, business premises cover (if you have a photography studio or office) and van or business car insurance if you use it to drive to events.
You may also be required to have certain types of insurance formembership of some professional photography organisations.
As a videographer, it can be a good idea to have public liability insurance, especially if your work brings you into frequent contact with third parties.
» MORE: Public liability insurance
Photographers in the UK are not legally required to have insurance unless they have employees (who are not family members), in which case they would need to take out employers’ liability insurance.
However, a solo photographer might still want to protect their business with a photography insurance policy.
If you have a photography studio, it may be a good idea to have business premises insurance, contents cover, and public liability insurance in case a model or client is injured or their property is damaged while on the premises.
Image Source: Getty Images
DIVE EVEN DEEPER
Construction Insurance
by Kristina Fox
Massage Therapist Insurance
