insurance for photographers
Unrivalled cover for photographers and crucial policy extensions that no other UK insurers offer. All policies are bespoke and personalised to your requirements. All claims receive a personal claims handler.
Exceptional customer service; instant access to highly trained film and production brokers, no hold music, no call centres and no automated emails.
Association of Photographers Accredited Supplier, trusted supplier to many of the industry’s leading photographic and film organisations. One of the UK’s longest serving photographic & production brokers, 35 years & counting.
insurance for production companies
Williamson Carson offer tailored one-off shoot and annual production insurance; all policies are bespoke and personalised to your requirements. Our policies are APA contract compliant.
We offer 2 different packages, media production and the broader commercial producers’ indemnity, which covers cancellation beyond your control.
insurance for illustrators and graphic designers
frequently asked questions
We’ve put together some frequently asked questions regarding Photography and Production Insurance. We hope it’s useful.
photography
Firstly, protect your cameras and equipment. In our opinion as an absolute minimum photographers should consider;
• Equipment and camera insurance
• Liability (usually both public and employers’ liability)
• Professional indemnity
In reality our equipment policies provide far more than basic camera equipment insurance. They also include a number of complementary covers exclusive to Williamson Carson which are detailed on all quotes we prepare.
Let us help you get the right cover for your needs.
Things go wrong, that’s life. Dropping a lens, spilling a cup of hot coffee, a slip, a trip or an unhappy client. We can never be sure what is around the corner. In most cases a comprehensive photography insurance policy is not going to break the bank, and can save you a lot of time, stress and money in the long run if things do go pear shaped.
Plus, any photographer who takes their business seriously should have a professional photography insurance policy. It won’t be long before a client asks to see your insurance, and you could look a little unprofessional without it.
As the appointed broker to the AOP (Association of Photographers) we know they expect all their members to have adequate insurance in place. To learn more read The Williamson Carson Guide to Photography Insurance.
If you have a photography insurance with us then yes, we can insure the following on an all risks basis:
- Photographic Technical Equipment
- Props, Set, Wardrobe
- Office & Studio Contents
- Library Stock
- Mobile Communication Property
All Risks Insurance is fully comprehensive cover which includes loss, accidental damage and theft. Read more about All risks insurance here.
Our policies cover you worldwide, apart from areas of conflict, and areas with UK and US trade sanctions (e.g. Russia). If you are travelling to a high risk location it is always advisable to discuss this with your insurer, and always check the wording on your policy.
Please note, in certain circumstances we can restrict a photographer’s policy to ‘premises only’ cover for a reduced premium.
production
Production insurance is a very broad term that means different things to different people and organisations. There are also lots of very different production insurance products available with vast differences on the cover provided.
We typically define a production policy as one that protects you from losses during production, such as damage to equipment (owned and hired), injury and damage known as liability insurance, and then most importantly cover to re-shoot and additional expenses incurred if things go wrong.
However, it’s not that straightforward. You can purchase anything from the very basic liability only insurance, to the all-encompassing commercial producer’s indemnity which covers cancellation for ‘any matter beyond your control’.
Here’s a short overview of differing levels of production insurance available:
- Minimum – The absolute minimum for production businesses to secure is liability insurance and equipment. Securing employers’ liability cover is also necessary to comply with UK legislation.
- Media Production – this is a far more comprehensive policy, and will cover liability, equipment and also reshoot costs in certain situations*
*more details provided under “What is media production insurance?” below.
- CPI – The final option is CPI, or Commercial Producers Indemnity, which covers all of the above, plus shoot cancellation due to the non-appearance of essential crew for any reason beyond your control.
In addition, most companies would also purchase professional indemnity or errors and omissions, which covers you for mistakes, or allegations that you’ve made a mistake.
It’s our job to help you work out what you need. We can help design production insurance policies that meet your needs.
Media production insurance is a package taken out by production companies and agencies to cover the shoots that they produce. It primarily covers reshoot costs they incur if a shoot is delayed or cancelled under the following sections of cover:
Cast – Cost to reshoot following loss of any essential crew due to death, accident or sickness.
Production Media – Cost to reshoot following loss physical loss of, damage to, or destruction of production media.
Extra Expenses – Cost to reshoot following loss of or damage to essential equipment, props or location.
The policy will also cover any props or equipment they are using for the shoot and public liability and employers’ liability to protect them if there are any injuries on set or damage caused to third party property.
Similar to media production insurance, CPI policies are designed to cover all aspects of a shoot that a production company or agency would be expected to cover when producing a shoot. This includes public & employers liability, any equipment or props they are using for the shoot and reshoot costs under the following sections:
Cast – Cost to reshoot following loss of any essential crew due to anything beyond your control.
Production Media – Cost to reshoot following loss physical loss of, damage to, or destruction of production media.
Extra Expenses – Cost to reshoot following loss of or damage to essential equipment, props or location.
The media production is the most popular. It’s a comprehensive policy and covers the bulk of what could go wrong.
That said, we are increasingly seeing agencies and larger brands insist upon the broader ‘anything beyond your control’ CPI policy. It’s possible to take a combination of both, for example purchase media production annually, then extend to CPI for shoots as and when required.
We advise it. If you are responsible for the entire budget of for a shoot and you are forced to delay or cancel shooting, losses can easily hit the tens of thousands of pounds. You may also find that your clients and ad agencies that you work with will expect you to meet certain insurance requirements.
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