Media liability
Errors and omissions for what you create, publish and advertise: defamation, privacy, copyright and trademark claims, with the cost of defending them.
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- Production insurance
Production insurance
Insurance for film, television and commercial production
Short-term policies for a single shoot and annual policies for companies that produce all year, with the certificates locations, rental houses and permit offices ask for before the first day.
Who needs it
Who this is for
Anyone who has to hand a certificate of insurance to a location, a rental house or a permit office before the cameras roll.
- Independent producers making features, episodic series and documentaries
- Commercial and music video production companies shooting for agencies and brands
- Branded content, corporate and social video studios that produce repeatedly for clients
- Still photographers and content creators renting camera packages or hiring crew
- Student and first-time filmmakers who need a short-term policy for one project
What it covers
Coverage parts, and what to watch on each
Summaries only. The policy wording governs, and every carrier's form is different.
| Coverage | What it does | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Negative, faulty stock and digital media | Pays to re-shoot or restore footage lost to a covered cause: damaged cards or drives, faulty stock, lab or processing errors. | Operator error (exposure, focus, sound) is usually excluded. Back up every card the same day; most forms expect it. |
| Extra expense | Reimburses the added cost of finishing when a covered event interrupts the shoot: a damaged location, a destroyed set, a lost camera package. | It responds to physical loss, not to weather, illness or a cast member leaving. Cast coverage is a separate section. |
| Props, sets and wardrobe | Physical damage to, or theft of, props, sets, scenery, costumes and similar items you own or rent. | Vehicles used in a scene usually sit elsewhere. Tell us about picture cars. |
| Rented and owned equipment | Cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, sound and drones, on set, in transit and in storage, usually at replacement cost. | Theft from an unattended vehicle is a common exclusion or sublimit. Rental houses expect their name as loss payee and a deductible they accept. |
| Third-party property damage | Damage to locations and other property in your care, custody or control, including loss of use. | Motor vehicles, aircraft and watercraft are generally excluded under this section. The boat scene needs its own coverage. |
| General liability | Bodily injury and property damage claims from third parties on set and on location, and the additional-insured certificates locations require. | Stunts, pyrotechnics, weapons, aerial work and animals need advance disclosure and underwriting. They do not bind same day. |
| Hired and non-owned auto | Liability for rented production vehicles and for crew driving their own cars on production business. | Physical damage to the rental itself may need to be added. Check what the rental contract makes you responsible for. |
| Workers' compensation | Work-related injury benefits for cast and crew you employ, as state law requires. | If a payroll service is employer of record, it may already carry the comp. Ask who runs payroll before you buy it twice. |
| Errors and omissions (title E&O) | Claims arising from the content itself: defamation, privacy, copyright, title and music clearance. Distributors and broadcasters require it before delivery. | Underwriters want a clearance report, chain of title and releases. Allow at least a week. |
The hard part
What it does not cover
- Loss caused by weather, illness or a cast member who does not show up, unless cast or weather coverage is added
- Operator error: wrong exposure, focus, sound or stock
- Theft from an unattended vehicle, on many forms, or only up to a sublimit
- Stunts, pyrotechnics, weapons, aerial and watercraft work that was not declared and underwritten
- Damage to motor vehicles, aircraft and watercraft under third-party property damage
Every policy differs. Before you book a scene around any of these, send us the schedule and we will tell you in writing what the form does.
How to get it
From first call to bound coverage
- 01Send the scheduleShoot dates, locations, budget and the equipment list, owned and rented.
- 02Flag the hazardsStunts, pyrotechnics, weapons, drones, water, animals, aircraft or minors. These decide how fast it can bind.
- 03Choose short-term or annualOne project, or a year of them. If you shoot more than a few times a year, annual usually makes sense.
- 04Certificates go outLocations, rental houses and permit offices get the certificate with the wording their contract asks for.
Questions
Common questions
Short-term or annual: which one do I need?
A short-term policy covers one production, from prep through wrap, and can be written for a single day. An annual policy covers every production you run in the year, so certificates come off one policy instead of a new application each time. Companies shooting more than three or four projects a year usually land on annual.
What is a DICE policy?
DICE stands for documentary, industrial, commercial and educational. It is the annual production policy built for companies that shoot commercials, corporate video, documentaries and branded content repeatedly rather than one feature. It is the most common structure for a working production company.
How fast can I get a certificate?
If you already have a policy with us and the request is an additional insured on an existing policy, usually the same business day. A new policy with nothing unusual on it can often bind within a day or two of a complete submission. Anything with stunts, pyrotechnics, weapons, drones or water needs underwriting and takes longer. Tell us early.
Do I need errors and omissions if I am not distributing yet?
Not for the shoot itself. You will need it before delivery to a distributor, broadcaster or streamer, and underwriters want clearance documents that are easier to gather during production than after. Ask about it when you set up the package.
Does the rental house's insurance cover me?
No. Rental agreements make you responsible for the gear from pickup to return. The rental house will ask for a certificate naming them as loss payee, showing replacement cost coverage and a deductible they accept.
Can I insure a drone?
Yes, with disclosure. Aerial work needs the aircraft, operator credentials and flight plan declared, and it is placed as its own coverage or endorsement. A general liability policy that was not told about it will not respond.
Related
Often placed alongside
General liability
The foundation policy for any business with a premises, customers, contracts or a certificate request: third-party bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury.
General liabilityWorkers' compensation
Medical care and wage replacement for employees injured or made ill by their work, required of almost every employer in Minnesota and most other states.
Workers' compensationStart with the quote form, or a call.
The online application takes a few minutes for standard business lines. For production, media and professional liability, call or email and we will tell you what we need.