I find that giving my clients examples is the best way to teach them how photography insurance works. Here are the three most important policies I issue on the regular: 1.) Equipment, 2.) Liability and 3.) Errors & Ommissions. Below are some claims situations that shed light on what exactly your policy protects you against:
Equipment
Example 1: You get on a plane and put your carry on camera bag in the overhead, you go to retrieve the camera bag and it gone.
Example 2: Your in Paris at a crowded event taking photos some of your equipment is on a nearby table where there is a large group of people. Someone jostles the table and the equipment fails, breaking it.
Imagine if your assistant accidentally splashed water all over the bride or all over your equipment!
Liability:
Example 1: A prospective client is visiting with you in your studio, on a location. You don’t tape down a extension cord properly and your client trips and falls. They can sue you for loss wages, medical bills, etc.
Example 2: You take photos of a home for a real estate agency, you have damaged a valuable painting on the wall. General Liability will pay for replacement or legal expenses if the owner sues your business.
Errors & Omissions Insurance, which is also called Professional Liability Insurance.
Example 1: This (often neglected) coverage is becoming more and more necessary for photographers to have. Say you made a mistake with scheduling, losing or damaging memory cards after completing a job, or even taking “compromising” photographs pose a real danger to your pocket book, let alone your hard-earned reputation.
Example 2: Did you miss the cutting of the cake and the bride is furious? Did your assistant edit and send the wrong finished photos? Did the client expect something radically different? Such problems can be the basis of a lawsuit, and insurance can be a lifesaver if you ever face one.
Contact Karen Stetz of APA Insurance Services today for a quote.
