2016Legal / Business Practices forum
Equipment insurance options for film and video professionals
What the thread found
- Several insurance providers specialize in equipment coverage for media professionals, including W.P. Dolle, Midlakes Insurance, and InsureMyEquipment.com.
- Production companies typically provide insurance certificates that cover rented equipment on set, but coverage gaps can exist during equipment transit to and from jobs.
- Home insurance policies generally exclude coverage for equipment used for business purposes, even when the equipment is stored at home.
- Production insurance certificates may have coverage gaps based on expiration times, specific language in the policy description, and whether the insured is listed as loss payee for property damage and additional insured for liability.
- Equipment rental houses typically require production-specific insurance rather than home property insurance policies.
- Some specialized insurance plans offer dual coverage for both owned equipment and rental gear, which is useful when productions require rented additional equipment.
Depends on
- The discussion reflects practices from 2016 and may not represent current insurance offerings or requirements.
- Insurance requirements and coverage vary significantly by production company and policy type.
- The specific insurance needs depend on whether the professional owns equipment, rents equipment to productions, or both.
- Discussion focuses on steadicam and camera equipment; coverage for other types of equipment may differ.