Requesting certificates of insurance when renting equipment to production companies

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2011Legal / Business Practices forum

15 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.

DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.

Equipment owners should request a certificate of insurance from production companies as standard industry practice, similar to how rental houses require insurance for their gear.
A certificate of insurance provides general liability coverage that protects against injuries or damage caused by rented equipment, not just coverage of the equipment itself.
When a production company claims they have never needed to provide a certificate before, they likely already have insurance in place from other rental relationships and simply need to be asked to provide it.
If a production refuses to provide a certificate, the equipment owner can charge a premium on their rental rate and require a signed rental agreement making the production responsible for deductibles.
Verifying directly with the insurance company that you are actually named on the policy is advisable, rather than assuming a certificate with your name typed into a blank space provides legal protection.
The disclaimer on standard certificate forms does not automatically grant coverage rights to the certificate holder and may require a detailed rental agreement to create enforceable obligations.

Student films or small productions may genuinely be unable to obtain insurance due to cost.
Production companies may refuse to sign detailed rental agreements, claiming signatories lack authority to bind the company.
A certificate of insurance alone may provide limited legal protection in a damage claim without additional contractual documentation.
The discussion does not resolve whether calling the insurance company to verify coverage should be standard practice for all rentals.