Production Insurance

Jarek Zabczynski

Jarek Zabczynski

Veteran
Looking for some insight on getting insurance for an upcoming music video shoot. I'm shooting at a state park which requires it. I've worked with other companies that had all that taken care of in the past, this is the first time I need to deal with it myself. Any insight on where to go would be great.

Thanks.
 
It is likely you need a commercial policy with at least $1mill coverage for a state park. I have heard the national parks are very sticky about these things...

I have a commercial policy from The Hartford, which is very affordable on a yearly basis. I don't know that it would make sense for a one off project. PM me if you have other questions I can help you with regarding my experience with The Hartford.


Jason
 
I can swing $70 a month. I know insurance is something I've been needing to get. I'd definitely use it a lot more coming up. What plan is the $70ish one? What's the website?

Thanks!
 
here is the hartford biz website:
http://www.thehartford.com/servlet/...age_id=1118759546798&pagename=HIG/Page/Portal

my girlfriend just happens to be a commercial lines manager for a local agency so she built me a specific plan. i'll get with her tomorrow and see if she can draw me up a cheat-sheet of what to ask for... its kind of a complicated game. i had a policy that i thought was fine that i paid $500 a year for until she looked at it and told me that i wasnt properly covered. thats how i got the one i have now.
 
wgzn said:
here is the hartford biz website:
http://www.thehartford.com/servlet/...age_id=1118759546798&pagename=HIG/Page/Portal

my girlfriend just happens to be a commercial lines manager for a local agency so she built me a specific plan. i'll get with her tomorrow and see if she can draw me up a cheat-sheet of what to ask for... its kind of a complicated game. i had a policy that i thought was fine that i paid $500 a year for until she looked at it and told me that i wasnt properly covered. thats how i got the one i have now.
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$840/yr isn't bad at all. Yeah any help would be great.

Thanks!
 
My full insurance is about $8,000 per year, but that covers basically everything and I never have problems shooting anywhere or renting anything. They mostly require, I forget I'm going to mix up these numbers, but I believe it's $1 million general liability and $2 million property? Or the other way around, something like that. Rented equipment is insured up to $1 million I believe as well.
 
I have Hartford at aprox. $330/yr, which is just liability for me, not gear or crew. I would expect crew to provide their own insurance/bond if the client required it. I can't afford it. My gear is insured separately.
 
here is my spec as im told:

It’s a Hartford “Spectrum” policy with the “Stretch” endorsement.
If someone were to call Hartford this is what they would ask for.
You are classified as an advertising agency.

You have General Liability, $2.0 mil aggregate/$1.0 mil per occurrence.
You have business personal property coverage of $72,000 with a $1,000 deductible except 2% for wind/hail losses. So wind/hail deductible would be $1,440.
You also have coverage for your computers of $25,000 and $10,000 coverage for property in transit as well as Business Income/Extra Expense coverage for 12 months/actual loss sustained. There is a sublimit for BI loss due to off premises power failure which is $25,000.
Included in your property coverage is coverage for equipment breakdown, personal property of other up to $10,000

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as im also told, this policy covers anyone (including freelancers) acting as a representative of my company.
and if a client wants to be named as an "additional insured" all i have to do is acknowledge that in the written contract for the job and all will be fine.

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now keep in mind, my business may be different than any of yours and rules may be different in texas than wherever you may be. i do primarily retail tv spots, which classifies me as an ad agency (which was the simplest category we could figure)
and i estimated my gear value of $72k.
 
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as an additional plug for hartford service. we had a break in in the office about 18 months ago and they had a check to me within a couple of weeks with a minimum of hassle.
 
Dick Campbell said:
I would expect crew to provide their own insurance/bond if the client required it.
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Good luck with that. The freelancers I've hired for decades don't carry any insurance.
They are considered employees when hired for a shoot and told where, what time and
what to do throughout the day.

You should consider a payroll agency to take care of taxes and workmen's comp. At least this is the way I manage these exposures in California, but it adds around 30%
to a day rate.
 
wgzn said:
here is the hartford biz website:
http://www.thehartford.com/servlet/...age_id=1118759546798&pagename=HIG/Page/Portal

my girlfriend just happens to be a commercial lines manager for a local agency so she built me a specific plan. i'll get with her tomorrow and see if she can draw me up a cheat-sheet of what to ask for... its kind of a complicated game. i had a policy that i thought was fine that i paid $500 a year for until she looked at it and told me that i wasnt properly covered. thats how i got the one i have now.
Click to expand...

Ok...so Hartford isn't actually a insurance agency correct? When enter the site they just list random insurance agencies close to me.
 
yeah. i dont think that you can get it right from the tap. they are providing you a list of their authorized agents
 
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