Commercial Photography Business Insurance
Getting insurance for your commercial photography business is essential.
Commercial photography businesses need to be protected against things like claims of breach of contract, copyright infringement, and professional negligence.
For example, your commercial photography business is unable to deliver a client’s expected results, or you find that your photography equipment has been stolen from your premises.
We’ll help you find the most personalized and affordable coverage for your unique business.
Recommended: Next Insurance is dedicated to matching small businesses with the right policy at the best price.
Best Insurance for a Commercial Photography
General liability insurance is — generally speaking — one of the most important insurance policies for commercial photography businesses.
Some of the risks general liability insurance covers are:
- Bodily injury
- Property damage
- Medical payments
- Legal defense and judgment
- Personal and advertising injury
Since general liability may not provide all of the coverage a commercial photography business needs, it is common for numerous additional policies to be acquired, including:
- Commercial property insurance
- Professional liability insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Commercial umbrella insurance
The insurance providers you can buy coverage from are typically divided into two primary groups, each with its own set of characteristics:
- Traditional brick-and-mortar insurers — Describes providers such as Nationwide, Hiscox, and The Hartford.
- Online insurers — Describes providers such as Next and Tivly.
We strongly recommend businesses go to online insurers for coverage since their digital approach to insurance allows them to provide high-quality and accurate quotes at prices that are far more affordable than the traditional alternative.
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Cost of General Liability Insurance
The average commercial photographer in America spends between $300 - $600 per year for $1 million in general liability coverage.
Compare the average cost of general liability insurance for a commercial photography to other professional industries using the graph below.
Several factors will determine the price of your policy. These include your:
- Location
- Deductible
- Number of employees
- Per-occurrence limit
- General aggregate limit
You may be able to acquire general liability insurance at a discounted rate by purchasing it as part of a business owner’s policy (BOP) rather than as a standalone policy.
A BOP is a more comprehensive solution that includes multiple forms of coverage, such as business interruption and property insurance.
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Common Situations That General Liability Insurance May Cover for a Commercial Photography
Example 1: When a client visits your studio to discuss wedding photographs, she trips over an exposed cable and breaks her wrist. She demands your business pay for her medical care. General liability insurance would cover the cost of her medical treatment.
Example 2: A competitor decides you libeled them in your latest marketing campaign. While you’re uncertain what they consider libel, you know you need a legal defense as soon as possible. General liability insurance would cover your legal fees.
Example 3: After setting up your equipment inside a client’s building, you leave to eat lunch. When you return, you discover a fire — and the client claims your equipment is the cause. If a court finds you responsible for the fire, general liability insurance would cover the repair costs because your policy pays for damage to client property.
Other Types of Coverage Commercial Photographers Need
While general liability is the most important type of insurance to have, there are several other forms of coverage you should be aware of. Below are some of the most common types of coverage:
Commercial Property Insurance
You’ve made major investments in photography equipment and supplies to establish your business. If you own the building in which you operate, you’re responsible for all business-related property housed there in the event of a fire, burglary, or natural disaster. And, you can’t work without the proper equipment. Commercial property insurance would cover the cost of repairing or replacing your photography equipment and supplies after an accident so you can recover quickly.
Professional Liability Insurance
While you work hard to avoid making mistakes, there’s always a chance one of your clients could claim your photography services caused them damage or injury. Professional liability insurance protects you and your employees in the event of an on-the-job error by covering your legal fees if you face a lawsuit.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Any vehicle you or your employees use primarily for business requires commercial auto insurance to protect the vehicle, driver, and others on the road in the event of an accident. Be sure to select a policy that covers not only accident-related vehicle repair costs and medical treatment for anyone injured, but also sufficient protection for any special equipment you carry in your vehicles.
Commercial Umbrella Insurance
While your general liability insurance policy covers most claims, some accidents or lawsuits may be so catastrophic that they threaten to exhaust the limits of your primary coverage. Commercial umbrella insurance protects you from paying out-of-pocket for any legal fees and awarded damages that exceed your primary policy.
Additional Steps To Protect Your Business
Although it’s easy (and essential) to invest in business insurance, it shouldn’t be your only defense.
Here are several things you can do to better protect your commercial photography:
- Use legally robust contracts and other business documents. (We offer free templates for some of the most common legal forms.)
- Set up an LLC or corporation to protect your personal assets. (Visit our step-by-step guides to learn how to form an LLC or corporation in your state.)
- Stay up to date with business licensing.
- Maintain your corporate veil.
Commercial Photography Business Insurance FAQ
Yes, absolutely. You will need to first get a quote from an online business insurance provider like Next Insurance. Next allows you to then purchase a policy immediately and your coverage will be active within 48 hours.
A typical business owner’s policy includes general liability, business interruption, and commercial property insurance. However, BOPs are often customizable, so your agent may recommend adding professional liability, commercial auto, or other types of coverage to your package depending on your company’s needs.
"Business insurance" is a generic term used to describe many different types of coverage a business may need. General liability insurance, on the other hand, is a specific type of coverage that business owners need to protect their assets.
Yes, in order to secure your commercial photography business’s financial stability, appropriate business insurance needs to be obtained prior to its launch.
Additionally, your commercial photography business may even be legally required to hold certain policies before it starts, depending on the regulations of your state.
Not necessarily. Certain exceptions may be written directly into your commercial photography insurance policy, and some perils may be entirely uninsurable.
Yes, an LLC is meant to create a legal barrier between your business and your personal assets and credit. If you haven’t formed an LLC yet, use our Form an LLC guide to get started.
An LLC doesn’t protect your business assets from lawsuits and liability– that’s where business insurance comes in. Business insurance helps protect your business from liability and risk.