Drone Photography Business Insurance
Getting insurance for your drone photography business is essential.
Drone photography businesses need to be protected against claims arising from things like invasion of privacy, property damage, and regulatory violations.
For example, your drone accidentally captures a video of someone on their property without their consent, or a drone falls and causes damage to someone’s property.
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 Drone Photography Business
General liability insurance is — generally speaking — one of the most important insurance policies for drone 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
Even so, your drone photography business might also benefit from other types of policies. Additional coverage policies that can often be important for drone photography businesses include:
- Professional liability insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Workers’ compensation insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
Vendors of business insurance are commonly divided into two categories, which are important to be aware of when shopping around for coverage:
- Traditional brick-and-mortar insurers — With firms such as Nationwide and The Hiscox falling into this category, brick-and-mortar insurers are perhaps the more renowned category due to their long histories. However, due to the inherent costs of their business structures, these firms often charge premium prices for their services.
- Online insurers — By contrast, firms in this category are far younger, yet becoming increasingly popular due to their unique blend of personalized, trustworthy policies and affordable prices.
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Cost of General Liability Insurance
On average, drone photography businesses in America spend between $300 - $600 per year for $1 million in general liability coverage.
Compare the average cost of general liability insurance for a drone photography business 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 Drone Photography Business
Example 1: You are taking photographs of a wedding party with your drone when you lose control of it. The drone crashes into the bride, causing her serious injury. She sues your business. Your general liability insurance policy will cover the cost of your legal defense, including the cost of settling out of court if it is necessary to do so.
Example 2: A potential client is visiting your place of business to see your drones when he trips over a power cable and falls. He breaks his wrist and requires medical care. He asks that you pay for his medical treatment. Your general liability insurance policy will likely cover this cost.
Example 3: You have been using a new logo for your business that you feel really represents it well. Unfortunately, another business decides that your logo is too similar to their own and sues your company. The general liability insurance policy you carry will pay for your legal defense in such a situation as well as cover the cost of any settlement.
Other Types of Coverage Drone Photography Businesses 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:
Professional Liability Insurance
A professional liability insurance policy offers protection specific to your business for liability related to negligence claims due to mistakes or failure to perform. There is always the possibility that a client could claim that your work caused him or her injury and sue your business. If this happens, your professional liability policy will pay for your legal fees.
Commercial Property Insurance
You have invested a lot in your drones, photography equipment, and editing equipment. If you were to lose most or all of this property due to an unforeseen disaster like a fire, it would be costly to replace. But if you have a commercial property insurance policy, you can likely get help with replacement costs as long as your loss was caused by a covered event.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
If you have employees, your state most likely requires you to carry workers’ compensation insurance. A workers’ comp policy provides much-needed protection for your employees if they are injured performing job-related duties. If they are hurt and need medical care, the workers’ comp policy will pay for that treatment. It will also help to pay for the lost wages that they miss out on while recovering from their injuries.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If you have an automobile that you use primarily for business, you need a commercial auto policy to ensure that you meet the legal requirements for auto insurance in your state. Your policy will help to pay for damage to your vehicle and other vehicles if you are in an accident, and it will pay for medical treatment for the injured as well.
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 drone photography business:
- 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.
Drone 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. If you want your drone photography business to thrive, acquiring business insurance before its starts up is a key step. Neglecting to do so will only open it up to more liabilities.
Furthermore, neglecting to obtain insurance before your drone photography business launches can lead to problems with the law, as it is common for businesses to be legally required to carry specific insurance policies.
Not necessarily. Certain exceptions may be written directly into your drone photography business 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.