Shoot Producers are required to have two types of insurance, Public Liability and Equipment and Property. Premiums are typically paid each year, at the cost to the Shoot Producer (that is, the company does not reimburse the SP for this expense).
Proof of both types of insurance should be made available to Location Owners proactively (for example, by emailing them a PDF).
Note that AWBV are not insurance experts, and encourages Shoot Producers to engage with an insurance broker to find the best policy for them.
The information in this FAQ is general in nature, and is not intended as insurance advice.
Public Liability insurance
Public Liability insurance protects the Shoot Producer if someone is injured at the Location (including the Location Owner and Shoot Producer themselves). For example;
A model is walking down the stairs at the location, after visiting the bathroom. She’s returning to the shoot setting on the lower level.
She falls down the stairs and breaks her leg. She cannot work for three months.
This insurance would probably pay their injured person’s ambulance ride, missed salary and any associated medical fees.
Public Liability insurance always works on the principle that people in charge (ie, the Shoot Producer) were behaving responsibly, that reasonable steps were taken to protect people’s safety, and the issue was an accident. For example;
The Shoot Producer asked the model to ride a skateboard down the stairs, for the video component of the shoot!
The model fell and broke her leg.
It’s negligent of the Shoot Producer to direct such a dangerous activity, and insurance may not cover associated expenses (meaning the Shoot Producer themselves will need to pay it).
Public Liability insurance can also protect the Shoot Producer from the costs of a lawsuit. For example, say the model who fell down the stairs (as she was just walking down them) sued the Shoot Producer for the “pain and suffering” associated with the injury (separate to the medical and lost-income costs). Public Liability insurance may also cover the expenses of the lawsuit.
Shoot Producers are strongly encouraged to take minimal risks with humans and their safety on shoots! Individual insurance policies differ, and must be read carefully to understand what is and is not covered.
Equipment and Property
Equipment and Property insurance protects the Shoot Producer’s own equipment, but also the places they use it. For example, if the Shoot Producer drops their camera and the lens breaks off, this insurance probably covers buying a replacement camera and lens.
But, this also covers property damage – say the camera dropped and broke a vase – the cost of the replacement vase is probably covered by this insurance.
Shoot Producers decide when to use insurance to pay for a Thing, and when not to – there’s no obligation to involve the insurance company, and it’s always a lot of paperwork and hassle to do so. For example;
The broken vase was from Ikea and only cost €7.50 to replace. The Shoot Producer chooses to buy another vase online, delivered to the Location Owner, paying from their own pocket (as a tax deductible expense for their business).
The Shoot Producer keeps their “no claim bonus” with the insurance company, meaning their premiums will not go up next year.
But, consider another situation;
The HMI light the SP uses for video starts a fire.
The SP and Model escape with no injury, the fire brigade is called and puts out the fire before the whole apartment is burned out, but there’s water damage throughout, and two rooms are destroyed by fire.
The repairs – including the three months alternate accommodation the Location Owner needs – come to €150,000.
The Shoot Producer makes an insurance claim.
All equipment and property insurance comes with many options that a Shoot Producer can choose to pay for (or not). For example, “professional indemnity” insurance covers you if a client does not like the shoot you made. For AW BV, that’s probably not necessary, but if you make high-stakes shoots of people you just met, this might be necessary.