Film & Television Production

Coverages that may apply to a film or digital production:

• General Liability

  Protects against claims of bodily injury or property damage occuring during an insured production. Applies only to property NOT in the care, custody or control of the production company. Rated on below the line production cost.

• Production Package Policy

  • A production package policy protects againsts several kinds losses that can occur during an insured production. Many of the coverages are optional and their applicability depends greatly on the nature of the production.

    • Cast Medical

      Reimburses the production company for any extra expense necessary to complete principal photography of an insured production due to the death, injury or sickness of any insured performer or director.

      Insured performer or director must take a physical examination prior to being covered by this insurance.

      Physical examination cost to be paid by the production company.

      Coverage usually begins two to four weeks prior to the beginning of principal photography.

      It is the production company’s responsibility to inform our office as individuals are cast. 

      If a cast member is declared, but we have not received a medical examination declaration for a declared cast member, that cast member is covered for accident only.

      Medical coverage does not apply until a cast member's medical examination is submitted and approved.

    • Faulty Stock & Camera

      Covers loss, damage or destruction of:

      • Raw film stock or video tape
      • Exposed film (developed or undeveloped)
      • Recorded Videotapes
      • Sound Tracks and tapes

      caused by or resulting from fogging or the use of faulty materials (including cameras and videotape recorders); faulty sound equipment; faulty developing; faulty editing or faulty processing; and accidental erasure of videotape recordings.

      COVERAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE loss caused by errors of judgment in exposure, lighting or sound recording, from use of incorrect raw stock, or faulty manipulation by the cameraman.

      This coverage can only be purchased with Negative Film and Video Tape coverage

    • Negative File & Video Tape

      Covers against risks of direct physical loss, damage or destruction of:

      • Raw film or tape stock
      • Exposed film (developed or undeveloped)
      • Videotape
      • Software and related materials used to generate computer images
      • Sound tracks and tapes

      used in connection with a production, up to the amount of the insured production cost.

      COVERAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE loss caused by fogging, faulty camera or sound equipment, faulty developing, editing, processing or manipulation by the cameraman; exposure to light, dampness or temperature changes; or errors in judgment in exposure, lighting or sound recording, or from the use of incorrect type of raw stock or tape.

    • Props, Sets & Wardrobe

      Provides coverage on props, sets, scenery, costumes, wardrobe and similar theatrical property against risks of direct physical loss, damage or destruction occurring during the production.

    • Third Party Property Damage

      Pays for damage or destruction of property of others (including loss of use of the property) while the property is in the care, custody or control of the production company and is used or to be used in an insured production.

      COVERAGE DOES NOT APPLY TO destruction of property caused by operation of any motor vehicle, aircraft or watercraft, including damage to the foregoing; liability for damage to any property rented or leased that may be covered under Props, Sets and Wardrobe, or Miscellaneous Equipment coverage.

      THIS COVERAGE IS NOT PROVIDED by a General Liability Policy. Property damage coverage written as part of a Commercial General Liability Policy excludes damage to any property in the production company's care, custody or control.

    • Miscellaneous Equipment

      Provides coverage on rented or owned camera, camera equipment, sound and lighting equipment, post production and editing equipment, portable electric equipment and generators, mechanical effects equipment, grip equipment, mobile dressing rooms and honey wagon trailer units and similar miscellaneous equipment against all risk of direct physical loss, damage or destruction occurring during a covered production, including loss of use to a rental company.

    • Extra Expense

      Provides reimbursement to the production company for any extra expense incurred to complete principal photography of a covered production due to loss of, damage to or destruction of property or facilities contracted by the production company for use in a covered production.

    • Non Owned & Hired Auto

      This coverage is can be added to the Production Package Policy. It covers physical damage to your rented vehicles, film trucks, mobile studio units, dressing rooms and other trailers, grip trucks, and other autos rented and used in connection with your production.

    • Animal Mortality

      Provides reimbursement to the production company for the declared value of the insured animal due to death and illness or disease resulting in the death of the animal.

    • Office Contents

      Provides coverage for the production company's office, its furniture, fixtures, equipment and supplies against all risk of direct physical loss, damage or destruction while property is on the scheduled premises or at other locations used during the production and while in transit between the two.

      Office contents coverage is usually needed to cover the temporary production offices set up for feature films.

    • Civil Authority

      This coverage would reimburse the production company for any extra expense incurred as a result of the prohibition of access by a civil authority to your office, shooting location, or a facility contracted by the production company.

• Workers' Compensation

  Worker's compensation coverage is required by state law and applies to all temporary or permanent cast or production crew members. Coverage provides medical, disability or death benefits to any cast or crew member who becomes injured in the course of their employment. Coverage usually applies on a 24 hour per day basis whenever the employees are on location away from their homes.

• Non Owned and Hired Auto

  Non Owned Auto coverage protects you against bodily injury or property damage caused by someone's personal car if being used while that person is working on an insured production.

• Errors & Omissions

  An Errors and Omissions policy covers legal liability and defense costs for the production company against lawsuits alleging unauthorized use of title, format, ideas, characters or plots, plagiarism, unfair competition or piracy. Errors and Omissions also protects for alleged libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.

  Once a film, television pilot, series of television shows, or documentary is finished, the next step is normally distribution. Most distributors will require the production company obtain an Errors and Omissions policy on the production. If you are a distributor, you should always carry your own E&O policy, in addition to requiring each of the productions you distribute to be covered.