Want to Sleep Better at Night? Insure Your Gear With These 8 Trusted Companies

As freelancers and production companies, you are in the field telling some of the most compelling and pressing stories of the day in both familiar and unfamiliar places. At any given time, you are most likely carrying thousands of dollars worth of production gear, and while the job can be gratifying, there is also the real risk of equipment theft and accidental damage.

Imagine you’re an owner of a production company on set for the first day of shooting for a big client. The team is setting up heavy equipment, and suddenly, your expensive camera crashes to the ground from a height, bringing your production to a screeching halt. Or perhaps you’re a freelancer filming in a crowded protest, capturing powerful soundbites and footage to convey the story to audiences around the nation or even the world. In the midst of it all, you shuffle through your bag to pull out a pair of headphones, but as you turn back, you realize that someone snatched your camera. The situation is not ideal, but if you have equipment insurance, you can rest easier.

Your equipment is your livelihood, and that’s why we believe it’s crucial to invest in insurance. It gives you the practical and financial support to quickly recover from a setback. While Storyhunter doesn’t offer an equipment insurance policy, we’ve rounded up the top providers both within and outside the United States.

Insurance for Non-Homeowners in the United States

If you are not a homeowner, here are several resources for camera and gear insurance:

Insure My Equipment

Insure My Equipment, a product of Heffernan Insurance Group, offers “instant online protection for your production and photography equipment or rentals” from camera equipment, portable electric equipment, wardrobes to dance equipment. Their “Rented Equipment Coverage” policy covers production equipment rented from a third party such as a rental house or individual owners. They also offer “Owned Equipment Coverage” that’s available for six months or an annual term. For both these policies, the coverage also applies internationally.

KitSplit

KitSplit is an online rental marketplace for creative equipment, which is also a division of Heffernan Insurance Group. It offers short-term policies that cover rented equipment for those in the United States who are Kitsplit members. The KitSplit Damage waiver covers rentals of gear valued below $10,000, and the damage waiver fee starts at $5. You can purchase Instant Insurance at checkout and immediately get both a quote and coverage for any rental on KitSplit. There’s also the option for Kitsplit renters to use their own production insurance or long-term equipment rental policy to cover rentals on the platform (Your policy must be current and eligible to cover the value of the gear you’re renting).

Professional Photographers of America (PPA)

PPA is a nonprofit trade association of professional photographers. In partnership with Lockton Affinity, they offer up to $15,000 in equipment coverage for member photographers. This year, they announced their improved insurance that covers full replacement of stolen or damaged equipment, flat deductibles for repairs and replacements of gear such as cameras, lenses, lighting set-ups, and computer hardware. (Previously, the policy did not cover the full replacement value of equipment, and deductibles increased with each claim filed.) Learn more about the insurance plans here.

Athos Insurance

Athos is a trusted commercial insurance agency and brokerage company that specializes in providing insurance to the entertainment industry. It offers film, photography, production insurance as well as extreme sports and special events insurance. And you can instantly buy equipment insurance online. Read more about their policy options here.

Insurance for Homeowners in the United States

If you’re a homeowner, we recommend you add your cameras and gear to your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance policies if they are stolen or damaged in your home. Lemonade offers renters’ and homeowners’ insurance in the United States. Under their base policy, you can insure your camera for theft, vandalism, fire, and other “named perils.” There’s also an Extra Coverage option covering accidental damage (for example, if you drop your camera in a lake). Get all the coverage details you need here.

Insurance for Non-Homeowners Outside the United States

Aaduki

Aaduki Multimedia Insurance, part of the Partners& group, is a UK insurance broker for photographers and videographers. It lets you tailor your cover and offers free expert advice on the plan that works for you and why. The cover for a $1,400 kit is $130 a year, while a kit at $8,500 will be around $180 per year. It’s a practical option for those looking for longer-term policies and has more expensive equipment. Get the details on their policies here.

Eversure

Eversure is a UK company that offers affordable camera insurance underwritten by Aegeas. The cover for a low-end kit is $28, and a high-end kit is $175. The camera insurance policy will protect your equipment if it’s stolen or lost. And it offers worldwide cover for trips up to 120 days. Learn more about the coverage options.

InFocus

InFocus offers photography insurance policies tailored toward professional photographers, video makers, and photojournalists and allows you to pay in interest-free installments. With its policies underwritten by Hiscox Insurance, the company provides cover for professional indemnity, employers liability cover, personal accident, to name a few. Read about the policy options here.

Emergencies

For accidental death and disablement, sickness and accidental medical expenses, plus medical evacuation and repatriation insurance for journalists and members of the Media worldwide, check out Insurance for Journalists. And for any emergencies during production, please:

• Call 911
• File a police report.
• Contact support@storyhunter.com