Whether you’re treating photography as a career or a pastime, you know it’s not cheap. Equipment is expensive, and as you strive to take better and better pictures, you’ll find the amount and the cost of equipment needed keeps growing. So let us introduce you to a concept called photographer insurance. 

As you’ll see, photographer insurance isn’t just about protecting tangible things, like your camera and computer. Many photographers need the same kinds of protection as any other business. Below are several different options photographer insurance options.

HISCOX

HISCOX, which offers policies for everything from kidnapping to satellite damage, has professional liability insurance, general liability insurance and business owners insurance, all for photographers. Together, these can provide protection for numerous situations, including:

– If you’ve been contracted for an event and your memory card fails and you lose all your pictures, and they want their money back

– A client or client’s customer trips over a piece of equipment you have out for a photo shoot and gets injured

– Litigation costs for defamation and libel suits

– Insurance for your equipment, like cameras, lenses, and storage devices

Policies begin at around $400 a year.

Hill & Usher

Hill & Usher, another insurance company that seems willing to protect anything and everything imaginable, has a special package for media professionals like photographers that includes safeguards for your photography gear, computer, portable electronic equipment, photography studio at home, as well as professional liability coverage. Deductibles range from a couple hundred to $1000 dollars. 

PhotoCare

One cannot discuss photographer insurance without mentioning the Professional Photographer’s Association’s PhotoCare, which provides up to $15,000 of photography equipment insurance as well as data loss and negligence protection. Unlike the other options on this list, you simply join the association and PhotoCare comes with your membership, along with all the other perks (a print and digital subscription to Professional Photographer magazine, online learning programs, and more) for $27.92 a month. That’s right, not $28. $27.92.

Geico, Progressive, Allstate

Another option, which may be the easiest if you can tack it on to your existing home or auto and pay just one bill, is a professional liability insurance or business owner’s policy from one of the big players like Geico, Progressive or Allstate. Though you won’t get the kind of specialization you get with above mentioned options, so it’s a tradeoff.

Learn and Travel with Steinberg Photography

Now that you’ve learned about photographer insurance, you’re ready to get out there and take some pictures! Have you ever considered honing your skills on a photography adventure? Now is a great time to go with professional photographers Jim and Lori Steinberg of Steinberg Photography. We offer numerous exciting workshops and tours that are great for photographers of all skill levels.

Thanks for reading!