Insurance & Liability

JayCo413

JayCo413

Hello all,

I just got started in the filming industry and am trying to figure out all the business aspects of it while my partner is focusing on the creative. He's the director, I'm the producer. Anyway the last thing I can't seem to figure out is where to find insurance for an ultra-low budget film. We're working with a very small budget (maybe 10K). Can anybody recommend any good companies?

The other alternative to actually getting insurance is to have the cast and crew sign what's called an "express assumption of risk" agreement, has anybody gone that route?

Thanks, and I appreciate your time.

Jay
 
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I don't have a list of insurance companies but two types of insurance you'll want. I'm sure you're familiar with Production Insurance but another form of insurance you'll want is E&O Insurance (Errors and Omissions). If you do a search online you'll find a lot of insurance companies that offer these.
 
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I'm almost certain that all of us have shot a movie without any insurance. If you are making a movie on private property where the owner is willing to take the risk and you are using friends as cast and crew the risk of legal action isn't that high. Express assumption of risk contracts are worthless. It may keep friends from taking legal action against you if something should happen. But if someone is seriously hurt or property is damaged there are people who will still try to get their out of pocket expenses reimbursed. And even if you win a legal action, defending yourself will cost a lot of money. Only you know if that's worth it to you.

http://www.filmemporium.com/newweb/insurance/
 
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You're sounding a lot like my director, and I'm starting to agree with both of you. Our crew is friends, but we don't know anybody in the cast except one. The owners of the locations are all friends as well, except when we are shooting on state-owned lands. This is our first movie and we just have to do what we have to do I guess but I'm still hoping we can find some coverage. The locations aren't that dangerous where somebody could get insanely hurt at all.
 
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What really wiped me out several years ago - and the last time I made a movie without insurance - wasn't a dangerous location and it wasn't a stranger trying to get something out of me, a poor indie filmmaker. It was a rented 10k that blew over in a completely unexpected gust of wind and hit the gaffer - a friend of mine.

Not only did we have to pay for the lamp, but when a good friend is out of work for 6 weeks after getting hurt on MY set - and working for free - I felt obligated to not leave him hanging.

I was working with a friend who was in a friends house shooting without insurance. One of the cast (also a friend) knocked over one of the production monitors and it fell through a huge livingroom window. A very expensive lesson in having insurance.

I got more and I bet others do to. I've also done more than a dozen shoots without insurance and not a single problem. But I'll never do one again. I just can't afford it.
 
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Just to let you guys know I decided to go with the company linked to by directorik. The rates and coverage seem reasonable and I think its worth the peace of mind. Thanks for your help!
 
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They are insurance brokers, no matter where you get it it costs the same because there's one main company they go through. The fee you have to avoid is the "policy fee", this is where some companies make an extra padded fee. I believe with FilmEmporium you avoided that if I remember correctly.
 
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I've always shot on my property or family property. Family always says yes.

I have multiple scenes to shoot in a 'public park' in the middle of the night. Since I can't get a permit to shoot in a real public park here in St. Petersburg (and it's illegal to shoot at night in Tampa - so sayeth the Hillsborough County Film Commissioner) I'll be shooting at my sister-in-laws 8-acre property in Orlando. She said I can use it all I want for free. Hell, she'll throw in the home cooking for me and my cast/crew for free.
 
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Insurance is always expensive. For the US no distributor will touch a film without E&O which is a major headache (well except York but they are just not worth teeh hasstle!)

In the UK you need public liability as well which does what it says on the tin... insures YOu and the PUBLIC should a falling camera mame people.

Now if I'm honest I have NEVER used public liability and any location that has asked for it I have just found alternatives. BUT that is not the way to go!

This filmmaking business is expensive!
 
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