How much does photography and videography business insurance cost?

Videography and photography businesses pay an average premium of $29 per month, or $350 per year, for general liability insurance.

General liability insurance coverage protects against third-party property damage and bodily injury, such as a client who injures themselves at your photography studio after a slip-and-fall accident. It also covers advertising injuries, which include slander, libel, and copyright infringement.

This is the average general liability policy for photography and videography businesses that buy from Insureon:

Premium: $29 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

Insureon’s licensed agents recommend a business owner’s policy (BOP) over a standalone general liability policy. A BOP combines general liability insurance with commercial property insurance to protect your cameras and other gear, and costs less than purchasing each policy separately.

Among photographers and videographers who purchase general liability coverage with Insureon, 90% pay less than $50 per month. In fact, over a third (35%) pay $25 or less per month.

The amount you pay depends on several factors, such as the size of your business, how often you interact with customers, and your business revenue.

Businesses with larger premises, such as a videographer with an outdoor stage, typically pay more for general liability insurance than smaller businesses, such as a freelance photographer who works alone from a home office.

Your profession's risks, years in operation, claims history, and location will also affect your insurance premium.

Policy limits are the maximum amounts your insurer will pay on covered claims. Most photography and videography business owners (93%) choose a general liability policy with a $1 million per-occurrence limit and a $2 million aggregate limit.

The per-occurrence limit is the maximum your insurer will pay for a single incident, while the aggregate limit is the maximum they will pay for all claims during your policy period, typically one year.

Choosing lower limits is one way to get an affordable premium, but you'll also want to make sure it's enough to cover a lawsuit.

Learn other ways to save, how to choose policy limits, and more on Insureon's general liability insurance cost analysis page.

Photo and video professionals pay an average of $47 per month for a business owner’s policy (BOP), or about $570 annually. This policy combines general liability insurance with commercial property insurance, typically at a lower rate than if the policies were purchased separately.

A BOP provides financial protection against third-party injuries and property damage, along with damage to your own business property. Because of its increased coverage and affordability, it’s the policy most often recommended by Insureon’s licensed agents.

Small, low risk businesses are typically eligible for a BOP. Businesses with higher risks can often save money with a commercial package policy (CPP), which offers liability and property coverage with more coverage options and higher policy limits.

Learn how to save money on your policy, which coverage limits to choose, and more on Insureon's business owner's policy cost analysis page.

Professional photographers and videographers pay an average of about $42 per month, or $500 per year, for professional liability insurance.

This policy, also known as errors and omissions insurance (E&O), covers legal costs for professional mistakes and oversights. For example, it protects you if a client sues you for failing to finish editing a commercial on time, or losing a memory card of wedding photos.

Several factors will influence your professional liability premium, including the type of business you have, your claims history, and the policy limits you choose.

Among photo and video businesses that purchase professional liability insurance with Insureon, almost half (49%) pay between $30 and $60 per month. And over a quarter (26%) pay less than $30 a month.

Your exact cost depends on the type of photography and/or videography services you offer, and your level of risk for professional liability lawsuits.

Most photo and video businesses (56%) choose professional liability policies with a $1 million per-occurrence limit and a $1 million aggregate limit.

Selecting lower limits is an easy way for you to obtain an affordable premium, but you should make sure the coverage you choose is adequate enough to pay for a lawsuit.

Learn how to save money on your policy, which coverage limits to choose, and more on Insureon's professional liability insurance cost analysis page.

Photography and videography companies pay an average of $56 per month or $670 annually for workers' compensation insurance. This policy covers medical expenses and disability benefits when you or an employee suffers a work-related injury or illness.

Photo and video businesses that have employees typically must purchase workers' comp to comply with state requirements and avoid penalties. Your specific requirements will depend on what state you live in.

For example, all photography and video businesses are required to carry a workers' compensation policy in California if they have one or more employees. However, coverage is optional in Texas.

Workers' comp is also recommended for sole proprietors, as health insurance plans can deny claims for injuries related to your job.

Among photography and videography businesses that purchase workers’ compensation insurance with Insureon, 42% pay less than $50 per month and 43% pay between $50 and $100 per month.

Insurance companies primarily look at the number of employees and their level of occupational risk when determining your premium. You can save money on your workers' comp coverage by classifying your employees correctly and implementing a risk management plan to minimize financial losses.

Learn how workers' comp premiums are calculated, other ways to save money, and more on Insureon's workers' compensation insurance cost analysis page.

Small business owners and freelancers pay an average of $147 per month, or $1,762 per year, for commercial auto insurance. This policy can pay for property damage and medical bills if your truck or other vehicle gets into an accident. It can also cover vehicle theft, vandalism, and weather damage.

Most states require car insurance for photographers with company-owned vehicles, such as SUVs and vans. For personal, rented, and leased vehicles used for work purposes, look to hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) instead.

The cost of commercial auto insurance depends on several factors, including the policy limits you choose, the value of your vehicle, and the driving records of anyone permitted to drive.

On average, photo and video professionals pay $43 per month, or $519 per year, for inland marine insurance.

This policy covers the cost of lost, stolen, or damaged gear and photography equipment. This includes tripods, backdrops, computers, and other specialized camera equipment like drones.

Unlike standard property insurance, inland marine insurance provides equipment coverage to your items while they're in transit, at a video or photo shoot, or stored off-site.

The cost of inland marine coverage depends on the value of your equipment and the type of photography and videography work you do.