How much does video and film production insurance cost?

Video and film production studios pay an average of $40 per month, or $485 per year, for general liability insurance (sometimes called public liability insurance).

General liability insurance covers common video production risks, including third party property damage and bodily injury. For example, if a friend of a crew member trips over a lighting rig on a music video set and injures themselves, a general liability policy would cover their medical expenses.

It also helps pay for legal costs if someone sues your business over copyright infringement or advertising injuries, including defamation.

Some production studios may need proof of insurance of a general liability policy to sign a commercial lease or secure a client contract.

Below is the average policy for videographers and filmmakers who buy from Insureon:

Premium: $40 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

Insureon’s licensed agents typically recommend a business owner’s policy (BOP) for small, low-risk production studios. This policy combines general liability coverage with commercial property insurance at a discount to protect your video equipment and other business property.

General liability insurance costs depend on factors such as the coverage limits you choose, the size of your business, the amount of foot traffic you have, and any additional insured endorsements you select.

Learn more about how your premium is calculated and how to save money on your general liability coverage.

For video and film production studios, a business owner’s policy typically costs $55 per month, or an average annual premium of $663.

A BOP bundles general liability and property insurance, usually at a discounted rate. This policy may include business interruption insurance, which covers lost income due to an unexpected business closure.

This is the average business owner's policy for film production studios that buy from Insureon:

Premium: $55 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

Small, low risk video production studios are typically eligible for a BOP. Film professionals 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.

Your business property value and the types of video production services you offer (e.g., post production options like special effects) will partially dictate pricing.

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

Professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O), costs an average of $77 per month (or $926 annually) for video production companies.

This policy covers the cost of client lawsuits over claims that your work was unsatisfactory, negligent, late, or never completed.

For instance, suppose a client claims you captured their wedding video in poor lighting and decides to sue. A professional liability policy would cover your legal costs and any settlements, helping you to avoid financial loss.

Below is the average professional liability coverage for film production studios that buy from Insureon:

Premium: $77 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $1 million aggregate
Deductible: $1,000

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

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

The average cost for workers’ compensation insurance for video and film production studios is $56 per month, or $676 annually.

A workers’ compensation policy covers medical bills and lost wages if you or an employee are injured on the job. Businesses that have employees typically must purchase workers' comp to comply with state requirements and avoid penalties.

Workers' comp state laws vary and your specific requirements will depend on the state you live in. For example, all video production studios are required to carry a workers' compensation policy in California if they have one or more employees. However, coverage is optional in Texas.

Since health insurance plans can deny claims for injuries related to your job, workers' comp coverage is also recommended for sole proprietors and freelancers with no employees as a financial safety net and for extra peace of mind.

The cost of workers' comp depends on several factors, primarily your number of employees and their occupational risks (e.g., dangerous stunts, working with pyrotechnics, etc.).

You can save money on your workers' comp coverage by classifying your employees correctly and implementing a risk management plan to minimize work-related injuries.

Small business owners pay an average of $147 per month, or $1,762 per year, for commercial auto insurance. This type of business insurance pays for property damage and medical expenses from accidents involving your company vehicle. It can also cover vehicle theft, vandalism, and weather damage.

Most states require this type of insurance for vehicles owned by your production studio. For personal, rented, and leased vehicles used for work purposes, look to hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) instead.

The cost of commercial car insurance depends on several factors, including the policy limits you choose, coverage options, the number and value of your vehicles, and the driving records of anyone permitted to drive.

Photo and video professionals pay an average of $43 per month, or $519 annually, for inland marine insurance.

This equipment coverage pays for the cost of lost, stolen, or damaged business owned equipment. This includes tripods, dollies, cameras, backdrops, computers, and other specialized video equipment like drones.

Inland marine insurance protects your business property while it's in transit, at a photo or video shoot, or stored off-site, such as at a rental house or storage unit.

Commercial property insurance policies only cover items at your business location. In order to fully protect your production equipment at all times, this coverage is recommended for all professional videographers and photographers.

The cost of inland marine insurance depends on the value of your photo and film equipment and the types of productions you lend your services to in the film industry (e.g., feature films, documentaries, independent films, etc.).