You may be asking yourself: Why do wedding photographers need insurance?
But riddle me this: Have you ever considered what could go wrong during your wedding photo shoot or paying for these risks with your hard-earned cash?
You can be the most successful wedding photographer on the planet and still face risks.
For example, you’re setting up tripods, lights, and other equipment in the reception area, but someone trips over your gear and cuts their forehead during the fall and needs stitches. If you don’t have general liability insurance, you will have to pay medical bills out of pocket, which can substantially drain your funds and your business.
Read on to learn about other common risks wedding photographers face and the types of wedding photography insurance coverage you need for successful shoots.
Common Risks for Photographers Shooting Weddings
There are many all-too-common scenarios that demonstrate why wedding photographers need liability insurance coverage. Let’s review a few in more detail.
Faulty Memory Card
Let’s say one of your wedding shoots is going well. You got great shots of the newlyweds exchanging vows, their first kiss, getting cake, and their first dance. However, when you get home and upload the photos, you discover the memory card didn’t save any of the photos!
If you don’t have professional liability (what we call “failure to deliver”) insurance, you could face hefty lawsuits from unhappy couples (especially brides). This insurance coverage protects you from claims of things that happen beyond your control. You can add Failure to Deliver coverage to any annual policy with Full Frame Insurance (FFI).
Damaged Equipment
Let’s say you’re editing photos on your laptop for the same-day edits package the newlyweds’ requested. Just as you finish your last snapshot, a guest spills their drink on the computer!
Equipment and gear (aka inland marine) coverage allows you to cover your photography tools in case of theft or damage. It’s included in our Annual Plus bundle or you can add it to an Annual policy. You can also increase the limits depending on how much coverage you need.
Data Breaches
If you keep your client’s information on your phone or computer, a hacker could steal it. According to Ipsos, one in every three Americans (approximately 31%) report being a financial fraud or cybercrime victim.
You may think your customers’ information is secure until it falls into the wrong hands when you least expect it. A cybercriminal can invade your device while you use public wi-fi at your local coffee shop, restaurant, or college campus.
Data breach (aka cyber liability) insurance acts as a safety net in the event of a cybercrime, and can cover any third-party claim or legal fees. Data breach insurance can be added to any annual FFI policy at a low cost.
Property Damage
You may be thinking: Why do wedding photographers need liability insurance? Let me paint you a picture.
You could receive property damage claims from venues that are hosting the wedding. Your tripods or other equipment could accidentally scuff up a venue’s floor or you could bump into a table with an expensive vase and break it.
General liability insurance can protect you from these and other third-party claims, giving you peace of mind so you can focus on capturing the best wedding moments.
Insurance Coverage Must-Haves for Wedding Photographers
After reviewing some potential risks, you’re probably asking: What insurance do I need as a wedding photographer?
Glad you asked. We’ve listed several insurance coverages you should consider buying from Full Frame Insurance for your business needs. What’s more, you can customize your coverage to fit your business activities and needs.
General Liability Insurance for Wedding Photographers
General liability insurance protects you from injury and property damage claims. If you’re a wedding photographer or wedding videographer, you can benefit from general liability insurance because it adds a layer of defense in case someone gets hurt while you’re capturing shots of the nuptials.
How to Get Wedding Photography Liability Insurance
General liability insurance is available for any of Full Frame Insurance’s policies, including Annual, Annual+, and Event. You can sign up and receive this coverage in any policy you choose in under 10 minutes. It’s just that easy.
Failure to Deliver (Professional Liability Insurance)
Professional liability, aka failure to deliver, insurance protects you from incidents outside of your control that prevent you from delivering your best work. Malfunctioning memory cards, not showing up for the wedding, or customers being unhappy with your work fall into this coverage.
How to Get Failure to Deliver/Professional Liability Coverage
Professional liability insurance is an add-on option for our Annual and Annual+ policies. Our annual photographer and videographer’s insurance starts at $12 per month or $129 per year. Add it when applying for coverage as a newbie, or add it to your current policy by logging in to your dashboard.
Camera and Gear Coverage for Wedding Photographers
Camera and gear, aka inland marine, insurance protects your equipment in case of theft or damage during a photoshoot. Imagine someone accidentally spilling their drink on one of your cameras during the reception and paying for the damages without this coverage.
Pretty scary, huh?
How to Get Camera and Equipment Coverage
Camera and equipment coverage is included as part of our Annual+ bundle with general liability and damage to rented premises insurance. This plan can also increase your occurrence and aggregate limits starting at $130 per year.
Camera and equipment coverage is also available as an add-on for FFI’s annual plan. You can choose this coverage during the application process or log into your dashboard and add it to your existing policy.
Data Breach Protection (Cyber Liability Coverage)
Data breach protection, aka cyber liability coverage, protects you from damages resulting in cybercriminal activities. For example, a hacker could steal your clients’ information and sell it on the dark web or hold it for ransom.
How to Get Data Breach Protection
Data breach protection insurance is available as an add-on for our annual plans. You can add this to your coverage application or buy it through your dashboard for your existing policy at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Wedding Photographer Insurance
Am I Required to Have Insurance to Shoot a Wedding?
Yes! Most venue owners require you to have wedding photographer or videographer insurance. Some venues may even ask you to add them as Additional Insureds to your policy. Full Frame Insurance allows you to sign up for coverage in 10 minutes or less, print your Certificate of Insurance (COI), and add unlimited Additional Insureds for a small fee.
Do I Need Insurance to Shoot Weddings for My Friends and Family?
There’s no law that requires you to have wedding photographer insurance. However, things can go wrong at any wedding, and wedding venues typically don’t care if you’re working for a few hundred dollars or nothing.
Wedding photographer insurance can protect you from claims of medical injuries or damaged properties (even from friends or family members), and save you from paying them out of pocket.
Why Do Wedding Photographers Need Liability Insurance?
Venue owners may require a Certificate of Insurance (COI) before you begin filming in their establishment. General liability insurance can protect you against claims of physical injuries, property damage, defamation, and more.
Plus, having insurance shows your clients and venue owners that you take your business seriously and that the venue isn’t responsible for any mishaps that occur during your photo shoots.
What Type of Insurance Do Wedding Photographers Need?
There are numerous insurance types that wedding photographers should consider when buying coverage. A few examples include:
- General Liability
- Professional Liability aka Failure to Deliver
- Camera and Gear Coverage
- Data Breach Protection
Is Wedding Photography Considered Commercial?
No. Although wedding photographers and videographers film couples for money, they are not considered commercial. They don’t use finished products for advertisements or marketing purposes, unlike real estate, food, event, or architectural photography. However, wedding photography can become commercial if you use couples’ photos to market your business.
