As a professional photographer, you have the opportunity to capture the intimate moment when two people vow to become one. When it comes to shooting your client’s wedding, you know the proper shots, angles, and exact moments to snap a picture. What you might not know about is the benefit of wedding photography insurance and how its unique benefits can greatly help you become more successful.
So, how can wedding photography insurance help?
Let’s dive in.
1. Insurance for Wedding Photographers Fills Gaps in Contracts
Photographers may sign contracts with their clients, but a wedding venue may not allow a photographer to operate on premises without liability insurance. Once you have wedding photography insurance, you can add the wedding venue as an additional insured to fulfill most venue requirements.
What Is Wedding Photography Insurance?
Simply put, wedding photography insurance coverage that protects you from claims of bodily injury and property damage caused by a third party. In the event of an accident, an insured’s policy could cover potential legal and medical expenses.
Below are a few examples of bodily injury and property damage claims photographers may face.
Bodily Injury Claim Examples:
- A client falls at the photographer’s studio and breaks her arm
- A lighting fixture falls and injures a client
- While posing outside, a client trips over a rock and is injured
Property Damage Claim Examples:
- A photographer sets up a lighting tripod in a client’s home; it falls and breaks a window
- A photographer’s lighting equipment cord short circuits and burns the client’s carpet
- While moving a tripod in a client’s home, you scuff and damage their floor
Should any of these events occur, insurance for wedding photographers could protect you from impending legal fees, property damage claims, and medical bills.
What Is An Additional Insured?
An additional insured is a person or organization (wedding venue owner, event holder, etc.) that is not included as an insured under your insurance policy.
You may be asking yourself, “Why would a wedding venue require me to add them as an additional insured on my policy?”
Well, a wedding venue may require this addition because it could protect them against claims caused by your negligence filed on their premises. To help illustrate this point: in a recent claim the photographer told the bride’s family to gather for a group shot. While walking to the group photo, the father of the bride tripped and hurt himself. He then sued the photographer for bodily damage and also filed a lawsuit against the wedding venue in hopes to get more money.
With the wedding venue listed as an additional insured on your wedding photography insurance policy, they could be protected under the terms of your policy if a claim is filed.
2. Camera Equipment Insurance Protects Your Tools
Should an accident occur, replacing one piece of camera equipment could cost thousands of dollars. A loss of this magnitude could place a significant financial strain on your bottom line and affect your ability to continue working with clients.
Purchasing a separate camera equipment insurance policy through Full Frame Insurance provides coverage for your cameras, lenses, lighting equipment and other photography gear on and off premises. When you are capturing photos at a venue you have little experience shooting in, you can have peace of mind knowing your equipment is covered.
Pro tip: If you’re just starting out in your photography career and aren’t sure what gear you need, check out our recommended beginner photography equipment and get tips from real photographers!
3. Wedding Photography Insurance Makes You More Marketable
Marketing yourself as a wedding photographer who carries a wedding photography insurance policy comes with some serious perks. Full Frame Insurance is a reputable carrier that offers “A Rated” coverage to all of its customers. In fact, we even offer an insurance badge that can be attached to your personal website immediately after purchase. This badge alerts customers that you have gone the extra mile to protect your business.
Beyond displaying the badge, you can share with your clients that you are an insured photographer via your personal business cards or social media bios to improve your credibility. Clients find comfort when they work with an insured photographer, because they know if things were to go wrong they could be covered.
4. Wedding Photography Insurance is Affordable and Easy to Buy
Wedding photography insurance doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, Full Frame offers coverage starting at $99/year.
Coverage Details
- General Aggregate Limit $2,000,000
- Each Occurrence Limit $1,000,000
- Damage to Premises Rented To You Limit $300,000 (any one premises)
- Medical Expense Limit $5,000
Full Frame’s wedding photography insurance is easy to obtain through a quick quote-to-coverage process that is handled completely online in less than 10 minutes.
Discover how you can protect yourself today with wedding photographer insurance!
FAQs About Protecting Your Wedding Photography Business
Do wedding venues require a certificate of insurance, and how do I provide one?
Many venues ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) and to be listed as an additional insured before they’ll confirm your date. With FFI, you can add a venue as an additional insured from your dashboard and generate an instant COI to send the same day. On annual policies, it’s $15 for one or $30 for unlimited; on event policies, it’s $5 for unlimited.
Which policy is best for wedding photographers: event or annual?
If you only shoot the occasional wedding, the 1–3 day Event policy is a budget-friendly way to meet venue requirements at just $59/event. If you shoot three or more gigs a year, an Annual policy is often the better value, starting at $129/year. Even more, Annual+ bundles liability with camera equipment coverage for as low as $259/year (a stellar deal if you have pricey equipment).
Does camera equipment insurance protect my gear on wedding days and during travel?
Yes. Camera equipment coverage helps cover the cost to repair or replace insured gear after covered theft or accidental damage at home, on the job, and in between. You can select limits up to $75,000 total. Note that equipment coverage isn’t available on short-term event policies, and common exclusions include rented or borrowed gear and theft from an unattended vehicle.
Are drones covered for wedding shoots?
No. Drone operations are excluded. If you offer aerial coverage, you’ll need a separate insurance policy that specifically includes unmanned aircraft.
Can I add my second shooter as an additional insured?
Only third parties (like venues, landlords, and event organizers) can be additional insureds, so you cannot add an employee as an AI. Independent contractors should carry their own policies.
