Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Certificates of Insurance




If you rent production equipment or shoot on someone’s property, there is a good chance you will be required to provide a certificate of insurance. Here are a few things to remember about certificates of insurance:

What is a certificate of insurance?
A document issued by an insurance agent/broker that is used to confirm the existence of insurance coverage. The document provides the effective date of the policy, the type of insurance coverage purchased, and the types and dollar amount of applicable liability.

Is there a cost?
A certificate of insurance does not cost anything to issue.

Can certificates of insurance change coverage?
No, certificates of insurance cannot modify insurance coverage. Certificates only provide information about policies that are in place. Certificates of insurance are designed to be informational. That is, they are not intended to confer any rights on the insurance company, policyholder, or the certificate holder.

What is usually on a certificate of insurance?
  • Name of insured
  • Company to which the certificate is issued
  • Insurance company
  • Policy dates
  • Limits
  • Type of coverage
  • Any special policy terms
  • Additional insured (with limitations) 


Additional things to remember
  • Certificates issued incorrectly don’t necessarily bind the insurer.
  • Additional insured issues must be addressed on the actual policy.
  • When you receive a certificate, do not just file it away. Read it to see whether it complies with the contract’s requirements. If it does not, then do not accept it.


.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

TEN CLAIMS REDUCTION IDEAS




TOP TEN CLAIM REDUCTION IDEAS

Want to reduce claims? Try some of these ideas. 

1.    Spend the time to double-check the inventory on the returns to lessen the L&D.
2.    Treat it like you own it. Make sure the person who is dealing with very valuable equipment has the experience to use it.
3.    No Slurpees! – Never leave the truck unattended. A white box van on the street screams out, “Steal Me”.  There have been claims where the PA went in for a Slurpee and the truck was gone. Or the $15,000 camera in the van was stolen.
4.    Remember, Separate Occurrences follow as they happen. Just like your car insurance, if you smash the side of the car in the morning and wreck the rear at lunch, it is two separate occurrences and subject to two separate deductibles.
5.    Mitigate the Loss – act as if you didn’t have insurance. It will help you later when you go make the claim.
6.    A great film is when nobody gets hurt. Start every day with the safety meeting
7.    Repeat After Me – Counter to Counter. When shipping equipment, repeat the mantra as you go to the airline counter to ship and continue it when you pick up at the other end.
8.    Make sure you have two sets of eyes when backing up the 5- ton truck. Think of all the blind spots. When backing the truck out of the location parking lot, make sure there is someone outside the truck that you can see in your side mirrors watching your rear-end. Also think about this when pulling into a gas station and the roof.
9.    A little video goes a long way. When locking a location, take a video of the all the areas that the company will use. If or when a claim arises the video is proof that the crack in the wall was there before your crew set foot on the premises.
10. I am convinced that shows with good craft services have fewer claims. Don't skimp on the healthy snacks and munchies. A happy crew is a safe crew.

      While I can't guarantee you won't have any losses, you will have fewer losses and you will have a happy crew and production company. When everyone is happy you have a better time, and tend to get things done on time and budget.