Thursday, September 26, 2013

Safety For Animals On Set

If you use animals in your production, you want to hear, ‘No animals were harmed in the making of this production.” That is not always the case. In the making of the first movie in the new "Hobbit" trilogy, 27 animals died at a farm where they were housed during the filming. HBO’s “Luck” had a hose that got frightened and ended up fracturing its skull; it had to be put down. As much as safety is observed accidents happen. The movie Evan Almighty uses over 85 species of animals and no animals were hurt.

Here are a few suggestions for you to consider as part of your safety plan. You may be required to have a representative of the American Humane Association on site.
  • Have proper trainers on the set
  • Animals must be trained, prepped and in appropriate physical and behavioral condition to perform the required work
  • Lame or ill animals may not be used and may not resume work until the condition has been corrected, as determined by a veterinarian
  • Have extra water
  • Animals should have access to shelter
  • Animals should  be checked daily for injury and/or illness
  • Dogs should have a collar and be kept on a leash
  • Owners must provide proof of the animal’s vaccinations as recommended for the species of animal
  • Animals should never be left unattended
  • No alcohol shall be used around animals at any time
  • The American Humane Association offers resources for you. Remember that John Hart Insurance can insure your animal talent, call us today. 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

What Does Property Insurance Cover?

Most of our entertainment clients purchase property insurance. One question we often have is, do clients ever actually read their policies? We hope so. We recommend that every client read their policy and try to understand it. But in case you have not gotten to that, here is an overview of commercial property insurance. Policies will vary, so consider this a brief overview.

The purpose of property insurance for the entertainment industry is to provide financial assistance in the event of a loss (fire, wind, theft) so that the organization can continue to operate with as little disruption as possible.

What is typically covered under a property policy?
  • Buildings, furniture, fixtures, inventory, personal property, equipment, cameras, props, sound equipment, etc.
What kinds of losses are covered?
  •  Fire, wind, lightning, vehicle damage to the building, weather, theft plus others
What are common exclusions?
  •  Earthquake, flood, wear and tear, hurricanes, property not owned by your firm

What are the kinds of coverage needed in the entertainment industry?
  •     Property in transit and temporary locations
  •          Property for special props and sets
  •          Intangible coverage: Includes patents, scripts, copyrights and trademarks
  •          Computer virus protection: Covers the loss of data and business through computer viruses
  •          Crime and employee dishonesty
  •          Business income and extra expense
  •          Boiler and machinery coverage

We can examine your current policies to see if you have the coverage you need. Just request an insurance review. An experienced agent will meet with you to go over your policies and explain any details you might not be sure about. As an independent commercial insurance agency we work with a variety of insurers who may be able to provide a quote for your property coverage that could save you money as well.