Even Small Productions Need Commercial Liability Insurance Coverage

To protect a small entertainment business from potential lawsuits, liability insurance is necessary. Policies vary greatly, and they cover different classifications of risks for varying costs. It is important to educate yourself about entertainment liability insurance.

Business Liability Insurance Is Available in Many Different Forms

Commercial General Liability, which is also called CGL, is a very broad insurance product. It covers claims from accidents, injuries, or negligence when the business is at fault.  Small businesses may face a wide array of damage charges. Personal injuries, property damage, libel, and slander are just a few examples.

Cast Insurance - Reimburses the production company for any extra expense necessary to complete principal photography of an insured production due to death, injury or sickness of any insured performer or director

Professional Liability coverage pays for damages caused by services.  It is also called “errors and omissions” coverage.  Covers the legal liability and defense for the production company against lawsuits alleging unauthorized use of title, format, ideas, characters, plots, plagiarism, unfair competition or piracy. Also, protects for alleged libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy. This coverage will usually be required by a distributor prior to release of any theatrical or television production.

An Employment Practice Liability Insurance policy offers insurance protection against claims and lawsuits that are brought against a business, its officers or directors, or its employees and managers, against harassment, wrongful termination, breach of employment contract, discrimination, invasion of privacy, compensation issues, and employee benefits administration.

There are other types of insurance designed for specialty businesses.  The nature of the business determines what type of coverage is necessary.

John William Hart III Insurance Agency, presents a brief description of the various types of insurance coverages available to the Motion Picture and Television production company. These descriptions are general in nature and are not a complete explanation of the policy terms. We focus exclusively on understanding the unique needs of motion picture, television, video, music and theatrical companies.  This knowledge base allows us to structure an insurance program specifically for each client that will be a balance of the best coverage and most economical solutions to help them manage the risks inherent to their unique businesses.