What Kind Of Insurance You Need To Shoot A Production Short

Every day in Los Angles there are literally dozens of production companies shooting, commercials, training films, full length motion pictures and documentaries. All these activities bring with them unique risks that should be insured. And when it comes to entertainment insurance, John hart Insurance has the solutions.

Here is a short overview of what you might consider:

·         Rented Equipment

·         Owned Equipment

·         Cast Coverage

·         Props, Sets and Wardrobe

·         Negative & Faulty Stock

·         Third Party Property Damage

·         Extra Expense

·         General Liability

·         Automobile Liability and Physical Damage

·         Workers Compensation

Once a film, television pilot, commercial, or documentary is finished, the next step is normally distribution. Most distributors will require the production company obtain an Errors and Omissions policy on the production. If you are a distributor, you should always carry your own E&O policy, in addition to requiring each of the productions you distribute to be covered. When purchasing your insurance policies, it is once again important to remember that the amount of coverage you purchase is wholly dependent upon the type of project you’re working on.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

Allow Us To Manage Your Entertainment Insurance Program

An Entertainment Insurance Update

We recommend you start 2018 strong by having us complete a review of your entertainment insurance program.  We will review your exposures to risk and compare these to your current coverage.  If we do not find any gaps, we will tell you, and if we do find gaps, we will provide recommendations to you.

Here are some things you can do today to strengthen your business insurance program for 2018:

•        Read your insurance policies. It is better to know what coverage you have before a loss occurs.
•        Meet with your agent and have him/her review your program and make recommendations.
•        Review your losses over the past few years and determine if there are any areas where improved safety might help reduce losses.
•        Take advantage of any loss prevention services offered by your business insurer.
•        Consider adding additional coverage like Professional liability, media liability, or copyright infringement, employment practices liability, or a commercial umbrella policy.
•        Review all your safety policies to make sure they are up-to-date
•        Make safety training a priority in 2018 with safety incentives for accident-free months.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

How We Help Employers Manage Workers’ Compensation Costs

An Entertainment Workers’ Compensation Update

There are over 4.1 million workplace injuries in the Unites States each year, according to OSHA.  Employers spend about $155 billion on work related injuries each year.  There is no doubt workers’ compensation is a big expense for employers.

The good news is there are many actions an insurance agent can do to help employers reduce workers’ compensation costs.

• Search the market for options and program designs that fit the individual needs of each employer.

• Help build a bridge between the insurer and business.

• Educate employers about how workers’ compensation works.

• Work with employers in the development of a safety program.

• Analyze all classifications to make sure they are correct.

• Help the company prepare for the workers’ compensation premium audit.

• Provide the framework for an early return to work program.

• Help the company review accidents and claims to determine trends and then create safety solutions.

• Facilitate a claims review with the insurer to make sure all claims are being processed correctly.

• Be a resource to the business by bringing in other service providers to solve problems; i.e., attorneys, safety professionals, and third party claims consultants.

Workers’ compensation is an important part of your entertainment insurance program. It is required by state law that your business has workers’ compensation insurance.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

Test Your Entertainment Business Insurance IQ

An Entertainment Business Insurance Update

We don’t expect you to be experts in business insurance, but we thought it might be fun to test you on what you do know about your entertainment insurance. Business insurance is designed to cover unexpected losses. We can offer a wide range of business insurance options, so please call our office today.

Business Insurance Quiz (answers at the end)

1. Your deductible is the amount you are responsible for if a covered loss occurs.
2. Flood and earthquake coverage are always part of your business property coverage.
3. Cyber Insurance is protection against losses caused by hackers from businesses dealing strictly in e-commerce, but it does not exist.
4. Business Interruption covers your lost income no matter what kind of loss closes your business.
5. My employees are prohibited from suing me, as this would be a workers’ compensation claim.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

Answers

1.       True-

2.       False- You need to add this coverage under a separate policy

3.       False- Cyber insurance can be purchase by all business

4.       False- Business interruption only applies to covered losses under the policy

5.       False- Your employees have rights under federal and state laws to sue you if they feel they have been wronged.  You would need employment practices liability insurance in order to protect you and your business from employee lawsuits.

Common Mistakes Made When Purchasing Entertainment Insurance

Business Insurance 101

We work with hundreds of businesses and help them manage their commercial insurance programs. Our team recommends coverage and risk options as part of our regular services. Over the years, we have seen some businesses make preventable mistakes when considering their insurance coverage.  We thought it would be good to share these with you.

Entertainment Insurance Mistakes

Mistake: Assuming you do not need an agent.

Your agent can provide valuable services including educating you on what coverage you need and may not need.  Your agent can search the market for the best possible combination of coverage, price and service.

Mistake: Thinking that your policy covers all losses.

Your business insurance policy is intended to cover unexpected losses and accidents subject to the policy terms.  There are limitations and exclusions in every policy.

Mistake: Assuming that the lowest price is the best option.

It may be that the lowest priced insurance excludes needed coverage.  Your agent can help you determine the best coverage option for you.

Mistake: Not including cyber liability, employment liability, and professional liability in your business insurance program.

In today’s litigious climate, all businesses need to be protected with this coverage.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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

We Specialize In Entertainment Insurance

The entertainment industry creates fun, educational and even inspirational movies, TV, film and more. With this activity comes a certain amount of risk. Risks can include lost or damaged equipment, injury on sets, copy write litigation, injury to cast and crew and more. Our job is to partner with our clients to help them reduce their risk and protect their assets.

Here are some of our key products and services:

Insurance For Props, Sets and Wardrobe: Covers damage to specific equipment during production or events.

Producers Errors & Omissions: Covers legal liability and defense for the production company against lawsuits alleging unauthorized use of title, format, ideas, characters, plots, plagiarism, unfair competition or piracy.

Workers Compensation: Covers injury to crew members as required by state law.

Insuring Equipment: Covers cameras, sound/lighting equipment and rented or leased equipment.

Cast Insurance: Covers production companies’ extra expenses in the event of death, injury or illness to performers.

Comprehensive Liability Coverage: Protects the production company against claims for bodily injury or property damage liability arising out of filming. Coverage includes use of all non-owned vehicles (both on and off camera) including physical damage to such vehicles. This coverage will be required prior to filming on any city or state roadways, or any location sites requiring filming permits.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

Are You Ready To Renew Your Entertainment Insurance?

Business Insurance Renewal

Your entertainment insurance is an important part of your risk management program. It is important to have the right insurance coverage, competitive pricing and the right insurer. We have found at least five factors that are important to manage when renewing your business insurance program.

Entertainment Insurance

An entertainment insurance program can include commercial property, auto, commercial liability, employment liability, workers’ compensation, professional liability and excess liability.

Insurance Renewal Tips

·         Provide complete information about your operation. Paint a picture that describes what you do and how well you do it. You have to sell the underwriter on what is different about your operation and how the insurance company needs to insure your risk, because you are above average.

·         Use an independent agent. We are best equipped to provide you with the best combination of coverage, price and service.

·         Combine your property, auto and liability with one insurer if possible. You will receive package discounts.

·         Have a well-managed safety program.

Putting a little effort into your business insurance renewal can reap rewards in the form of better coverage and lower premiums. 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.

John Hart Insurance Has Your Interests In Mind

An Entertainment Insurance update

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 entertainment 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.

Here are some of the entertainment risks we can cover

• Cast insurance
• Production errors & omissions
• Damage to props and other equipment
• Copy write infringement
• Intellectual property
• Rented and leased vehicles
• Animal mortality

Here are the type of operations we have experience with

• Television or film productions
• Commercials
• Documentaries
• Music videos
• Educational films
• Corporate productions
• Commercial photographers

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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 entertainment 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.

Our goal is to provide exceptional service while giving you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best, create. Give us a call and let us show you how we can save you time and money on your insurance.

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.

A Little Preparation Can Get Your Entertainment Business Running After a Loss

A Entertainment Insurance Update

No one wants to think about an event so severe that it would cause your business to close.  However, disaster planning needs to be part of your ongoing business plan.  Major events can include floods, storms, data breach, fires, accidents, death of an owner, or lawsuits.  Whatever the risk, a little pre-planning can go a long way toward getting your business up and running again.

A key part of your plan should be a review of your business insurance program.  Your business insurance should include the following:

Property insurance: Covers your buildings, equipment, machines, and other property from loss or damage. Coverage should include business income coverage.

Commercial Liability Insurance: Provides coverage for bodily injury and property damage you cause to others.

Commercial Auto Insurance: Covers your company vehicles if they are involved in an accident. It can also cover your business if you, or an employee, uses a personally owned vehicle on behalf of the business.

Cyber Liability Insurance: This insurance can protect your business from a data breach.  If your business stores sensitive or non-public information about employees or clients, you are responsible for protecting that information. 

Management Liability Insurance: Management Liability can encompass these important business insurance coverage’s; Professional liability, and Directors and Officers Liability.

Having the right kind of entertainment insurance is not the only thing your business should consider. You need to develop a plan in the event your business is shut down.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

Risks That Keep Producers Up At Night

Is Your Commercial Insurance Right For You?

Recently, Forbes ran an article about the top 10 risks business face. The article focused on some of the risks that are hard or impossible to insure through “standard” business or commercial policies. Business insurance is designed to cover unforeseen accidents to third parties, per the terms of the insurance policy. There are many risks that may keep a business owner or manager up at night, and we thought we might share our list with you.

We thought it might be good to address the risks producers and other entertainment professionals may lose sleep over.

Foreign locations.  Many productions are filmed outside of the USA. This can lead to safety, cultural and legal issues. Especially if the production is travelling with a full crew and production team.

High valued equipment, sets and wardrobes. If equipment, sets or wardrobes are damaged or destroyed, they must be replaced. Even under the best of situations, a few weeks’ delay can cost thousands of dollars.

Documentaries or other true stories can lead to creating errors in the truth. While there is always some defense in artistic freedom, it really depends on what was agreed to between the parties involved. Also, rewriting scripts during production can lead to errors in factual information.

Employment Liability. Now more than ever, employees know their rights. The State and Federal Governments are also creating new laws to protect employee’s rights. This increases the risk of being sued for many different reasons including; civil rights, discrimination, and even lawsuits from illegal workers. Employment Practices Liability insurance addresses many concerns business owners may have regarding their employment liability.

Regulatory Risk. Over the past 10 years, government has become more involved in regulating your business. Since the financial crisis in 2008, governments have stepped up their regulatory functions in setting and determining policies for businesses.

Event Cancelation can shut down your production company. Event cancellation insurance protects revenue or expenses from an event against cancellation or postponement of the event for reasons beyond the control of the event organizer.

The staff at John Hart Insurance has over 60 years combined experience in the field of entertainment insurance.  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.

Professional Liability Risks for the Entertainment Industry

Today almost every production company, film distribution firm, or any business in the entertainment industry can find itself facing a liability lawsuit. A Professional Liability lawsuit can put assets at risk including business assets, resources, and in some cases the personal assets of owners. One simple mistake could cause financial devastation, as well as end a professional career. Some businesses mistakenly fail to realize that they have an exposure to professional loss.

Professional Liability Insurance is sometimes called Errors and Omissions (E&O) coverage. Claims come from errors or omissions in the performance of professional services. Companies that perform production services have an exposure to E & O claims. E & O insurance also protects against alleged libel, slander, defamation of character and invasion of privacy. This coverage will usually be required by a distributor prior to release of any theatrical or television production.

Often claims result from overlooking a critical piece of information, misstating a fact, misunderstandings, forgetting to do something, using copyrighted material or misplacing something. In today’s world, the definition of “standard of care” has broadened through court cases and statute changes. Professional Liability Insurance provides the entertainment industry with protection against potential legal action by clients and other third-parties.

Here are a few actual claim examples:

• A post production firm used images without a license as part of the opening to the film. The owners of the images filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement. The case was settled for $12,000.

• United Talent Agency filed in Los Angeles a breach of contract and fraud lawsuit against World of Wonder Productions over the packaging of the hit Oxygen TV series, Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. The agency accused the producer of “deceitful accounting” and underpaying profits to UTA, then refusing to let UTA have full access to its books or records as part of a “blatant attempt” to cover up its accounting practices. http://www.deadline.com/

• Kevin Costner filed a lawsuit against the production company Morgan Creek. The lawsuit alleged it was the production company’s duty to disclose "truthful, accurate, full and complete" revenue information from the film, but it failed to do so. The case was dismissed.  The production company’s insurance paid for the defense of the lawsuit.  http://www.upi.com/

It is never too late to get a quote, so call John Hart today. 

The Value of Participant Accident Insurance

Production companies and the rest of the entertainment industry have very unique and diversified risks. Many activities include having an audience, using volunteers, and feature performers and actors. For any given event there is exposure to accidents. Most entertainment firms purchase general liability coverage to ensure against losses and injuries to third parties. One problem with this is that the injured parties might have to sue or be involved in a lengthy claims process to obtain claim payments. 

Medical benefits coverage under a general liability policy has limitations. One alternative is for production companies or recreational organizations to purchase Participant Accident Insurance. Participant Accident Insurance can provide accident medical benefits and, at the sponsor’s option, may include accidental death, dismemberment, dental and disability benefits, as well.  If you have operation in foreign countries they also can include worldwide travel assistance services that provide emergency medical, emergency travel, and pre-trip information services.

Actual claim example:

Ten participants were injured at a live event when the stage collapsed causing injuries to the audience. The event production company had secured participant accident coverage and the policy covered the medical bills.  As a result no lawsuits were filed.

Call us today for more information.