Public Liability Insurance?

Rebecca&Mark · #1 03-18-2002, 03:09 AM

We have just started (a few weeks ago) a photography business taking photos mainly of kids sporting competitions, but also a few other community events. We both have full time jobs outside photography, so this is just weekend work (for now anyway).

When we bought insurance for our camera gear, we were quoted ~AUS$600 per year for public liability insurance. Since we don't have a studio and most of our work is conducted on public land (council sporting grounds, etc), is this really a necessary expense? The sales people are obviously trying to sell their product, so I don't want to take their advice at face value.

Can anyone please help some newbies with this issue? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Cougar · #2 03-18-2002, 06:27 AM

Well, if you don't want to go bankrupt when someone sues you after they trip over your extension cord or get hurt in the vicinity of your sales area, you better get some type of liability insurance. It's a necessary evil of being in business and in this litigious society we live in, a must.

RonDawes · #3 03-18-2002, 11:32 AM

And in the US at least, some event organizers or venues won't let you shoot unless you prove you have insurance.

Peter Orr · #4 03-19-2002, 05:36 PM

Sounds to me like you have been offered a good deal there. With the current chaos in the insurance business here, PL insurance has been hard to get, and $600 for an on-site operation involving kids should be grabbed quick! Please email me with the details of your broker.

When I was shopping for this last year, I turned down one package of equipment & PL insurance at $6000, and finished up with $50K of equipment and $5M PL cover for about $2700. Several providers would not quote for our sort of business at all, eg the 'business friendly' NRMA.