TV & Film Production Insurance

Complete Coverage

• Animal Mortality

  • Declared value coverage for the death, illness or disease (resulting in death) of the insured animal.

• Bodily Injury

  • Covers injury, illness or death as a result of working on an insured production: Costs related to care and loss of services; restitution for death resulting from sickness or injury.

• Business Personal Property Insurance*

  • Covers merchandise, materials, fixtures, furniture, and other personal property that you own and use in your business. You may insure those items for either replacement value or actual cash value (ACV), which covers and pays for the depreciated value of the property.

• Cast Coverage*

  • In the unfortunate event of the death, sickness or injury of an insured performer or director, this coverage will reimburse the production company for added expenses required to complete the principal photography on an insured production. Prior to being covered:
  • A physical examination is required for insured performers and directors—with the cost borne by the production company.
  • Coverage usually begins prior to the beginning of the principal photography (by two to four weeks)
  • To be eligible for coverage, other than accident, a cast member’s medical exam must be approved.

  Note: Extended term pre-production cast insurance is also availablel.

• Cast Insurance "Essential Elements"

  • With respect to the artist described this, enhanced coverage, will reimburse the producer for all funds spent to date, in the event it becomes necessary to abandon the project because of the death, injury or sickness of an essential element (realizing that all of the rights, titles and interests in all works including films, tapes, copies and related materials created by you for the production becomes available to the insurer. The artist will be expected to undergo additional medical tests and the premium will be based, in part, on the results. The historical risk to the insurer will also determine the cost of this coverage.

• Civil Authority

  • Reimburses the production company for extra expenses because of halt of access by a civil authority to the production company office, shoot location, or contracted facility. Consider, if a crime occurs in proximity to your company office or filming location, causing the police to restrict your access, you would be reimbursed for additional expenses that result from the delay.

• Cyber Liability

  • Cyber Risk is related to Internet, networks, information assets and e-business for first and third party risk.

• DICE Annual Policy (for 5 or more open projects)

  • policy protects you against losses incurred during the production of commercials, educational films, industrial films and documentaries. Whereas the Production Package policy is usually obtained for a one time production of a feature film, the DICE is an annual policy that covers several productions throughout the year. The cost is based on the producers estimated annual gross costs. The insurance company will perform an audit to determine the true actual costs and either return premium or request additional premium if there is a variance between the declared costs and actual costs.

• Errors and omissions

  • Covers legal liability and defense costs against:
    • Lawsuits alleging unauthorized use of title, format, ideas, characters or plots, plagiarism, unfair competition or piracy.
    • Alleged libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.
    • Most distributors will require that the production company has an Errors and Omissions policy to cover the production. In addition, distributors should carry their own E&O policy, in addition to requiring each of the productions distributed to be covered by the production companies involved.

• Medical Payments

  • Within one year of an accident date, if someone is injured or killed as a result of working on an insured production, this coverage will pay for resulting medical or funeral expenses.

• Extra Expense

  • Will reimburse the production company for additional expenses necessary to complete the principal photography of an insured production because of destruction or damage of property or facilities (props, sets or equipment) used in connection with the production. Coverage also includes losses due to faulty generator operation.

• Miscellaneous Equipment*

  • Covers risks of direct physical loss, destruction or damage to camera equipment, cameras, lighting (including breakage of globes), sound and grip equipment, owned by or rented to the Production Company. For additional payment, extended coverage can obtained to cover mobile equipment: studio location units or similar units and vans upon payment of additional premium.

• Faulty Stock, Camera and Processing Coverage

  • Covers against loss, damage or destruction of raw film, tape stock, exposed film (developed or undeveloped), recorded video tape, sound tracks and tapes caused by or resulting from fogging, the use of faulty materials (including cameras and video tape recorders), faulty sound equipment, faulty developing, faulty editing or processing and accidental erasure of videotape recordings. Not included in this coverage: loss caused by judgment errors in exposure, lighting or sound recording; incorrect use of film stock or faulty manipulation by the cameraman. Note: In order to qualify for Faulty Stock, Camera and Processing Coverage you must also purchase, Negative Film and Videotape coverage because these two coverages are designed to work together for your protection.

• General Liability

  • Protects against claims that the negligent operation of your business or filming activity caused bodily injury or property damage.
    This coverage is required, prior to filming, on:
    • City or State owned property
    • A location that requires filming permits
    • Some privately owned locations

• Non-owned and Hired Auto Liability

  • Hired Auto Liability replaces or augments the liability coverage offered by the company that rents you the vehicles used in your production. It covers bodily injury and property damage caused by a vehicle rented by the production company and being used on an insured production. Non Owned Auto coverage protects you against bodily injury or property damage caused by someone's personal car if being used while that person is working on an insured production.

• Negative Film and Videotape Coverage*

  • Risks of direct physical loss - damage or destruction of raw film or tape stock; exposed film (whether developed or not); videotape, sound tracks and tapes used in the production, up to the amount of the insured production cost. Coverage does not include: for example, loss caused by fogging, faulty camera or sound equipment; faulty developing, editing, processing or manipulation by the cameraman; exposure to light, dampness or temperature changes; judgment errors in exposure, lighting, sound recording or from the use of incorrect types of raw film stock or tape.

• Non Owned and Hired Auto Physical Damage

  • This coverage is can be added to the Production Package Policy. It covers physical damage to your rented vehicles, film trucks, mobile studio units, dressing rooms and other trailers, grip trucks, and other autos rented and used in connection with your production.

• Production Office Property

  • Includes coverage for office contents and office computer property within the full limit of insurance provided. Office computer property includes coverage for computer hardware, software and data.

• Production Package (see note below) for one project

  • The Production Package policy protects you against loss incurred during the production of a feature film, television series or television pilot. The losses covered include things such as the death or illness of a key cast member, destruction of props or sets, loss or destruction of media, etc. A Production Package Policy can include many coverages.

• Props, Sets and Wardrobe*

  • Coverage for theatrical property such as: props, sets, scenery, costumes and wardrobe against risks of direct physical loss, destruction or damage that could occur during the production.

  • Third Party Property Damage

    • While the property is in the control, custody or care of the production company and is used or will be used in an insured production this coverage pays for destruction or damage to the property of others (including loss).

  *Note: the asterisked coverages are suggestions to be included with your Production Package.

  Because every Production is unique, coverage should be considered that will afford you greater protection. A comprehensive "needs" evaluation should be performed for each project

  Please note: The explanations given are meant as guidelines only. Please read your policy for actual detailed coverage. Please contact your Barrow Group agent, immediately, to discuss any variance from your initial understanding.

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  Barrow Group, a film insurance agency proudly provides TV and film production insurance for the TV/Video/Film Production Industries.

• 3rd Party Liability

  • While the property is in the control, custody or care of the production company and is used or will be used in an insured production this coverage pays for destruction or damage to the property of others (including loss).

    Coverage does not include: Destruction of property liability caused by operation of any motor vehicle, aircraft or watercraft - including damage; for property liability, rented or leased, that may be covered under Props, Sets or Wardrobe, or Miscellaneous Equipment insurance (except, equipment that is covered).

    NOTE: Property damage coverage, written as part of a Commercial General Liability Policy excludes damage to any property in the production company's custody, care or control.

• Workers’ Compensation

  • A state law requirement, workers' compensation coverage applies to all temporary and permanent cast and production crew members. Coverage provides medical, disability or death benefits to any cast/crew member who becomes injured during the course of their employment. Coverage usually applies on a 24 hour per day basis whenever the employees are on location away from home. If a production company uses a payroll service company, which usually provides Workers' Compensation insurance to all pay rolled employees, it is well advised for the production company to carry their own backup policy. This will protect the production company in the event there are unpaid interns or others who might not be pay rolled.

Barrow Group, LLC has provided insurance coverage and insurance guidance for such projects as the following:

• Motel (feature film)– Louisiana – Directed by: David Grovic – Starring: Robert De Niro, John Cusack, Dominic Purcell, and Crispin Glover — IMDB
• Stomping Ground (feature film) – North Carolina – Directed by: Dan Riesser – Starring: Theresa Tilly, and John Bobek — IMDB
• Gravedigger (feature film) – New York/New Jersey – Directed by: Doug Bollinger – Starring: Keith Collins, and Brandon Ruckdash — IMDB
• Dig Two Graves (feature film) – Illinois – Directed by: Hunter Adams - Starring: Ted Levine — IMDB
• Poppillon Shreveport, LA – Directed by:John Goddard – Nominated for Top 20 Short-Films in Louisiana Film Festival
• A Reason – (Feature Film) Los Angeles, CA – Directed by: Dominique Schilling/ Starring: Magda Apanowicz, Marion Ross, Nick Everman, Roxanne Hart, Ron Melendez — IMDB
• Almost Broadway – (Feature Film) Los Angeles, CA – Directed by: Antony Bowman/Starring: Taryn Manning, Cameron Daddo, Currie Graham, Ella Bowman — IMDB
• Dust of War – (Feature Film) South Dakota – Directed by: Andrew Kightlinger/Starring: Doug Jones, Tony Todd, Gary Graham — IMDB
• The Mansion – (Feature Film) Georgia – Producer: Lilly Kanso/Starring: Sebastian Beacon, Chris Kiesewetter, Amy Rutberg — IMDB
• Shrink Rap – (TV Movie) Georgia – Producer: Stefanie Klein – On Purpose Productions & Plan A Film — IMDB