Couples spend a large amount of time planning their weddings – one of the most memorable days of their lives and the beginning of a new journey for them. From the wedding attire and rings to the vendors and guest list, attention is paid to even the tiniest details. However, no matter how intricately planned and managed, things can still go wrong on the wedding day, and sometimes the mistake might occur on your end, the wedding photographer. So, to protect yourself from the repercussions of certain unforeseen circumstances – which may or may not have been in your control – consider how wedding photography liability insurance could help. Here is a bit more information about liability insurance.
Why Should You Get Wedding Photography Liability Insurance?
While you may think that you are over-prepared for a wedding you are about to photograph, an unforeseen crisis while you’re photographing can sometimes turn out to get very complicated and very expensive. A liability insurance policy can protect you in these situations and also provide you with other benefits. Here are some situations where liability insurance could be of help.
- Arriving at the wrong venue with no time to reach the right place.
- A client getting injured at your studio or on location.
- Losing or damaging memory cards or film after completion of a wedding.
- Lost photos or photos released to the wrong party.
Different Types of Wedding Photography Liability Insurance
According to The Law Tog, liability insurance “bridges the gap between business formation and contract protections”. This insurance protects you from the risk of lawsuits and or liability claims from your clients. So getting a wedding photography liability insurance will essentially support you and your business if a lawsuit arises from the wedding.
1. General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance can protect your company if another wedding vendor or individual claims damages. The claims could be related to an injury/injuries resulting in medical costs, property damage, etc. A wedding venue may also require you to have liability insurance up to a certain dollar amount and provide proof of liability to photograph there.
There are three common areas that liability insurance provides protection against – physical injuries, client property damage, and defamation, slander, or libel. We dive into each of these below.
- Physical Injuries: As a wedding photographer, you are always moving around with your equipment at the wedding. And even if you are extra careful while moving or setting up your gear at the venue, there could still be an accident, especially when the lights go down during the reception. For example, another vendor or guest at a wedding can claim that they were physically injured after tripping over your equipment. In this case, general liability insurance will protect you against claims of physical injuries and the resulting medical costs.
- Client Property Damage: Imagine that you are photographing an engagement session at your couple’s home. But as your focus stays sharp on the couple, you end up accidentally knocking over a vase or something else that your couple considers valuable. If it’s broken beyond repair, what can you do? This is another situation where the general liability insurance will come to your rescue. It would cover any such damages and minimize or eliminate any expenses you might have to bear otherwise.
- Defamation, Slander, or Libel: For whatever reason, if a client decides to sue you for defamation, slander, or libel, general liability insurance will help you with settlement and defense expenses. To avoid putting yourself in a situation like this, refrain from making any statements that could be interpreted as offensive while on the job and prep your team to do the same.
Another thing to consider – if you or your employees are often involved in off-site sessions or meetings that require you to drive, then getting commercial auto insurance can help protect you from everyday driving-related risks.
2. Professional Liability Insurance
Picture this: You’ve recently photographed a wedding that you were fully prepared for – you spoke to the couple beforehand, had your shot list ready, covered everything they wanted, and delivered all the photographs on time. But then your couple decides to sue you for not delivering what you had promised. For example, they could claim that you missed a detail photo or didn’t take enough photographs of their bridal party. The error may or may not be yours to own, but in either case, such events can be expensive if a lawsuit is involved. In this case, professional liability insurance, which is also known as indemnity or errors and omissions insurance, can protect your wedding photography business. It can also help you recover some of the money (if any) you spend on court fees.
3. Cyber Liability Insurance
Technology is an integral part of your work as a wedding photographer – from web-based programs to backing up files, you are online a lot. As such, you also probably pay close attention to technology breaches and potential hackers through either free antivirus programs or advanced security systems. These programs, however, don’t necessarily protect your stored data should your file storage systems fail. Cyber liability insurance can. With the right plan, you are protected against data breaches, hacking, and also get data recovery. It can also protect online transactions and stored customer data if you accept payment via the web.
Related Read: How To Backup Your Lightroom Catalog
Final Thoughts
You might already be running your wedding photography business successfully without any wedding photography liability insurance. You could be the best in your field and have an outstanding team, but we would still suggest that you consider these options to protect your business from any losses. While you may have a contract that protects you from incurring any damages, consider this photographer liability insurance as an added layer of protection.
Further Read: All You Need To Know Before Starting A Photography Business
At ShootDotEdit, we take our responsibility towards wedding photographers very seriously. Besides giving you tips on how to scale up and protect your business, we also take care of the editing work for you. To learn more about how we can help your wedding photography business, you can check out our pricing plans.
Please note: ShootDotEdit is here to provide quality content to help wedding photographers succeed. We are not legal professionals or insurance agents, and we are neither experts in these fields, nor do we receive any benefits from any of the companies or advice mentioned in this article. If you are interested in liability insurance as a US based photographer, Professional Photographers of America is a trusted source that can help, as can most business insurance agents.
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