Equipment & Production Insurance
A service of United Agencies, Inc
We wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support, and entrusting us with the service of your insurance policies and financial protection. We wish you a very Happy Holiday season, and an even happier, more prosperous 2024.
Warmest wishes this holiday season!
From your friends at InsuredProduction.com
a Division of United Agencies Insurance
Myth: I don’t need to cover my independent contractors with Workers’ Compensation Insurance.
Fact: ANYBODY who works for you is required by law to be covered by Workers’ Compensation.
We’ve heard every excuse when it comes to Workers’ Comp:
However, the excuse that we hear the most, BY FAR, in the entertainment and production industry is this one:
Look, I understand the confusion. I really do. If they just work for you for a few hours or a few days, and you give them a 1099 as an independent contractor, they’re not really your employee, right? I mean, the word “independent” is right there in the title, so you shouldn’t have to cover them, right? Wrong!
Anybody who works for you, whether they’re an independent contractor, volunteer, intern, part-time employee or full-time employee, are required by most state’s law (including California) to have Workers’ Compensation coverage. It also doesn’t matter how you pay them. Pay them in cash, check, a payroll service, or don’t even pay them at all, they still need coverage under a Workers’ Comp policy.
So what happens if you don’t buy the coverage? Well, we’re not going to rat you out to the state or anything. We’ll even sell you a Short Term Production Policy or Annual Production Policy without the coverage if you want. However, if anything happens to one of your employees and you do not have Workers’ Comp, then you run the risk of them taking you to court. If that happens, you can bet you will lose.
It won’t even be close.
The law requires you to purchase the coverage, so if you’re found involved in a claim without a valid Workers’ Compensation policy then you’ll pay for the hospital and rehab bills out of your own pocket. You even risk getting a fine from the state for hiring employees without Workers’ Compensation Insurance.
Don’t think you can have your employees sign waivers, either. There are only a select few states that allow Workers’ Comp waivers to be signed so that the employee can legally opt out of the Workers’ Comp coverage. However, most production-heavy states do not offer this option (California, New York, Georgia, etc.) and they are only valid if offered by the insurance company directly. If you write up your own waiver and hope the insurance company and/or state government will honor it, you’re wrong.
It’s definitely in your best interest to get Workers’ Comp. If you’re reading this right now and thinking “Hey, I’ve hired a few guys recently and had no idea, they needed Workers’ Comp,” then consider this your wake-up call!
(This article was originally published in 2016 and has been updated with new information.)
If you need more information on 
Workers’ Compensation Insurance then give us a call. Here at Equipment and Production Insurance, we want to help you see your business succeed.
Call us today with any questions you have, and let us help you choose the insurance that is right for you.
Do you need information on short-term equipment rental insurance? Who is responsible for getting the quote, you or the rental house? Are equipment rentals covered by home insurance policies?
These are all good questions that any filmmaker may have. After all, most independent productions rely on rented equipment for their shoot. However, accidental damage to that equipment can create a financial disaster.
Therefore, if you are renting equipment, then you should call around and get quotes on short-term equipment rental insurance. Even if your rental house offers insurance, you will want to shop around.
The fastest and easiest option is to call your insurance agent. Getting a quote over the phone takes about 10 minutes. Your agent willask you a series of questions that determine what type of coverage you need and how to get you the best rate. Then, they can quickly give you a quote and even take payment over the phone. Shortly after, you will receive an email that is legally binding and ready for presentation at the rental house.
Here are three different options for getting a quote. They apply to both rental houses referring a client OR renters that wish to purchase short-term equipment rental insurance.
No time for a call? No problem!
While the result is not as immediate as with a phone call, online quote systems are fast and easy. Just input a few key pieces of information and your agent will mail a quote right back to you. At EPI, we receive your information instantly, and immediately follow up. So, for those of you who like to do paperwork late at night, online quotes may work best.
But, what if you are a rental house? How can you get a quick quote for your customers that don’t have insurance?
Short-term insurance quotes are available to both rental houses and those who are renting. Obviously, if you are renting out your equipment, one of the primary concerns for your clients is the cost. To give you ballpark figures:
Keep in mind that these are just estimates and subject to change depending on the specific needs of your client.
Occasionally, a small filmmaker will assume that their homeowner’s policy will cover rental equipment if they use it at home.
Unfortunately, homeowner’s insurance excludes any property used by a business. Vehicles or equipment that’s rented falls under the classification of “business equipment” and is no longer being used primarily for personal use.
Most insurance companies do not understand how the entertainment industry operates and the idea of insuring rented out equipment makes them nervous. It is always best to check with a company, like Insured Productions, which specializes in insuring film equipment. We understand the types of coverage you need. Make sure you have the required production equipment insurance to avoid any future problems.
There are lots of easy ways to contact me for a quick insurance quote. There is simply no excuse for any of your clients, or yourself, for going without insurance. Feel free to call or e-mail me at any time.
And be sure to ask me about production insurance for multiple productions. Bundle all of your projects together and save on coverage costs!
We want to speak directly to rental house owners or anyone else who plans to rent from a rental house. We receive quite a few calls from rental houses asking about short term equipment rental insurance. Most of them need a quote quickly but are not sure about the best way to get it. Should they get the information themselves? Would it be better to have the client call me directly? Should they go online?
Here are three different options for getting a quote. They apply to both rental houses referring a client OR renters that wish to purchase short-term equipment rental insurance.
This is the easiest and most straight-forward option. It also happens to be the fastest and most comprehensive as well. It usually takes about 5-10 minutes to work up a quote over the phone. I can then e-mail it to you for immediate purchase and binding. I know that in this fast-paced business world everybody wants an app. However, in this case, there’s no faster or easier than way than a good old-fashioned phone call.
(Click HERE for Online Quote Request)
While not quite as quick as a phone call, our online quote system is fast and easy. All you have to do is punch in a few key pieces of information and we will email a quote right back to you. We receive your information instantly, and immediately follow up. This works well if you cannot give us a call. So, if you don’t have time to talk or it’s an odd hour, don’t worry. You can request a quote straight from your PC or smartphone any time day or night.
If you are renting to somebody and you tell them they need insurance, their biggest concern is going to be the cost.
They might not want to go through the process of calling me or submitting a quote request online, so I’ll give you some basic package estimates:
Keep in mind that these are just estimates and subject to change depending on the specific needs of your client.
There are lots of easy ways to contact me for a quick insurance quote. There is simply no excuse for any of your clients, or yourself, for going without insurance. Feel free to reach out any time!
