Revised November 2025
Myth: I don’t need insurance to abide by the “SAG New Media” contract.
Fact: You DEFINITELY need coverage for General Liability and Workers Comp to abide by the “SAG New Media” contract.
Recently, people are asking about the SAG New Media arrangement, which you can research on their website at www.sagaftra.org. There seems to be a question about whether or not you need insurance to abide by the arrangement.
Many people believe that since the production falls under the “new media” definition, this means that SAG knows the production is small and made for online distribution. Therefore, they think that they shouldn’t have to secure coverage for their film production because of its size. This is not the case. SAG requires at least $1,000,000 of General Liability and $1,000,000 of Workers Comp coverage whenever you are using SAG actors.
SAG New Media Agreement Defined
The SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement is a contract for original and derivative entertainment productions made for initial release on digital platforms like the internet and mobile devices, covering original episodic programming and commercials. It outlines terms for performer compensation, benefits, and other production standards for work created specifically for these “new media” outlets, and includes specific agreements for different types of projects, such as the new SAG-AFTRA Verticals Agreement for serialized content made for mobile screens.
- Applicability: It covers projects originally intended for online distribution, including episodic series and commercials.
- Exclusions: The agreement does not cover content with an initial release intended for theaters, television, or video games (which fall under the Interactive Agreement).
- New additions: The contract is continually updated to reflect the evolving media landscape. For instance, the Verticals Agreement was created for the specific needs of short-form, mobile-first content like serialized micro-dramas.
- Specifics: The agreement details compensation, usage payments, and requirements for pension and health plan contributions for performers.
- Producer benefits: Signing the New Media Agreement allows producers to access SAG-AFTRA’s talent pool, with streamlined processes for becoming a signatory.
The SAG New Media Contract Requires Insurance
It doesn’t matter if you only plan to do a 30-second video for a Facebook ad or a short YouTube clip that you hope goes viral. If you use a SAG actor, then they must have coverage through a Workers Comp policy. This covers the actor if they injure themselves. General Liability insurance covers injuries or property damage to third parties caused by the actor.
For proper coverage, you need both Workers’ Comp and General Liability insurance. If you don’t have Workers Comp coverage for them, you could get in trouble with the government for employing people without insurance. You also might get the actor in trouble with SAG for working on an uninsured production. The same goes for General Liability. If an actor accidentally hurts a third party or damages third party property, you want to make sure they aren’t held personally responsible.
If you are a producer looking to hire a SAG actor, or if you are a SAG actor and need proper coverage, call me. You need to make sure you are abiding by these new rules. Either phone me at 818-295-2266, or you can contact SAG directly, using the contact info on their website.
For instance, an actor who wants to produce their own films would benefit from errors and omissions insurance. For a small investment, they are safe from unintentional copyright infringement and misinformation.
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