general liability insurance Archives

Making the Move from Actor to Producer

October 15, 2025 by Luke Gelineau

Many actors have moved from in front of the camera to behind the scenes. In fact…

Did You Know? As far back as 1900, Mary Pickford not only produced films, she also co-founded United Artists Studio!

Success for crossover artists depend on a number of things. It goes without saying that individuals pursuing a desire to change need creativity and creative inspiration. They also need strong knowledge of the business side of things.

And this includes film insurance.

Errors and Omissions Insurance

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.

Movie producers are not the only ones who should consider Errors and Omissions Insurance. This type of coverage is appropriate for all kinds of productions. Any project that relies on a written script should have Errors and Omissions Insurance as a supplement to their general liability policy:

Movies
Documentaries
Short Films
Videos & Verticals
Marketing Videos and Commercials
Radio
Theater
Television

Keep in mind that you must get Producer Errors and Omissions Insurance BEFORE distribution. You cannot obtain coverage if you are already facing litigation.

The Difference between E&O and General Liability

General liability insurance covers damage to a third-party or their property but does not cover less tangible things like libel or copyright infringement.

You need to add Errors and Omissions to protect against the following:

Infringement of Copyright
Invasion of Privacy
Infringement of Trademark, Slogan, or Title
Plagiarism
Defamation of Products
Libel or Slander

Your Errors and Omissions policy will cover the business owner, employees, and subcontractors. Each policy is industry specific. In other words, a film producer will need a different type of policy than a distributor.

Luke Gelineau

For more information on production insurance, contact Equipment & Production Insurance. The team at Equipment and Production Insurance are film, photographic & entertainment industry insurance specialists. Whether you need short-term, annual, post, documentary, commercial, equipment, rental house, E&O, or rent your own insurance, you can rely on their quick and knowledgeable assistance to meet all of your production insurance needs.

Myth & Fact: Third Party Property Damage & General Liability

May 5, 2025 by Luke Gelineau

Myth: General Liability Insurance covers damage done to my locations during filming.

Fact: Damage to your locations is NOT covered by general liability insurance. Instead, it falls under Third Party Property Damage.

Over the years, I have heard a lot of statements from customers like this one:

“I’m really only concerned about damage to my locations. So, can you write up a General Liability policy? That way they will be covered.”

I always have to break the news to them that General Liability does NOT cover damage to their locations. What they really need is Third Party Property Damage Insurance.

What is Third Party Property Damage Insurance?

Third Party Property Damage covers damage done to locations over which you have the care, custody, or control. For example, if somebody is letting you film in their house, restaurant, or studio, they have given care over to you. Once you have custody and control, you assume the responsibility for any damage.

From my previous blog on General Liability Insurance, you know that it covers damage to third party sites. The difference is subtle, but once you take control of a location, it’s no longer a third party. The building next door to your location would be a third party and covered by General Liability. The locations upstairs or downstairs from you would also be covered by General Liability. However, the actual location where you are filming is NOT covered by General Liability.

Why do locations ask for General Liability if it doesn’t cover damage to their property?

Well, there’s a couple reasons for that.

First, they ask for it because they need coverage for any General Liability claims brought to them because of your filming operations. If somebody is walking by their location and they tripped and fell on an extension cord, they could sue the location themselves for allowing you to film there. Your General Liability coverage would extend to them in this case. If you set up a light outside their window and it falls backward and damages the building next door, that building owner might go after your location owner for damages. It is very important that you provide General Liability coverage for your location.

The second reason that locations ask for General Liability is misinformation. They ask for it because they think it covers their property. The person who owns the home where you’re filming is obviously not an insurance expert, so they just ask for the most popular type of insurance coverage. Most of them mistakenly think that it’s what they need to cover damage to their house.

It’s up to you as the carrier of the insurance to be clear that the policy you’re providing does not cover damage to their location. They might ask that you add the coverage, which you can. The cost is actually very small. Once you do, sit back and rest easy knowing you own the proper coverage.

Call me and let me show you how you can add Third Party Property Damage to your General Liability policy.

Luke Gelineau

Get the Facts About General Liability Insurance for Film Productions

January 9, 2024 by Luke Gelineau

Not sure if you need General Liability Insurance?

Here is a true story of a client who was very glad they had purchased it!

This particular production client was shooting a film on location in an apartment complex. During the staging of a shot in one of the upper-level apartments, somebody overturned a really large cup of coffee. Unfortunately, nobody noticed. The coffee seeped into the carpet and permeated the apartment floor, dripping into the apartment below. As bad luck would have it, the coffee spilled onto on a very costly pair of gator skin boots. The eccentric boot owner downstairs was not happy and filed a claim against the film company for damages to the boots and the ceiling.

Thankfully, the company had a general liability insurance policy to cover damage to third-party property. Not only did they not have to cover the cost of the damages, but the insurance company also handled the claim process and interacting with the boot owner.

Sounds like a happy ending… right?

Not entirely… you see, the film company DID NOT receive compensation for the carpet upstairs and had to pay for it themselves. You see, they had general liability but they did not have property damage insurance.

Which damages are not covered by general liability insurance?

General liability insurance only covers injury and property damage TO THIRD PARTIES.

Because they had contracted to shoot in the apartment upstairs, that location and the items within it were considered to be part of the production company’s set. They temporarily “owned” it. Therefore, it did not qualify as third-party property.

And what about your cast? Contract labor? Interns?

They won’t be covered by your General Liability Insurance either. To protect them (and yourself) in the case of an injury, by law, you will need Workers’ Compensation Insurance.

I know it’s confusing… but here are the basics.

3 Types of Film Insurance Every Production Company Needs

You need, at the very least, these three types of insurance if you are shooting a film (even if you are only shooting for one afternoon).

General Liability Insurance – to protect yourself against injury and damage claims from people not part of your production. If you use a SAG actor in your short film, the SAG New Media contract requires you to have liability insurance.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance – to protect the people working for you should an injury occur.
Property Damage Insurance – to insure the costly equipment you have purchased or rented in the event of damage.

Those three form the basis of a production package. Consult with your film insurance agent to determine what other types of insurance you should add to make sure you are fully covered, but not over-insured. A good agent can help you put together a comprehensive package that best fits your needs.

We hope this article clearly illustrated the difference between Property Damage and General Liability. Feel free to call us at (818) 295-2266 for assistance. A staff member is available and ready to help!

Luke Gelineau

FilmLA: Helping Locals (& Anybody) Who Wants to Shoot in Tinsel Town

May 5, 2021 by Luke Gelineau

FilmLA Website

Our friends at FilmLA have been helping local Angelenos (and anybody else who wants to shoot in Tinsel Town) for decades, but their insurance requirements can be pretty difficult for the typical film producer to understand. General Liability, Auto Liability, Workers Comp, Primary and Non-Contributory Wording, Waivers of Subrogation… It’s a lot to try to figure out by yourself.

That’s Where We Come In!

We’ve basically memorized the FilmLA insurance requirements back to front, and can provide an instant, over-the-phone quote estimate to let you know the cost of getting that insurance! Once you get your policy, we can even send out certificates and endorsements for FilmLA AND submit proof of insurance to the City of LA through their KwikComply online system for FREE!

Feel free to request a quote here: https://www.insuredproduction.com/ch/

If you’d like to check out FilmLA, check them out here: https://www.filmla.com/

Have questions or want to discuss coverage?

Feel free to contact me online or by phone at (818) 295-2266. I’m happy to be of assistance.