Here's what most photography business owners don't realize until it's too late: that general liability policy you bought when you started shooting weddings? It doesn't cover your $15,000 worth of camera gear sitting in your studio. And if a burst pipe floods your workspace and forces you to cancel a month of bookings, you're paying those lost earnings out of pocket.
The good news? You've got options. You can either stick with standalone policies—buying general liability, equipment coverage, and business interruption insurance separately—or bundle everything into a Business Owner's Policy (BOP). The question is: which makes more sense for your photography business?
What's Actually Included in a BOP
A Business Owner's Policy isn't some mysterious insurance product—it's basically a bundle deal. Think of it like buying a combo meal instead of ordering everything à la carte. You get three core coverages in one policy:
General liability coverage handles the third-party stuff—if a client trips over your lighting stand and breaks their wrist, or if you accidentally knock over an expensive vase during a shoot at someone's home. This typically comes with $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate limits, which is the industry standard that most venues require.
Commercial property insurance protects your business assets—cameras, lenses, lighting equipment, computers, and even the furniture in your studio. Most BOPs for photographers include at least $5,000 in equipment coverage, though you can usually increase this limit if you've got more gear than that (and let's be honest, most professional photographers do).
Business interruption coverage is the piece most people forget about until they need it. If a fire, flood, or other covered event forces you to close your studio temporarily, this coverage replaces your lost income while you get back on your feet. For photographers who rely on studio bookings, this can be the difference between surviving a disaster and going out of business.
The Real Cost Difference
Let's talk numbers. For photography businesses in 2025, standalone general liability insurance averages about $24 per month. That's pretty affordable, and if you're just starting out as a location-only photographer, it might be all you need to satisfy venue requirements.
A BOP for photographers averages $32 per month—just $8 more. But here's the thing: that extra $8 gets you commercial property coverage and business interruption insurance included. If you tried to buy all three policies separately, you'd typically pay significantly more than $32 monthly. Some insurers even offer automatic discounts of up to 10% when you bundle coverage into a BOP instead of purchasing policies individually.
The cheapest BOP options start around $20 per month through providers like NEXT Insurance, while standalone general liability can be found for as low as $13 monthly. Geography matters too—photographers in Maine pay around $28 monthly for BOPs, while those in New York pay closer to $37 for identical coverage.
When Standalone Makes More Sense
You're a location-only photographer. No studio, no office—you shoot on-site at weddings, events, and client locations. Your gear lives in your home, and you don't maintain any business premises. In this scenario, standalone general liability probably makes the most sense. You need it to book venues anyway, and you're not paying for commercial property coverage you can't use because you don't have commercial property.
Your equipment value is minimal or already covered elsewhere. Maybe you're shooting with entry-level gear worth less than $3,000, and it's already covered under your homeowner's policy with a business rider. Adding commercial property coverage through a BOP would be redundant and wasteful.
You're just starting out and keeping overhead low. When you're still testing whether photography will become your full-time business, spending an extra $96-$200 annually on coverage you might not need yet can feel like unnecessary overhead. Standalone general liability gets you legal to work at venues without overcommitting to insurance expenses.
There's an important caveat though: once you start accepting money for photography services—even occasionally—most personal insurance policies exclude business equipment and activities. So if you're relying on your homeowner's policy to cover your camera gear, double-check that business use hasn't voided that coverage.
When a BOP Becomes Worth It
You've opened a studio or office space. Whether you own it or lease it, maintaining a physical business location is the clearest signal that you need a BOP. Most commercial landlords actually require proof of BOP coverage before they'll sign your lease. Beyond the requirement, though, you genuinely need the property and business interruption coverage—a studio represents both a significant investment and a potential liability.
Your equipment value exceeds $10,000. Once you've invested in professional-grade bodies, multiple lenses, lighting systems, backdrops, and computing equipment, you're looking at serious money that needs serious protection. The commercial property coverage in a BOP typically offers better protection for business equipment than trying to add riders to your homeowner's policy.
You have consistent, predictable monthly income. If losing two weeks of bookings would create financial hardship, business interruption coverage becomes valuable. A BOP ensures that if a covered event forces you to cancel sessions, you're not eating the lost income entirely on your own.
You meet the eligibility requirements. BOPs are designed for businesses with fewer than 100 employees and under $5 million in annual revenue. Most photography businesses easily meet these criteria. You also need to conduct most of your business from a physical location rather than being purely mobile, which brings us back to the studio question.
The Coverage Gaps to Watch For
Neither a BOP nor standalone general liability automatically covers everything photographers need. Professional liability (errors and omissions) is typically sold separately—this covers claims that you failed to deliver services as promised, like missing key shots at a wedding or delivering photos with technical problems.
Equipment coverage in standard BOPs might not follow your gear to shooting locations. Some insurers offer inland marine coverage or equipment floater policies that protect your cameras and lighting whether they're in your studio, in your car, or at a shoot. If you're frequently working on location, verify whether your BOP's property coverage travels with you or only applies to your business premises.
Drone liability requires specific coverage. If you're shooting aerial photography, neither standard general liability nor basic BOPs automatically cover drone operations. You'll need to add drone liability coverage as an endorsement.
How to Make the Switch
If you've been running on standalone general liability and you're ready to upgrade to a BOP, the transition is straightforward. Most photographers make this switch when they sign a studio lease or when their equipment value crosses the $10,000 threshold.
Start by getting quotes from at least three insurers. Pricing can vary significantly—remember, the national average is $32 monthly, but you might find coverage for $20 or pay up to $37 depending on your location and specific needs. Providers like NEXT Insurance, Progressive Commercial, State Farm, and The Hartford all offer competitive BOP options for photographers.
When comparing quotes, look beyond the monthly premium. Check the equipment coverage limits—$5,000 might not be enough if you've got $20,000 in gear. Verify that business interruption coverage actually matches your monthly revenue. And confirm whether the property coverage extends to equipment you take off-premises for shoots.
Don't cancel your existing general liability policy until your new BOP is active. Schedule the BOP to start the day after your standalone policy expires, or time it to coincide with your studio lease start date if that's driving the change.
The choice between a BOP and standalone policies isn't about which one is universally better—it's about which one matches your current business reality. If you're mobile-only and lean, standalone general liability does the job. But once you establish a studio, accumulate serious equipment, or develop consistent income you need to protect, a BOP delivers better coverage at a better price. Most photography businesses make the switch within their first two years of operation, and looking back, most wish they'd done it sooner.
