Here's what most photographers don't realize until it's too late: your homeowner's or renter's insurance won't cover your business equipment. That $8,000 camera setup you just brought to a wedding? If someone steals it from your car, your personal policy likely won't pay a dime. And if a guest trips over your lighting stand and breaks their wrist? You could be personally liable for thousands in medical bills.
Photography insurance isn't just about protecting your gear—it's about protecting your livelihood. Whether you're a weekend wedding photographer or running a full-time studio, this checklist will walk you through exactly what coverage you need, what's optional, and when to add more protection as your business grows.
Essential Coverage Every Photographer Needs
These three coverages form the foundation of your photography insurance. Most photographers need all three, and many venues and clients will require proof of insurance before they'll work with you.
General liability insurance is the big one—it protects you when someone gets hurt or their property gets damaged during your shoot. Imagine you're photographing a corporate event and someone trips over your camera bag, breaks their ankle, and sues you for medical bills and lost wages. General liability covers your legal defense and any settlement or judgment. Most venues require at least $1 million in coverage before they'll let you through the door, and many clients expect to see proof of insurance in your contract. The average cost runs about $24-$28 per month, which is a small price to pay for protection against a lawsuit that could bankrupt your business.
Equipment coverage—technically called inland marine insurance—covers all your cameras, lenses, lighting, drones, laptops, and accessories wherever you take them. This is crucial because your gear isn't covered under general liability, and your homeowner's policy excludes business equipment. Whether your camera gets stolen from your car, damaged in a fall, or ruined by unexpected rain at an outdoor shoot, equipment coverage pays to repair or replace it. The coverage follows your gear anywhere: at home, in transit, at a venue, even internationally if you travel for shoots.
Professional liability insurance (also called errors and omissions or E&O insurance) protects you from claims about your actual work. Say you're hired to photograph a wedding and your memory card corrupts—you've lost all the ceremony photos. The couple could sue you for the financial and emotional damages. Or maybe you miss a deadline for delivering headshots to a corporate client, and they claim they lost business opportunities because of it. Professional liability covers these professional mistakes, including legal defense costs. With the average cost around $30-$65 per month, it's essential protection if clients rely on you to deliver results on time and as promised.
Optional Coverage Worth Considering
Depending on how your business operates, you might need additional coverage beyond the essentials. These policies aren't required by most venues or clients, but they can save you from major financial losses in specific situations.
If you have employees or assistants working for you, workers' compensation insurance isn't optional—it's legally required in most states. Workers' comp covers medical bills and lost wages if an employee gets injured on the job, whether that's carrying heavy equipment, setting up lighting, or driving to a shoot location. Even if you only hire occasional assistants for weddings, you could be on the hook without proper coverage. The average cost runs about $15-$20 per month, and it protects both your employees and your business from devastating medical costs.
Commercial auto insurance becomes necessary if you use your vehicle primarily for business—transporting equipment to shoots, meeting clients, traveling to locations. Your personal auto policy won't cover accidents that happen during business use, and if you're in a serious accident while driving to a wedding with $15,000 of gear in your trunk, you could lose everything. Commercial auto covers both the vehicle and your business use of it.
Business interruption insurance pays for lost income if you can't work due to a covered event—like a fire in your studio, theft of all your equipment, or damage that prevents you from fulfilling contracts. If you're fully booked for wedding season and can't shoot for six weeks while you replace stolen gear, business interruption coverage can replace that lost revenue. Many Business Owner's Policies (BOPs) include this coverage automatically, which is one reason BOPs are popular with photographers.
When to Add or Increase Coverage
Your insurance needs will change as your photography business grows. Here's when you should consider adding coverage or increasing your policy limits.
Add coverage immediately when you book your first paying client. Even if you're just shooting family portraits on weekends, you're running a business, and your personal insurance won't cover you. Many photographers start with event-based policies—coverage for 1-7 days at a time, typically costing as low as $59 per event—to keep costs down while building their client base. Once you're shooting regularly, an annual policy makes more financial sense.
Increase your equipment coverage every time you buy new gear. If your policy covers $10,000 in equipment but you've since added another camera body, upgraded lenses, and bought a drone, you could be seriously underinsured. Keep a running inventory of your gear with serial numbers and purchase receipts. Update your policy when your total equipment value increases by $2,000 or more—don't wait until renewal time.
Raise your liability limits when venues or clients require it. You might start with $1 million in general liability coverage, but some high-end venues, corporate clients, or wedding venues require $2 million in coverage before they'll work with you. Check your contracts and venue requirements before each shoot, and increase your limits if needed. The difference in premium between $1 million and $2 million in coverage is usually minimal—maybe $10-$20 per month.
Consider a Business Owner's Policy (BOP) once you're shooting full-time or have significant equipment investment. A BOP bundles general liability, equipment coverage, and business interruption insurance into one package, typically for $650-$1,000 annually. That's often cheaper than buying each policy separately, plus you get the added protection of business interruption coverage. If your photography income pays your bills, a BOP makes sense.
Annual Review Checklist
Every year when your policy renews, take 30 minutes to review your coverage. Your business changes, your gear changes, and your insurance should keep pace. Here's what to check.
First, update your equipment inventory. List every camera, lens, light, drone, computer, and accessory you use for business. Add up the replacement cost—not what you paid years ago, but what it would cost to replace today. If that number is higher than your equipment coverage limit, increase your coverage. It's common for photographers to accumulate $5,000-$10,000 in new gear over a few years without realizing they're underinsured.
Second, review your liability limits against your current client contracts. Are high-end venues or corporate clients asking for higher coverage than you currently carry? Have you expanded into riskier shoots—like adventure photography, aerial drone work, or large events—that might need additional protection? Your liability needs often increase as your business grows and you take on bigger, more complex projects.
Third, assess whether you need additional coverage. Did you hire your first assistant? Add workers' comp. Are you using your vehicle primarily for business now? Consider commercial auto. Has your annual revenue grown to where losing a month of income would be financially devastating? Business interruption insurance might be worth it.
Finally, shop around. Insurance rates vary widely between providers, and you might find better coverage or lower premiums by comparing quotes. The photography insurance market has become more competitive, with specialized providers offering packages specifically designed for photographers. Get at least three quotes annually to make sure you're getting the best value for your coverage.
Getting Started with Photography Insurance
The good news is that photography insurance is relatively affordable and easy to get. Most photographers can get a quote and purchase coverage online in under 15 minutes. Start by calculating your total equipment value and deciding which coverage types you need based on this checklist. If you're just starting out and shooting occasionally, consider event-based policies to keep costs low. If you're shooting regularly or full-time, an annual policy or BOP will give you better value and more comprehensive protection.
Don't wait until you need insurance to get it. Policies don't cover events that already happened, and you can't buy coverage retroactively after someone trips at your shoot or your gear gets stolen. The best time to get photography insurance is before you book your first paid client—or right now if you're already shooting without coverage. Your photography business is worth protecting, and the right insurance gives you peace of mind to focus on what you do best: creating amazing images for your clients.
