Semi-professional photographer insurance

By law, you are not required to have insurance for your personal items such as cameras or any photography or filming equipment. However, if your camera or equipment is damaged or stolen while you are at home or out on a shoot, then you will have to pay for any repairs or a replacement. By investing in specialist camera insurance from photoGuard, we can help keep your camera and photography equipment protected from theft and accidental damage, theft from insured items stored in an unattended vehicle, theft and damage whilst travelling abroad as well as in the UK, and more.

If you are a semi-professional photographer, shooting private or public events, then you should consider Public Liability insurance. If someone tripped over one of your tripods or you were to accidentally drop your bag and damage someone's belongings, then you could be liable for compensation costs.

Public Liability insurance aims to help protect you against the potential fall-out from legal claims of injury or property damage made by third parties, whilst you are going about your photography activity. So, if a member of the public was to hurt themselves as an indirect result of your photography or filming activity, then we automatically provide up to £1million to protect you against potential legal costs from liability claims. You can choose to increase this up to £5million and include cover for up to four additional associates who might be working for you at specific events. Cover does not apply in North America and it does not cover any liability arising out of the use or ownership of a drone.

We don’t currently provide any cover for lost revenue.

No, this policy is designed to cover equipment only and we are unable to provide any cover for premises. You can insure equipment and also benefit from essential liability cover. Please note, photoGuard only covers the equipment you have and we do not provide business insurance or premises cover. But if you are looking for business insurance, our sister company PIB Insurance Broker can help: 0345 450 7171

Public Liability, also referred to as Personal Liability or Third Party Liability, provides cover for any photo or filming-related legal liability that results in an injury to someone or damage to their property.

For more information on our Public Liability cover for photographers and what Public Liability cover can protect you against, you can consult our policy wording here. Public Liability cover does not apply to any claim or incident in North America.

Our Mechanical Breakdown provides cover for electrical photography and filming equipment purchased from new, up to five years old and outside of any other warranty. Unfortunately, we are unable to cover any technology items or drones (UAVs) for Mechanical Breakdown.

Yes, so long as they are used as part of your photographic or filming activity. There are some important requirements and exclusions to be aware of:

• Cover will only apply if you have complied with the legal requirements for drone/UAV operation and any Civil Aviation Authority guidelines.
• Commercial or business use is not covered.
• Drones/UAVs are not covered under the Lend to a Friend, Public Liability, Personal Accident or Mechanical Breakdown sections of cover.
• Drones/UAVs are not covered for any accidental damage that occurs within the first 21 days of the drone/UAV being added to your insurance schedule as an insured item.
• The minimum sum insured for drones is £200.
• We cannot cover any loss related to drone flyaway and where the drone cannot be recovered.

Yes, computers and laptops can be covered if their primary purpose is for photographic or filming purposes.

Laptops and computers aren’t covered under Lend to a Friend or Mechanical Breakdown cover.

Unfortunately, we are unable to cover any mobile or smart phones.

You should always insure your kit for the current new replacement cost, excluding any discounts, including VAT. However, for pre-owned camera bodies, lenses, and video/filming equipment, you can choose to insure them at their current, new replacement value or at the pre-owned price you purchased them at.

For vintage and rare equipment you need a specific valuation from a reputable source, that is not more than 12 months old. You will then need to obtain a new valuation every three years, to take into account any market changes in value during the period of insurance.

Any offer we make to you will be determined by the features and specification of the insured item claimed for. This is based on the current market equivalent for products of a similar quality and specification and not the original cost of the item.

Yes. You must be a UK resident and domiciled in the UK.

All claims are subject to the following excess unless otherwise stated on your insurance schedule:

Property claim amount:

• Under £10,000 and claim does NOT include a drone (UAV) - Excess payable: £100
• Under £10,000 and claim does include a drone (UAV) - Excess payable: £200
• £10,000 plus and claim does NOT include a drone (UAV) - Excess payable: £200
• £10,000 plus and claim does include a drone (UAV) - Excess payable: £300

Public Liability (PL) claim:

• Property PL claims - Excess payable £500
• Injury PL claims - Excess payable Nil

Yes, you can make changes to your policy by simply logging in to your online account here, by calling us on: 0333 004 6555, or you can email us at: support@guardcover.co.uk

You can add or delete insured items and change some aspects of your policy. Note that additions will incur additional costs. Additional premiums are charged on a pro rata basis from the date of change. Any cover options that you choose can only be added or removed when you first buy the policy or at renewal.

If you need to cover your camera and equipment at more than one address, then you can call our friendly, UK-based team on: 0333 004 6555 and we can discuss your specific requirements.

As the insurance policy is a legal agreement between us and the policyholder, we can only set up a policy with the person who will be named as the policyholder.

You need to tell us about any photography related losses or claims you have had within the last three years whether insured or not. It is important that you make an honest disclosure of any previous claims or losses, as if not this could invalidate your cover.

You can choose to pay in full by credit or debit card. Alternatively, you can take advantage of our interest free monthly payment option and simply spread the payments out, without any additional cost.

At your insured location (where your equipment is usually kept, which should also be your main place of residence). For cover to apply whilst your items are at your insured location, please be aware that your items must be kept within the main structure of your insured location.

Cover in an unattended vehicle

Theft or attempted theft from a vehicle will only be covered if your insured item is stored out of sight, in an enclosed storage compartment, boot or luggage space. All vehicle doors and windows must be closed and securely locked, and all vehicle security systems activated.

All insured items need to be removed and stored when your vehicle is at your insured location. In-Vehicle Cover does not apply when the vehicle is at your insured location.

Accidental damage that occurs in a vehicle is only covered if the insured item is in a purpose-designed equipment case. If your equipment is in transit with an airline transport provider, see here for more information relating to airline cover.

For any theft claims, whether at your insured location, storage location or from a vehicle, you need to report the incident to the police and there must be evidence of forcible and/or violent entry or evidence of unauthorised access.

This depends on the options you choose. Included as standard with your policy, you are covered to take your camera anywhere in the UK and up to 30 days worldwide in total during your period of insurance. If you need more extensive cover, you can choose our Global Travel option, which will extend your worldwide cover for the full policy period.

Accidental damage to your photography equipment is only covered if your camera is in a purpose designed case during your journey overseas.

Provided your camera is in a purpose designed equipment case, it is covered for Accidental Damage. We regret that loss of baggage containing your equipment or theft of an insured item whilst under the responsibility of a transport provider is not covered with photoGuard.