# Wedding Insurance



## mortallis288 (Nov 14, 2007)

I have been reading a lot and a lot of websites say that you need liabilty and malpractice insurance? is this really a necessity?


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## Big Mike (Nov 14, 2007)

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95620


It's no secret that more and more people these days (especially in the US) will sue at the drop of a hat if they think they can get rich quick.  Having insurance is a way of protecting you and yours (family & personal finances)...if and when you get sued etc.  What if, for example, you are on a shoot and someone trips over your camera bag, or a cord from your lights?  That person may decide to sue you.

Malpractice Insurance seems light it might be going a little overboard...but I'm sure that some photographers have been sued because the clients didn't think they did a good job.  This is where a good contract comes in...most will have a line about limiting the liability to the cost of the photography package.  However, sometimes a contract isn't enough to prevent them from suing you.

I'd suggest you talk to a lawyer who is familiar with this type of thing, then maybe consult with an insurance agent.


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## Alex_B (Nov 14, 2007)

oh ... and  thought this thread was about an insurance in case you accidentally get married to someone


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## Viperjet (Nov 14, 2007)

What has this world come to??


Yea...it might be a good idea, just to be safe.  Even if it's your kid brother's wedding, a guest might trip over something...or get annoyed at a flash...or something dumb like that.


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## Rrr3319 (Nov 14, 2007)

Alex_B said:


> oh ... and thought this thread was about an insurance in case you accidentally get married to someone


 

:lmao:  i hate it when i start giggling at my computer screen at work


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## Alex_B (Nov 14, 2007)

Rrr3319 said:


> :lmao:  i hate it when i start giggling at my computer screen at work



bad boy ... you should be working there not posting at forums


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## Rrr3319 (Nov 14, 2007)

Alex_B said:


> bad boy ... you should be working there not posting at forums


 

i'm a bad girl actually...  and i am working... very hard... yes, yes, very very hard. lots of work happening here, i can assure you...


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## Alex_B (Nov 14, 2007)

Rrr3319 said:


> i'm a bad girl actually...  and i am working... very hard... yes, yes, very very hard. lots of work happening here, i can assure you...



Same here!

Errm, not about being a girl, but about all the work 


Sorry for the gender mixup


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## Rrr3319 (Nov 14, 2007)

Alex_B said:


> Sorry for the gender mixup


 

not a problem.  it's pretty hard to tell by Rrr3319.  now if my name was PrincessFooFoo or something, there'd be a problem.


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## mortallis288 (Nov 14, 2007)

my apologies big mike for posting this in the wrong place


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## wildmaven (Nov 14, 2007)

Insurance for my business only costs about $500 a year, so it's worth it to me. If someone falls off of their stool in the middle of a portrait shoot, I'm covered.


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## Alpha (Nov 14, 2007)

I know a lot of wedding photographers who've gotten out of the business because they've been sued or seen too many others get sued.


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## mortallis288 (Nov 14, 2007)

Im not ready to get into wedding photography yet, i am working on getting a portifolio and more glass and extra equipment, but I am wanting to do freelance stuff for weddings, and like you said people try to find reasons to sue you. Like the whole coffee being hot thing.


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## Greatwhite (Nov 14, 2007)

The PPA has an indemnification coverage, for about $50/yr on top of their regular dues....I hear it is pretty good coverage....


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## JIP (Nov 14, 2007)

Viperjet said:


> What has this world come to??
> 
> 
> Yea...it might be a good idea, just to be safe. Even if it's your kid brother's wedding, a guest might trip over something...or get annoyed at a flash...or something dumb like that.


what do you mean by this? what is the world coming to? a wedding photographer is a business person like any other.  When you are in business yo uneed insurance it is just a fact of life.  I think the advent of digital has made it more necesarry just because there are more amatuers getting into the business for fun and do not take it seriuosly enough and screw it up and get themselves in trouble.  That is pretty much why all the horror stories are out there now.


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## fido dog (Nov 14, 2007)

The guy I work for carries a 1M dollar policy. About $1200 a year. If for some reason you can't produce and they decide to sue, you have plenty of backup. If the bride steps on a cord and her dress catches on fire......then the Mother in Law has a heart attack while the ambulance is pulling up as the church is exploding (which you have plugged a cell phone charger into) and they blame it on you.....they're stupid.

Lawsuits happen. If you don't think they'll happen to you.........they could. My ex and I lost ALL of our wares at a horse show in AZ a few years ago. They are putting blame (partially) on an art vendor that had halogen lights on his paintings. I was very impressed with his lights because they were so small and cool (what painter wants lights burning his ****?). Never the less, the blame will be put on someone and they will go for whomever.

At the time of the show, we had a 1M liability only policy. None of our stuff was covered. Lawsuit still pending after 4 years.

Business insurance IS important, don't knock it. Just get it.


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## fido dog (Nov 14, 2007)

JIP said:


> what do you mean by this? what is the world coming to? a wedding photographer is a business person like any other.  When you are in business yo uneed insurance it is just a fact of life.  I think the advent of digital has made it more necesarry just because there are more amatuers getting into the business for fun and do not take it seriuosly enough and screw it up and get themselves in trouble.  That is pretty much why all the horror stories are out there now.


Screw Weddings! Just for that!
I don't WANT the responsibility of messing with what is supposed to be a (1) special day. I have done 2 weddings for friends for trade only. I don't want the risk of feeling bad when a bride says she looks "FAT".............Baby.......It ain't the camera.....It's your A$$!!


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