Setting up a professional photography business is the dream of many snappers – whether they specialise in press, corporate or advertising shots. Equipment costs, the insurance for buildings and contents, and other administrative concerns are straightforward and elementary. But legal protection may also be necessary, depending on the nature of a photographer’s work. Photographer professional indemnity cover can provide an all round package which will guard against some of the more common legal risks a professional may face.
Anyone who has ever heard of indemnity cover before may associate it with people like graphic designers and medical professionals. It is a type of insurance which pays out towards legal advice and defence if you are ever accused of making a professional mistake. But these days it can also apply to just about any professional which offers advice and services as a base of their business. Errors can be costly, and if a client feels they have suffered what is known as a financial injury, they can take legal action.
There is no shortage of legal firms which would fight someone’s case for them if they feel they have justification for a legal claim. This means it is important to have something in place should you ever face the unpleasant prospect of being sued.
Photographer professional indemnity cover also applies to a wide range of circumstances, not just mistakes, omissions, or alleged acts of negligence. It will also cover claims of unintentional defamation, a possibly important aspect for anyone who takes pictures of other individuals for a living. Importantly it can also pay out for the defence of a claim that you have breached someone’s copyright or confidentiality.
Indemnity cover may also include an element of public liability insurance, which can also be necessary for some photographers, and you can sometimes get this thrown in as a bonus or a free extra, while other companies may be able to get you a deal on it for a discount on top of your main indemnity policy.
Photographer professional indemnity cover also involves a straightforward premium as with other kinds of insurance cover, and this is often related to the amount of protection you want. A policy like this will not pay out for an indefinite amount of legal advice and compensation, so you need to decide a policy limit when you take out a product. The higher the cover limit, the higher your premium may be, but it is also important not to end up under-insured, or with a limit which would prove inadequate if you faced a case, leaving you to pick up the difference in terms of legal bills or compensation – which could be thousands of pounds or more in some circumstances.
