ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

8 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Hiya,

I think it's a great idea - the more collective bargaining you can do, the better for everyone.

I can introduce you to one of the main licensed brokers for Integro who now basically own a massive slice of the entertainment market. I know they do some great deals for features, especially if there's a slate on the go, so I'd be happy to make that introduction if it can help.

8 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

PS - it would also be interesting if you can invite suppliers to offer camera and lighting packages for shorts etc.

8 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich

This is a no brainer: yes, do it. Paddy's equipment idea is pretty freakin' awesome, too. Too bad I don't live in the U.K.!

8 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran

Sounds like a great idea. Bottom line of course is better terms and premiums then one can find individually.

8 years, 10 months ago - Abigail Addison

Equipment, public liability, media. Be great if SP could broker discounts on insurance and kit. Media Insurance Brokers and Feral Equipment are both reasonable and good to deal with.

8 years, 10 months ago - A D Cooper

Essex Insurance are great and go above and beyond to help you. You can even do a very simple coverage online but a more comprehensive policy takes a quick phone call. Insuring the raw footage seems a no brainer. Employer liability and producer liability are too easy to forget but I've always been told employer liability is a legal requirement even if you aren't paying the cast and crew. Is this correct? Perhaps what also might be useful is a guide to what cover you should get (on what and how much) and the implications if you don't have enough cover (the unknown unknowns department). In the past, I've also covered the production in the post production stage for three months - the editor is still on your watch if you're the producer.

8 years, 10 months ago - Alison Carpenter

That would be a really useful service to offer SP members, yes.

I currently use IMS in London to insure the short films I produce, and they offer good packages at a reasonable price (as far as I know!). I have their annual public liability insurance policy, and then take out equipment insurance and any additional cover needed for each film.

I usually require the DPs I work with to supply/hire their own equipment so they usually sort that out, but again, it would be useful to have access to better deals if they're out there. Thanks.

8 years, 10 months ago - Dan Hunt

I'd definitely be interested in this. I currently use BECTU for PL insurance and all my camera kit is insured through Anthony Wood at Photo Insure, who use Aaduki Multimedia Insurance but tend to have lower premiums.

8 years, 10 months ago - Adrian Bracken

I use Media Insurance Brokers, and have an overall policy which covers, European Public and Employers liability, also covers my kit (when locked up in storage) and also on location. It covers media faults too, ie. Faulty tape or memory card. MIB are also based in California, and were able to add on to my General European policy for a recent Canadian shoot, where insurance cost is much higher than UK. With a General policy, you have to identify the shoot in advance and give basic information to be covered. One sheet. 5 mins to do. I wouldn't shoot or act as Line Producer or Production Co-ordination anywhere without an insurance policy.Most locations, particularly Historic or Government buildings want to see evidence of Public Liability normally £2m -£5m. With smaller companies, and not so small, it is surprising how often there is no insurance on a shoot. "Can't afford it" or "don't need it" "no budget" - then there is a problem with the location - damage or theft, or there is an accident to one of the crew or actors. No insurance is false economy, because the Producer is ultimately personally liable if there is a problem, and that could be very expensive. I pay £1,350 per calendar year , for £100,000 of shoots, £5m public Liability cover, and £10m employer liability cover, and my "kit" all included, also covers actors absences (illness etc) in certain circumstances.
www.mediainsurancebrokers.co.uk - very helpful people.

8 years, 10 months ago - Nathaniel Francis

This is a fantastic idea, with collective bargaining power you can ensure everyone has fantastic comprehensive affordable insurance and on top equipment deals to boot. I would love to see this happen.
Thanks

8 years, 10 months ago - Alève Mine

Could you please if possible pick insurances that can also cover Switzerland?

8 years, 10 months ago - Ian Strang

This would be hugely useful for me if the rates are lower than what one can get by phoning around. Every production should have liability insurance, and if low- and no-budget producers can get even a small break on the price it helps.

8 years, 10 months ago - Stephen M. Hunt

I've just covered my upcoming short in Ireland with public liability cover but have no idea if I could have got better cover for the same money. So if SP can assist generally in this area - and lighting / sound info - then great!

8 years, 10 months ago - cath le couteur

Thanks all. Sounds like we should do this. Can you give us egs of how much you're paying? Public Liability, Kit Insurance and as much detail as you can. Everyone will be different for sure but details on value of kit hire you had covered/cost, cost of PL etc. We reckon we can definitely get good deals because of the size of the membership.. it's how to do it when everyone's needs will also be quite different. But the more info we have now the better! Also for most of you - is your kit insurance yearly - or are you talking just for period of a shoot? Thanks, Cath

8 years, 10 months ago - cath le couteur

PS Paddy - broker for Integro also be great. Once we have a clearer idea of how to map diverse needs against different kinds of insurance, we'll approach several people. At the moment seems like the key/common insurance people would like is PL and kit coverage (annual, also short term for shoot). Anything else?

8 years, 10 months ago - cath le couteur

Alison/Dan - be great to know specifics on how much you're paying if you're ok to share that. Chrs, C

8 years, 10 months ago - simon battensby

Yes great idea. I currently have a deal on kit insurance through my Bectu membership and they use Hencilla Canworth. I get public liabilty insurance for 25 quid a year as part of the deal . Be useful to have a second quote.

8 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Hi Cath,

Of course it'll vary like crazy, so it's a question of what individual underwriters require etc for larger productions. I wonder, however, if there's any benefit to templating three different productions, and getting prices for those, then people simply buy the next size up for what they need.

For instance -
1) short film with script upto 10' long, shot over upto 3 (named) days, upto 10 cast & crew, hired in kit to the value of £10k (with all serial numbers for items valued over £1000 supplied in advance), £5M Public Liability £10M Employers Liability, no insurance for the edit. No reshoot cover.
2) short film upto 20' long, shot upto 8 (named) days, upto 20 cast and crew in total, hired in kit upto £25k (serials supplied etc), same PLI and ELI, no edit or reshoot
3) Any continuous 15 day period, upto 30 cast and crew in total, hires to £50k, PLI, ELI, and 10 weeks of PLI/ELI to cover the edit and pickups. Covers 1 action vehicle for driver over 25 with clean license.
4) Any feature film with a budget upto £1M, upto 4 weeks shooting...

Those are just off the top of my head, clearly need work, but it's just a suggestion. The point being that those simplified policies could be pre-costed and so people could know how to budget them in advance. £50, fill in the form sections with spaces for names/serials/dates/whatever, and have cover. It's the kind of thing an undertaker can take a view on, and provide a price on.

Cars and drivers are an area it could be good to build into policies or at least get add-on prices for, they can be quite costly.

Integro are who we take production insurance with, including reshoot costs for all risks, etc. They're not expensive, for a feature "all risks" is around 1% and that includes cast or directors getting sick or dying and having to restart/reshoot. I also know they can do some strong discounts on fairly modest slates, though, and so that can be say 0.7%. This is why I'm sure they'll be worth talking to, certainly for bigger projects. PM me and I'll see what we can set up - may even be worth a visit to London to introduce you and the guy (we'll let him buy us lunch!).

8 years, 10 months ago - Dan Hunt

Hi Cath. This year I paid £388 for £25k kit cover (£20k off premises at one time) and £5k hired in cover. This also included professional indemnity insurance of £75k and has a few extras included such as goods in trust (£5k) and stock and materials (£1k). Excess is £200. BECTU PL insurance for up to £10m was £30 this year.

8 years, 10 months ago - Yen Rickeard

Paddy goes straight to the point - a series of 3 or 4 template types of shoot, with cover for public and employer liability. Please go for it! Everyone should have insurance!

8 years, 10 months ago - Karel Bata

As a side note, for anyone involved in perfomance arts or events you can get Public and Products Liability insurance just by joining a-n artists network at silly low rates. It gets thrown in with the membership:
membership https://www.a-n.co.uk/about/membership (£36!)
insurance https://www.a-n.co.uk/about/insurance

Yes indeed, SP should negotiate deals. Paddy's idea of templates is a great one. ;-)

8 years, 10 months ago - Henry Abisayo

Great idea! Please go for it.