Film Insurance
What can we do for you?
All-risk insurance
Get your film insurance policy in just a few minutes!
We offer expert advice during risk assessment, help you determine the scope of insured risks, and provide full support in the event of a claim.
- Nonappearance
- and DIT material and work insurance combined in a single policy
- Accident insurance
- for all crew members on set, including stunt performers
- Equipment insurance without submitting an equipment list -
- we jointly determine the limit for damage due to breakage, burglary, and robbery
- Third-party liability insurance
- including coverage for rented properties and sets, as well as for your own employees, is available in a package at a competitive price with very high compensation limits
The international market offers a much wider range of insured risks and better insurance rates, along with the option to arrange all-risk insurance. The all-risk approach allows the policy to be tailored to your actual needs.
Production doesn’t have to stop
Unexpected expenses, equipment failure, or location issues? Ensure your set and complete your project without delays.
One in five productions reports a loss due to the non-appearance of key personnel
One in five productions suffers losses due to equipment damage
20% of claims paid in film production are related to unforeseen financial expenses
Up to 10% of productions are delayed due to bad weather
Our business relationship is based on a Letter of Authorization by which your company engages DPS Specialty as your insurance broker for all insurance matters or for a specific project.
The broker’s engagement is legally regulated by this authorization and does not create any additional financial obligation for you. It can also be terminated in writing at any time. By engaging a broker, you are additionally protected through the activation of our professional liability insurance policy.
In accordance with EU standards, the insured amount under our professional liability insurance is EUR 1,564,610 per claim and EUR 2,315,610 for all claims within one calendar year.
Real Cases and Solutions
Case Studies
Actor illness
During the filming of a feature film, our client experienced two significant delays caused by the illness of the lead actor and the director. Each delay lasted three weeks and generated substantial additional costs for the producer due to the increased number of shooting days required to complete the project.
We covered all extra daily wages for everyone working on the project, the cost of extended equipment rental, and many other expenses. The client had taken out non-appearance coverage and had arranged insurance with no deductible, which enabled full reimbursement of all costs incurred in this situation.
Human error
In our region, it is common that the majority of freelancers hired on a production do not carry their own professional liability insurance. On one of our projects, the DIT technician caused significant damage due to an accidental mistake, destroying the footage from a particularly expensive shooting day involving costly specialized equipment and numerous extras.
The error occurred while transferring the material into the format needed for editing. Naturally, the lead producer who commissioned the work refused to bear the cost of repeating the shooting day. Our policy covered the newly incurred costs under the all-risk section known as Support – insurance of the DIT’s material and work. The insurance was arranged with no deductible, so the damage was compensated in full.
Equipment Failure
On a project being filmed outside of Croatia, the client’s steadycam support broke, causing a fall of an expensive Arri camera and lens from a height of two meters onto concrete. The damage was caused by accidental mishandling of the steadycam. The camera and lens were significantly damaged.
Under our policy, equipment breakage was covered (equipment cover), and the insurance fully reimbursed the repair costs. However, at that moment, the producer’s priority was to continue the project as quickly as possible and avoid disruption or delay.
To solve the issue efficiently, the producer faced additional costs: urgent damage assessment and repair estimate, urgent rental of a replacement camera, and expedited transport since the replacement had to be sourced from a rental company in Germany. All of these were covered under the additional costs section of the policy, again with no deductible.
Although the damaged camera was expensive, the additional costs needed to resume shooting immediately ended up being even greater.
The insurer we work with is highly professional and understands the nature of your work and the risks you face. The greatest risk for both you and the insurer is the cancellation or delay of filming, and we guarantee that they will gladly cover all costs incurred while you are doing everything possible to prevent disruption or delay—provided, of course, that your policy includes protection against all relevant risks that may affect you.
Overview of insured perils and risks
Get in touch with us!Nonappearance
we cover all financial losses suffered by the production due to the postponement, interruption, or cancellation of filming caused by the death, accidental injury, illness, or arrest of an insured person.
- The insurance also covers the closest relatives of the insured person – parents, children, fiancée/fiancé or spouse, if their illness or injury resulted in hospitalization lasting at least 5 days.
- Of all claims on insured film production projects of all types, 57.49% of paid amounts relate to non-appearance risk, making it by far the most important risk on your policy. One in five insured projects suffers a loss due to non-appearance.
- We insure individuals whose absence would result in the suspension of work on the project: most often the lead actors, director, director of photography, or lead producer.
- If we are insuring a project with a budget exceeding EUR 1 million, and if the insured person under non-appearance coverage is over 75 years of age, a medical examination is mandatory for anyone meeting one or both criteria. The cost of the medical examination is covered by the insurer.
Additional costs insurance
Many losses result in additional financial expenses. Under this risk, we insure the financial consequences suffered by the producer due to the postponement, interruption, or abandonment of filming caused solely by the total or partial destruction of items due to an accident, burglary, or robbery. All items, equipment, and vehicles essential for the execution of the project are covered.
- Financial losses resulting from equipment damage (e.g. rental of a replacement camera, urgent transport, repair assessment of damaged items, etc.)
- Inaccessibility of the filming location due to damage to the land route leading to the site
- Delays in the transport of crew, equipment, set design, or recorded material, when the delay is caused by an accident involving the means of transport
- Day of mourning due to illness or incident (accident) that had not occurred or was not known to the producer at the time of contracting the insurance policy
- Terrorist act at the insured location
- Natural disasters and catastrophes at the filming location
- Of all claims paid on insured projects, 18.25% relate to the Additional costs risk. One in ten projects suffers a loss of this kind.
Equipment insurance
For this insurance, we do not require you to submit a list of insured equipment or its purchase value in advance. Insurance under all-risk conditions means that a maximum compensation limit is agreed, covering equipment damage on your project. In case of damage, proof that the equipment was actually used on the project is required, which can be done by submitting a rental contract or a fixed asset record confirming that the production owns the equipment. Risks covered:
- Any accidental damage or destruction of equipment
- Burglary or robbery
- Short circuit, power surge, or induction.
- Equipment covered: All shooting and sound equipment, transmission, reproduction, lighting including lamps, generators, special effects equipment, equipment vehicles and mobile studios used for the production. We also cover the accessories, replacement pieces, flight cases, special cases or boxes of the equipment listed above.
- Although one in five insured projects experiences equipment-related damage, of all claims paid on insured projects, 6.05% is paid out for equipment-related losses.
- Equipment covered: All shooting and sound equipment, transmission, reproduction, lighting including lamps, generators, special effects equipment, equipment vehicles and mobile studios used for the production. We also cover the accessories, replacement pieces, flight cases, special cases or boxes of the equipment listed above.
Drone insurance (UAV vehicles)
coverage against accidental damage or destruction.
- We can insure drones and the equipment attached to them up to a maximum value of EUR 200,000
Personal accident insurance
Covers the crew working on set against accident risks
- Accidental death – EUR 75,000
- Permanent disability – EUR 150,000
- Medical expenses resulting from the accident – EUR 25,000
- Temporary incapacity for work – EUR 15,000 during 12 months after the injury
- We can also insure animals on set against the risk of death and cover veterinary costs up to the agreed limit.
Props, Sets, Accessories
Covers the crew working on set against accident risks
- Accidental death – EUR 75,000
- Permanent disability – EUR 150,000
- Medical expenses resulting from the accident – EUR 25,000
- Temporary incapacity for work – EUR 15,000 during 12 months after the injury
We can also insure animals on set against the risk of death and cover veterinary costs up to the agreed limit.
Inclement weather cover
we insure the net loss the production may suffer due to the cancellation or postponement of filming caused by inclement weather conditions, confirmed by an official report from the nearest authorized meteorological station.
Inclement weather conditions covered by this policy include:
- Ban issued by local authorities or court officers under oath, either prior to or during the production period, due to an obvious safety threat caused by bad weather
- Wind blowing at a minimum speed of 90 km/h
- Violent storm
- Settling of the ground and mudslide following inclement weather
- Weight of the snow
- Overflowing of watercourse
- Torrential rain
- Natural disasters
- Flooding of more than 40% of the filming location
- Upon submission of supporting documentation, this insurance covers reimbursement of non-recoverable costs incurred due to the need to complete filming or postpone it to a later date.
- In case of a claim, the production must obtain a written ban from local authorities stating that the project cannot proceed for safety reasons. The production must provide an official weather report from the nearest authorized meteorological station as proof that the conditions for claim payment have been met. It is also necessary to immediately take and submit photographs or video recordings of the weather event and resulting damage.
Cancellation
we cover all financial consequences suffered by the producer due to the cancellation, interruption, or postponement of the production for any reason beyond the producer’s control, provided that the circumstances leading to the cancellation were not known to the producer at the time the policy was taken out.
- Any official government ban preventing the insured production from taking place, but only if a written permit had previously been issued for the production
- Inclement weather conditions, but only for productions planned entirely indoors. For outdoor productions, we offer inclement weather coverage
- Cyclone, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, volcanic eruption, tsunami, or landslide
- Terrorist act at or near the filming location, due to which local authorities declare that the production cannot proceed or access to the filming site is not possible
- Day of mourning declared by local authorities which, by its nature, imposes a ban or causes the cancellation of filming
Errors and omissions cover
This insurance protects the owner of the audiovisual work from losses that may occur during distribution, related to legal claims for defamation, infringement of copyright or music rights, and various other reasons. Legal defense costs are also covered.
- For this insurance, we have a special questionnaire that the producer must complete together with the attorney who will represent them in the event of such claims, and it can be downloaded here – link
- Territorial coverage for worldwide distribution is available