Insurance Question

drummerJ99

Senior Member
So I don't have a Photography Business per se, I'm mainly free lance sports photographer for local newspaper. But I've upgrade my gear over time and am now traveling with my gear alot.

I'm wondering should I add on any type of insurance? I realize auto will cover if inside the car. But what about if it's stolen while at a sporting event? or if it's dropped and damaged?

Is PPA the best option? Is there a cheaper or better option?

Thanks,
Jeffrey
 

carguy

Senior Member
So I don't have a Photography Business per se, I'm mainly free lance sports photographer for local newspaper. But I've upgrade my gear over time and am now traveling with my gear alot.

I'm wondering should I add on any type of insurance? I realize auto will cover if inside the car. But what about if it's stolen while at a sporting event? or if it's dropped and damaged?

Is PPA the best option? Is there a cheaper or better option?

Thanks,
Jeffrey
If you are not earning money from your gear, I suggest looking into adding it to your current homeowners policy.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
If you are not earning money from your gear, I suggest looking into adding it to your current homeowners policy.

Exactly. If you start getting paid you'll need Business insurance if you want the correct above board coverage. Homeowners is usually total loss coverage.

If you are being paid as a freelance, you might be better off creating a business so you can write off your gear, mileage, ect. The benefit may outweigh the cost of the Business insurance.

Once you get paid it becomes a real slippery slope. If I get into a car accident while transporting my show materials I'm not completely covered by my home/car policy. It becomes commercial which normal homeowners/car doesn't cover if full (In NY state). your business becomes a second party in the claim which could then open up personal assets depending on what type of business you are.
 
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drummerJ99

Senior Member
If you are not earning money from your gear, I suggest looking into adding it to your current homeowners policy.

Exactly. If you start getting paid you'll need Business insurance if you want the correct above board coverage. Homeowners is usually total loss coverage.

If you are being paid as a freelance, you might be better off creating a business so you can write off your gear, mileage, ect. The benefit may outweigh the cost of the Business insurance.

Once you get paid it becomes a real slippery slope. If I get into a car accident while transporting my show materials I'm not completely covered by my home/car policy. It becomes commercial which normal homeowners/car doesn't cover if full (In NY state). your business becomes a second party in the claim which could then open up personal assets depending on what type of business you are.
I could have sworn I replied to Carguy earlier but anyway I do get paid. It however isn't much. It's $25 per photos assignment plus $.25 per mile. Most games are at home so very little mileage. A few are away which adds up. Normally I have 8-10 assignments a month.

So on average I make about $170ish a month. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
 

Rick M

Senior Member
I could have sworn I replied to Carguy earlier but anyway I do get paid. It however isn't much. It's $25 per photos assignment plus $.25 per mile. Most games are at home so very little mileage. A few are away which adds up. Normally I have 8-10 assignments a month.

So on average I make about $170ish a month. Sometimes more, sometimes less.


This all comes down to your comfort level, "do you feel lucky" :)

As long as no one knows you win.

The value of business insurance is much more than replacing stolen gear. It is protection for you when things go wrong. You are operating a business when you sell your services or a product, definitions vary by state, but I'd say you're operating a business..

So you have 2 concerns- Insurance and taxes

Some states excuse taxes on small things like craft shows and garage sales, you'll need to check on that. You are never excused from personal liability unless you are a LLC or incorporated (again check your state laws). Your Homeowners/car insurance company can step back from liability if you are engaged in business activity.

If your camera is smashed by an athlete, wont be paid. If its stolen from your car at a game, still not covered if they know your in business.

If a kid trips over your gear bag and breaks his neck, at an event you are being paid to cover, only business insurance will help you. Without it, your financial life is up for grabs.

Unfortunately it doesn't matter how much you are making, I'm sure you have much more to lose, its a difficult decision... but important.
 

drummerJ99

Senior Member
This all comes down to your comfort level, "do you feel lucky" :)

As long as no one knows you win.

The value of business insurance is much more than replacing stolen gear. It is protection for you when things go wrong. You are operating a business when you sell your services or a product, definitions vary by state, but I'd say you're operating a business..

So you have 2 concerns- Insurance and taxes

Some states excuse taxes on small things like craft shows and garage sales, you'll need to check on that. You are never excused from personal liability unless you are a LLC or incorporated (again check your state laws). Your Homeowners/car insurance company can step back from liability if you are engaged in business activity.

If your camera is smashed by an athlete, wont be paid. If its stolen from your car at a game, still not covered if they know your in business.

If a kid trips over your gear bag and breaks his neck, at an event you are being paid to cover, only business insurance will help you. Without it, your financial life is up for grabs.

Unfortunately it doesn't matter how much you are making, I'm sure you have much more to lose, its a difficult decision... but important.
I think I'm to the point where I'd like to cover myself. I'm getting more work with paper and hope to branch it out into other opportunities.

I'll definitely have to check out the taxes thing (even though they get enough money from my full time job lol).

Question is, is PPA the best insurance out there? Is their price of $28 a month pretty much industry standard range?

Really know nothing about insurance so didn't know if it'd be cheaper to go PPA route or go business route local as LLC or whatever and then call around for insurance locally.

Really need to learn about the taxes and how it exactly it works with buying stuff for your business.

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Rick M

Senior Member
I think I'm to the point where I'd like to cover myself. I'm getting more work with paper and hope to branch it out into other opportunities.

I'll definitely have to check out the taxes thing (even though they get enough money from my full time job lol).

Question is, is PPA the best insurance out there? Is their price of $28 a month pretty much industry standard range?

Really know nothing about insurance so didn't know if it'd be cheaper to go PPA route or go business route local as LLC or whatever and then call around for insurance locally.

Really need to learn about the taxes and how it exactly it works with buying stuff for your business.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

In NY there is a $500 minimum for small business insurance. Mine is through CNA, because it didn't cost $500 a year they added on an adjustment to make it $500 for NY. After speaking with them they added additional gear coverage instead to hit the $500. Check your state laws. I may look into PPA if it's valid in NY.

Since I have the Insurance, I'm a sole proprietor so my business income (loss :)) is rolled into my personal taxes, along with the write offs. In NY you simply go to the county you live in and get a DBA (doing business as) license for like $10 and apply to the state for a tax collection ID/certificate (free) and you are in business.
 

carguy

Senior Member
I could have sworn I replied to Carguy earlier but anyway I do get paid. It however isn't much. It's $25 per photos assignment plus $.25 per mile. Most games are at home so very little mileage. A few are away which adds up. Normally I have 8-10 assignments a month.

So on average I make about $170ish a month. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

As posted above, making money is making money. The amount is irrelevant in the eyes of the insurance company. I'd take a look at Hill & Usher - www.packagechoice.com
 

drummerJ99

Senior Member
You might try https://www.prophotographersinsurance.com/ . I moved to them from Hartford. I had a complicated claim this year, and the claims agent was helpful, knowledgable and efficient. That's when I think you really learn about your insurance company. When you have a claim. I'll be renewing. Don't forget liability coverage.
Thanks. They seem to be pretty much same price as everyone else. So really just kinda comes down to picking one. Got it down to about 3.

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editorial_use_only

Senior Member
They seem to be pretty much same price as everyone else. So really just kinda comes down to picking one. Got it down to about 3.
I'm surprised they are not better than that. For me, RVNA was about 20% less. If you're getting the same quote for the same policy from different insurers, go with the one that has the best service and reputation. You can look up insurer ratings. Hartford is typically good. Also make sure it's apples to apples. Replacement cost is very different from depreciated value. PPA has PhotoCare and PhotoCare Plus. You have the D7200 which is discontinued. Replacement and cash value could be very different.
 

drummerJ99

Senior Member
I'm surprised they are not better than that. For me, RVNA was about 20% less. If you're getting the same quote for the same policy from different insurers, go with the one that has the best service and reputation. You can look up insurer ratings. Hartford is typically good. Also make sure it's apples to apples. Replacement cost is very different from depreciated value. PPA has PhotoCare and PhotoCare Plus. You have the D7200 which is discontinued. Replacement and cash value could be very different.
Hill & Usher, Hisvoc, The Hartford & https://www.prophotographersinsurance.com/ were all within about $50 of each other. So now just coming down to picking one.
 

drummerJ99

Senior Member
There is MUCH more to shopping any type of insurance than price :)
True, but that's why I got a quote from them all with the same coverage. :) As someone who only makes roughly $2000 a year from his photography, price is very important to me. So far only one appears to have a website built in the 90's and is giving me fits actually loging in to see quote or to buy.
 
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