Motorsport Photogs - Public Liability Insurance

[Dave_G]

Hi Chaps...hope you can help

I'll probably get the chance to get accreditation and be the other side of the fences for a few meetings next year if all goes according to plan.

What's the story with Public Liability Insurance? Do I need it?

Can I pay for it seperately?

Any details would be gratefully received.

[andygrif]

First, I would say that I'm not really qualified to answer this question, but in the absence of anyone else coming along I thought I'd add my 2p's worth, if that's OK?

As I understand it, you need public liability insurance where your work brings you into contact with other people and there may be a loss as a result.

Now I might be wrong, but I would say this applies to where you have people coming into your studio, or if you've got a giant lighting unit that might fall on to someone's head.

Saying that, motorsport is a dangerous game and if you take risks to get a great shot you might put someone else's life in danger as a result, so it might not be a bad thing to have.

You'll find a lot of professional camera insurance policies also offer large sums of public liability cover too, so it might be worth killing two birds with one stone.

I'm sure one of the usual suspects will be able to give you a definitive answer, but personally I'd say that you wouldn't require it, but it's not a bad thing to have in case.

[Dave_G]

Originally Posted by andygrif

You'll find a lot of professional camera insurance policies also offer large sums of public liability cover too, so it might be worth killing two birds with one stone.

Yes - if insure my meagre kit (300D plus a few clunky lenses) I'll be covered for £1m or something - this is what the guy who is helping me out has said.

I'm not sure it'd be worth paying £270 a year to cover my kit just so I can get PLI, can I get PLI seperately?

Thanks Andy btw

[KennyG]

I'll clear this up quite easily. This refers to MSV circuits, others may differ. If it is a race meeting you are covered by the circuit's insurance from the time the meeting starts until it finishes. You are not covered for track days or test days. You are also not covered for incidents outside the times of the meeting, even on meeting days.

You would be silly not to have liability insurance. MSV and others insist on £5M cover for those times when it is needed, £1M is no longer acceptable. Most of us simply have it as an option on our equipment insurance. My certificate is lodged with MSV and Croft, etc. so I don't have to keep producing it when I am working at the circuit outside of race meetings.

I see some pictures posted here of track days from places I know well and I hope the photographer in question has cover as the risks are way too high without it.

Just imagine a biker coming off at 100mph and the reason he gives for the accident from his hospital bed is that he was blinded by the reflection from the photographer's lens. Difficult to prove otherwise and the courts always lean towards the victim swathed in bandages and plaster casts.

Better safe than sorry, and yes you can buy it as a seperate item, but it works out more expensive that way. Whatever the gear you have, it is worth insuring by a specialist company. If you intend to sell even one picture to a passing stranger for cash you must accept that they will regard you as a pro. If you are my side of the wire you lose your amateur status with insurance companies anyway.

[Dave_G]

Thanks Ken, I will do some digging.

*gets shovel*

[Dave_G]

My (limited) research has drawn a relative blank, can anyone recommend an insurance company that can provide some equipment cover but more importantly some PLI please?

ta

[Cadwell]

Originally Posted by Dave_G

My (limited) research has drawn a relative blank, can anyone recommend an insurance company that can provide some equipment cover but more importantly some PLI please?

ta

http://www.gloverhowe.co.uk/photographic.htm

[Dave_G]

Cheers Glenn, I'll have a gander at that tonight.

[missysx]

what about motorsport where i'd be either on the infield or in the pit lane at a track like silverstone race circuit or smaller carting circuits??

[Nekkid]

Hi DaveG,
I recently insured with photoguard - £150 for £2k worth of kit for a year with worldwide cover (going travelling). More expensive for a pro, but they are reasonable.

[Gadget-Guy]

Hi,
Might be worth having a look at these people aswell,have allways been very helpfull and have several sports photographers on there books.
http://www.imaginginsurance.co.uk/index.html

[Dave_G]

thanks!

[Dave_G]

Originally Posted by Cadwell

http://www.gloverhowe.co.uk/photographic.htm

These guys don't cover you trackside...

[Dave_G]

Ok success at last.

I ended up going with Photoguard on the recommendation of Nekkid a few posts above and a photog I'll probably be working with in the very near future...

Just under £15 a month covers my meagre (at the moment) kit comprising

20D
Sigma 70-200f2.8
Sigma 135-400f4.5-5.6
Speedlite 430EX
Plus £300 worth of unspecified gear - I reckon I've got that in batteries and CF cards alone!

Most importantly I have £5m liability too. I could have got that on it's own but would have worked out more expensive as Ken pointed out.

So, only 3 weeks to go until my first day on the other side of the fence..gulp

[forsaken]

Originally Posted by Dave_G

So, only 3 weeks to go until my first day on the other side of the fence..gulp

good luck and above all, have fun and keep safe