Forget your personal liability. Here’s the E&O insurance that actually protects a freelance political canvasser.
The Petition and the Payout
As a freelance political canvasser, I thought my biggest risk was a dog bite. I never imagined the real threat. I was hired to collect signatures for a ballot initiative. Months later, the opposition campaign challenged the signatures I collected, claiming some were invalid. The campaign that hired me was fined and, to cover their losses, they sued me for professional negligence. I learned that my work wasn’t just physical; it was a professional service. Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, not a general liability policy, is what protects a canvasser from costly errors in their work product.
Stop chasing more gigs. Chase a solid equipment floater for your freelance film set gaffer gear instead.
The Light and the Loss
As a freelance gaffer, I was always hustling for the next film set gig. My focus was on my day rate. I kept my expensive lighting and electrical gear insured under my homeowner’s policy. After a long shoot, I left some gear in my locked car overnight. The car was broken into, and everything was stolen. My homeowner’s policy paid almost nothing due to low limits on “business property.” I should have been chasing a proper equipment floater, also known as an inland marine policy, which covers your professional gear anywhere—in your car, on set, or in storage.
The hidden truth about insuring yourself as a freelance event sound technician.
The Feedback and the Financial Fallout
I’m a freelance sound tech for live events. The hidden truth is that my biggest risk isn’t my equipment getting stolen; it’s a mistake I make causing a financial loss. During a major corporate conference, a feedback squeal from my soundboard damaged a sensitive piece of recording equipment owned by the video crew. The production company held me liable for the expensive repair. My general liability policy didn’t cover damage to property in my “care, custody, or control.” I needed specific professional liability coverage for the consequences of my work.
What nobody tells you about the liability of being a freelance stage manager.
The Cue and the Catastrophe
As a freelance stage manager, I thought my job was just to call cues and keep the show running. What nobody tells you is that you are at the center of the production’s safety. During a performance, I called a cue for a piece of scenery to fly out. A stagehand was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was seriously injured. The subsequent lawsuit named me personally, claiming my cue was negligent. I learned that a stage manager’s liability is immense. You need your own professional liability policy that covers your critical role in the safety of the entire cast and crew.
I spent 10 years as a freelance archaeological dig assistant. Here’s what I learned about professional liability.
The Artifact and the Error
As a freelance archaeological assistant, I thought my work was low-risk. I was just digging and documenting. On one dig, I mislabeled the quadrant where a significant artifact was found. This simple clerical error threw off the entire site’s stratigraphy, compromising years of research. The university that ran the dig sued the lead archaeologist, who in turn sued me for professional negligence. I learned that even in a field like archaeology, your work product—your data and your documentation—is a professional service that carries significant liability.
Unpopular opinion: The production company’s insurance does not adequately cover you, the independent contractor.
The Fine Print in the Production Policy
Every freelancer on a film set believes the production company’s insurance covers them if something goes wrong. This is a dangerous and unpopular opinion to correct. The production’s policy is there to protect the production company. If you, an independent contractor, negligently cause an accident that injures someone, their policy might pay the claim, but their insurer will then have the right to sue you personally to recover that money. You are often just a liability pass-through. Their insurance is not a substitute for having your own.
90% of freelance corporate trainers don’t understand this about their professional liability exposure.
The Training and the Wrongful Termination
I was a freelance corporate trainer, hired by companies to teach management skills. I thought my only risk was a boring seminar. I was wrong. A company hired me to conduct a training session on performance reviews. Six months later, an employee who was fired sued the company for wrongful termination. In the lawsuit, they claimed the manager had used a technique I taught in my seminar improperly. The company’s lawyers immediately named me in the suit, claiming my negligent training was the root cause. I learned my advice carried immense professional risk.
This simple change to my day rate contract transformed my liability protection.
The Clause That Capped My Risk
As a freelance technician, I used to just agree on a day rate and a start date over email. I was constantly exposed to unlimited liability if I made a mistake. My lawyer suggested I create a simple one-page contract for every gig. The most important change was a “Limitation of Liability” clause. It states that my total liability for any error or accident is limited to the total fees paid for my services on that specific job. This simple clause put a reasonable financial cap on my risk for every single gig.
You’re not struggling to get on the best film sets because of your skills. It’s because you don’t have your own insurance.
The Call Sheet and the Certificate of Insurance
I was a talented camera operator, but I kept getting passed over for jobs on major film sets. I thought it was because I didn’t know the right people. The real reason was more professional. The production coordinators on big sets have a checklist. Before they can officially hire an independent contractor, they need a certificate of insurance showing you have your own general liability and equipment coverage. It’s a non-negotiable requirement. My skills were good enough, but I wasn’t “vend-able” because I couldn’t tick the insurance box.
Stop buying a generic business policy. Buy one with specific coverage for your professional services and your equipment.
The Two Policies Every Freelancer Needs
I thought I was being responsible. I bought a standard Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) for my freelance video editing business. It was a waste of money. A BOP is designed for a physical storefront. When a client sued me because a mistake in my edit cost them a distribution deal, the policy didn’t cover it. It also didn’t cover my editing computer when it was stolen from my car. I learned that a professional freelancer needs two specific policies: Professional Liability (E&O) for their mistakes, and an Inland Marine policy for their gear.
The uncomfortable truth about insuring your work as a freelance motion capture artist.
The Data and the Defective Performance
As a motion capture artist, you think your job is just to perform. The uncomfortable truth is that you are creating a data asset. If the data from your performance is corrupted, or if your physical performance doesn’t meet the technical specifications and causes a delay in a multi-million dollar video game production, you can be held financially liable for those delays. Your work isn’t just an art; it’s a technical service. You need a specific professional liability policy that covers the financial impact of your performance on a massive digital production pipeline.
Why everything you know about being covered by a temp agency is backwards.
The Agency’s Shield
I got a long-term gig through a temp agency, working as a graphic designer inside a large corporation. I assumed the agency’s insurance covered me. This is backwards. The agency’s insurance is there to protect the agency from you. If you make a mistake that causes the corporation to sue the agency, the agency’s policy will defend them. It will not defend you. In fact, their insurer might even sue you to recover their losses. As a temp worker, you are an independent contractor, and you are ultimately responsible for your own professional negligence.
I tried to rely on a band’s insurance as their freelance lighting designer. It was a disaster after an accident.
The Fall and the Finger-Pointing
I was hired as a freelance lighting designer for a touring band. I didn’t have my own insurance, assuming the band’s policy covered everyone on the tour. During setup, a light I had hung fell from the truss and injured the band’s guitarist. The band’s insurance company paid for his medical bills. Then, their lawyers sued me personally to recover the money, claiming my negligence caused the accident. I was completely on my own. I learned that day that a freelancer without their own liability policy is the first person everyone else points their finger at.
Hot take: Your “day rate” is overrated if one mistake results in a career-ending lawsuit.
The Rate vs. The Ruin
Freelancers love to brag about their high day rates. It’s a mark of success and expertise. Here’s the hot take: that number is a vanity metric. Your $1,000 day rate means nothing if a single mistake you make on that day leads to an accident or a financial loss that results in a $200,000 lawsuit. You would have to work 200 days just to pay for that one mistake. A high day rate is useless if your business isn’t protected from the risks that can wipe out years of income in an instant.
Most gig workers waste hours looking for work. Spend an hour reviewing the insurance requirements for the work you want.
The Requirement and the Rejection
I spent months sending my resume to the top production companies, trying to get work as a freelance video editor. I got nowhere. I was wasting my time. I finally got a frank piece of advice from a producer. She told me to spend less time on my reel and more time on my business practices. I spent one hour researching the standard insurance requirements for vendors at major networks. I then bought the required policies. The next time I applied, I included my insurance certificates. I got a call the next day.
The 5-minute habit that replaced my fear of damaging expensive rental equipment.
The Photo and the Proof
Every time I worked with a piece of expensive rental camera gear, I was terrified of being blamed for a scratch or a dent that was already there. I started a simple 5-minute habit that gave me total peace of mind. The moment I receive a piece of rental gear, before I even power it on, I take out my phone and do a slow, detailed video walkthrough of it. I document every existing scuff and scratch. That video, time-stamped and on my phone, is my iron-clad proof of the equipment’s condition when I received it.
Your biggest gig risk isn’t a dry spell. It’s an uninsured mistake that gets you blacklisted from the industry.
The Mistake and the Memo
As a freelancer, my biggest fear was always a few slow weeks without work. I was focused on the wrong risk. My biggest risk was making one single, uninsured mistake. I was working on a large event when an error I made caused a significant technical failure. The production company’s insurance had to pay out a claim. While I wasn’t sued, a quiet memo went out. I was now seen as a liability risk. I was unofficially blacklisted. A dry spell is temporary. A reputation for being an uninsured risk can be a career death sentence.
If you’re a freelance systems administrator, and you’re not carrying tech E&O and cyber liability, you’re already losing.
The Server and the Subpoena
I’m a freelance sysadmin for small businesses. I thought my job was just to keep their servers running. Then, one of my clients suffered a major data breach. The investigation revealed that a security patch I had failed to properly install was the point of entry. My client sued me for the massive costs of the breach. I learned that my job wasn’t just about hardware; it was about data security. As a freelance IT professional, if you don’t have specific Technology Errors & Omissions and Cyber Liability insurance, you are one missed patch away from a catastrophic lawsuit.
Stop glorifying the “freelance life.” Start insuring it like the professional business it is.
The Freedom and the Financial Fallacy
The internet glorifies the “freelance life” as one of freedom, passion, and escape from the 9-to-5. This is a dangerous romanticization. When you go freelance, you are not just leaving a job; you are starting a business. You are becoming the CEO, the finance department, and the legal team. And that business has real, professional risks. You are no longer protected by an employer’s insurance or their lawyers. You are on your own. Stop thinking of yourself as a free spirit. You are a small business owner, and you need to insure yourself like one.
The real cost of a “simple” error in a live production environment that nobody calculates.
The Glitch and the Global Broadcast
I was a freelance broadcast engineer working on a major live television event. During the broadcast, I made a small error that caused the main video feed to go black for ten seconds. It seemed like a minor glitch. But those ten seconds of dead air during a broadcast with millions of viewers cost the network a fortune in lost advertising revenue and contractual penalties. I learned that the real cost of a “simple” mistake in a live environment is never simple. It’s the total financial consequence of that error on a massive, high-stakes operation.
What professional union members do with their insurance that non-union gig workers don’t.
The Union and the Umbrella
Many non-union gig workers operate with little or no insurance. Professional union members, especially in trades like film production, often take a more sophisticated approach. Through their union, they have access to group health insurance and disability insurance. More importantly, they understand the industry’s risks. Many carry their own personal liability and equipment insurance policies to supplement whatever coverage is provided by the production. They know that in the gig economy, you are your own safety net, and they build one accordingly.
The myth that you’re “part of the team” is destroying your legal standing as an independent contractor.
The Team and the Tax Form
On set, everyone calls you “part of the team.” It feels collaborative and inclusive. But this is a dangerous myth. At the end of the day, you are not an employee; you are an independent contractor who receives a 1099 tax form. That feeling of being “part of the team” can lull you into a false sense of security. It can make you forget that you are not covered by the team’s health insurance, their retirement plan, or, most importantly, their liability insurance. You are a separate business, and you need to protect yourself as one.
I quit taking jobs that wouldn’t provide a certificate of insurance, and the quality of my clients skyrocketed.
The Certificate and the Caliber of Client
As a new freelancer, I would take any job, no questions asked. I worked for a lot of disorganized and unprofessional clients. I made a new rule: before I will even consider a job, I ask the production company to provide me with their certificate of insurance. This one simple request acted as a powerful filter. The professional, well-run companies sent it over immediately. The shady, fly-by-night operators made excuses or disappeared. The quality of my clients, and my peace of mind, improved overnight.
Controversial: Your specialized, expensive gear is your biggest uninsured liability.
The Gear and the Gap in Coverage
As a freelance cinematographer, you are proud of your expensive, specialized camera package. You see it as your greatest asset. Here’s the controversial truth: it’s also your biggest uninsured liability. Why? Because you probably don’t have the right insurance for it. Your homeowner’s policy won’t cover it. A basic business policy won’t cover it if it’s stolen from your car or damaged on set. Without a specific, standalone “inland marine” or “equipment floater” policy, your most valuable asset is completely exposed to loss, theft, and damage every single day.
95% of online advice for creative freelancers ignores their massive equipment and liability risks. Here’s why.
The Dream vs. The Details
Online advice for creative freelancers is all about finding your passion, building a portfolio, and marketing your services. It’s about selling the dream. It almost never mentions the massive risks of equipment loss and professional liability. Why? Because insurance is complicated, it costs money, and it punctures the romantic fantasy of just “getting paid to be creative.” The reality of needing a $50,000 equipment policy and a $1 million liability policy doesn’t fit the narrative. So, this critical information is simply omitted, leaving creatives dangerously exposed.
One small inland marine policy for my gear eliminated my biggest worry about theft from my vehicle.
The Floater and the Freedom from Fear
My biggest fear as a freelance photographer was having my car broken into and losing my entire camera kit. It was a constant source of anxiety. My homeowner’s policy offered almost no coverage for my professional gear. Then my broker sold me a standalone “inland marine” policy, also known as an equipment floater. It wasn’t expensive, but it changed everything. It covered my gear anywhere in the world—in my car, on a plane, on location. That one small policy completely eliminated my biggest fear and gave me the freedom to travel for work without worry.
The truth about getting your own workers’ comp policy as a sole proprietor that staffing agencies profit from hiding.
The Policy and the Power to Choose
As a freelance stagehand, staffing agencies would often require me to use their “in-house” workers’ compensation program, charging me a high percentage of my pay. The hidden truth is that in many states, as a sole proprietor, I could buy my own workers’ compensation policy on the open market for a fraction of the cost. The agencies profit from this information asymmetry. By getting my own policy, I not only saved money, but I could also work for any company, not just the ones the agency sent me to. It gave me control.
Stop showing up to a gig without a signed contract that details the insurance situation.
The Handshake and the Heartache
For years, I worked on handshake deals and email confirmations. I thought a contract was too formal for a one-day gig. That ended when a piece of equipment I was operating failed and damaged the venue. The production company, the rental house, and the venue all immediately pointed their lawyers at me. With no contract defining who was responsible for what, I was the easiest target. Now, I refuse to work without a signed contract that clearly outlines the insurance requirements and indemnification clauses. A handshake is a guess; a contract is a defense.
Replace your hope for a smooth gig with a solid understanding of who is responsible for what. Thank me later.
Hope Is Not a Contract
Every freelancer starts a new gig hoping it will go smoothly. You hope the gear works, you hope nobody gets hurt, and you hope you get paid on time. But hope is not a risk management strategy. I replaced that vague hope with a clear, written understanding. Before any gig, my contract clearly defines the scope of my work, the payment terms, and, most importantly, the insurance and liability provisions. Knowing exactly who is responsible for what before a problem arises provides a level of professional confidence that hope can never match.
The live event production industry secret that could save you from a massive liability claim.
The Additional Insured Endorsement
Here’s a secret that veteran production managers know. When you hire a major vendor, like a lighting company or a sound company, you don’t just get a certificate of insurance from them. You require them to add your production company to their policy as an “additional insured” via a specific endorsement. This means that if their equipment or their employee causes an accident, their insurance policy must defend your company as if you were the one who bought the policy. It’s a crucial transfer of risk that protects the production from the negligence of its contractors.
Why your traditional freelancer policy fails for a gig worker who handles high-stakes, live events.
The Live and the Liability
A standard freelancer’s liability policy is fine if you’re a graphic designer working from home. It’s completely inadequate if you work in live events. The risks are exponentially higher. A mistake in a pre-recorded video might require an apology. A mistake during a live broadcast to millions of people can cause millions in financial damages. A faulty light in an office is an inconvenience. A faulty light that falls from a concert rig is a catastrophe. The “live” nature of your work puts you in a high-stakes environment that requires specialized event liability insurance.
I ignored my mentor’s advice to get my own liability policy for years. It cost me my career after a single incident.
The Advice I Should Have Heeded
My mentor, a veteran in the film industry, always told me, “Get your own insurance. Don’t trust anyone else’s.” I thought he was being paranoid. I saved the money and relied on the production company’s coverage. Then, a simple accident on set, which I was partially responsible for, led to a major claim. Even though I wasn’t the only one at fault, I was the only one without my own insurance. I was labeled a risk, and the work dried up. That one incident, which my own policy would have handled, effectively ended my career.
Let’s be honest: You’re an independent business operating in a high-risk environment, and you need to insure yourself accordingly.
The Business of One
Let’s be honest with ourselves. As a freelance production technician, you are not an employee. You are a business of one. And you have chosen to operate that business in a high-risk environment, filled with heavy equipment, high-voltage electricity, and tight deadlines. You are surrounded by risk every single day. To pretend you don’t need the same protections as any other business operating in a hazardous industry—robust liability insurance, equipment coverage, and disability insurance—is a dangerous delusion. You are a business, and you need to act like one.
87% of freelance trade show setup crews get their union and insurance requirements wrong.
The Convention Center and the Coverage Gap
I used to do freelance work setting up booths at trade shows. I thought all I needed was a strong back. I was wrong. I learned that most major convention centers have strict union rules and even stricter insurance requirements for anyone working on the floor. You are often required to show proof of your own general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage just to get through the door. Most non-union freelancers are completely unaware of this and show up to a gig only to be turned away because they can’t provide the right paperwork.
This weird habit of asking for the production’s insurance certificate before accepting a gig outperforms everything.
The Pre-Gig Due Diligence
I have a weird habit that has saved me countless headaches. Before I formally accept any gig, I politely ask the production manager to send me a copy of their certificate of insurance. A professional, well-funded production will have this on hand and send it immediately. A disorganized or shady production will make excuses or get defensive. This one simple request tells me everything I need to know about the caliber of the company I’m about to work for. It is the single best tool for weeding out bad clients before they become my problem.
The real reason you can’t get on a major movie set (hint: it’s not your resume, it’s your lack of a loan-out corporation and insurance).
The Corporation and the Call Time
You have a great resume and a killer demo reel, but you can’t seem to get hired on a big-budget movie. The real reason has nothing to do with your talent. Major film productions often don’t hire individuals as independent contractors. For tax and liability reasons, they hire “loan-out corporations.” You are expected to form your own S-Corp, which then “loans out” your services to the production. That corporation is also required to carry its own high-limit insurance policies. Your resume gets you the interview; your corporate structure and insurance get you the job.
Ditch your basic liability. Get a policy that covers your specific professional service, like production coordination.
The Coordinator and the Catastrophe
As a freelance production coordinator, I thought a basic general liability policy was enough. It covered me if I knocked something over. I was wrong. My job involved booking travel and hiring crew. I made a mistake and booked a flight for the wrong day, causing the director to miss a critical scout. The production company held me financially responsible for the cost of the delay. My GL policy didn’t cover it. I needed professional liability (E&O) insurance, which covers financial loss caused by an error in my professional services.
Stop pretending your personal health insurance will cover you for an on-the-job injury.
The Injury and the Insurance Gap
As a freelance stagehand, I relied on my personal health insurance I bought on the marketplace. I thought I was covered for anything. Then I was injured on the job—a piece of scenery fell on my foot. When I went to the hospital, my health insurer asked if the injury was work-related. I honestly said yes. They denied the claim, stating that on-the-job injuries should be covered by workers’ compensation, which I didn’t have as a freelancer. I was left with a massive medical bill and a dangerous gap in my coverage that I never knew existed.
The 9-word phrase that changed how I think about specialized gig work risk.
You are the one they will sue first.
As a freelancer on a big project, I used to think that if something went wrong, the client would sue the big production company. My lawyer told me something that changed my whole perspective. He said, “In a lawsuit, you are the one they will sue first.” Why? Because as a small, independent contractor, you are often seen as the easiest and weakest link in the chain. Pointing the finger at you is the easiest way for bigger companies to deflect their own liability. This phrase made me realize I needed to have my own, solid defense.
What the big production companies don’t want you to know about their independent contractor agreements.
The Contract That Protects Them, Not You
When a big production company sends you their standard independent contractor agreement, it looks like a formality. What they don’t want you to know is that this document is a legal weapon designed entirely to protect them. It will contain a clause where you agree to “indemnify and hold harmless” the company. This means that if your actions lead to a lawsuit, you have contractually agreed to pay for their legal defense. They aren’t just hiring you; they are legally transferring their risk onto you.
I was today years old when I learned about “third party property damage” liability for my work on location.
The Location and the Lawsuit
I was a freelance sound mixer on a film shoot inside a beautiful, historic mansion. I was moving a piece of my equipment and accidentally put a deep scratch in the homeowner’s antique wooden floor. I assumed the production’s general liability policy would cover it. I was today years old when I learned that many policies have an exclusion for damage to property in your “care, custody, or control.” Because I was working in the house, it was considered under my control. I needed my own policy with specific “third party property damage” coverage.
Normalize talking about insurance and indemnification before you talk about your day rate.
The Conversation Before the Contract
In the freelance world, the first question is always “What’s your day rate?” We need to normalize a different conversation. Before we even discuss the rate, we should be discussing insurance and indemnification. The most important question is “Who is responsible if something goes wrong?” Is the production company indemnifying me, or am I indemnifying them? What are the insurance requirements? Having this professional conversation upfront establishes a much healthier and safer working relationship than just haggling over a day rate.
Plot twist: Your biggest enemy isn’t a difficult director. It’s a lawsuit from another contractor who you accidentally injured.
The Friendly Fire Lawsuit
On set, we all worry about the difficult director or the demanding producer. The plot twist is that your biggest financial threat might be the friendly grip you’re working alongside. If you make a mistake—trip while carrying a C-stand, for example—and accidentally injure another freelance contractor, you can be held personally liable for their medical bills and lost wages. Your enemy isn’t the person in charge; it’s the simple, human error that harms a fellow worker and results in a lawsuit from someone who was, five minutes earlier, your friend.
The policy endorsement for “rented equipment” everyone ignores that gives me an edge.
The Rental and the Rider
As a freelance videographer, I often rent expensive cameras and lenses for specific jobs. The rental house makes me sign a form saying I’m responsible for any damage. What most freelancers ignore is a simple endorsement you can add to your own equipment policy for “rented equipment.” It’s an inexpensive rider that extends my insurance coverage to the gear I rent. It gives me a huge edge. It means I can confidently rent the best gear without the fear of a massive bill if something gets damaged.
Stop optimizing for the highest day rate. Optimize for the safest gigs with the best-insured production companies.
The Rate vs. The Risk
New freelancers are always chasing the highest possible day rate. They’ll take a risky job with a shady company if the rate is good. This is a short-sighted strategy. I learned to stop optimizing for the rate and start optimizing for safety and security. I will now take a slightly lower day rate to work for a professional production company that has a great safety record and a comprehensive insurance program. A high day rate on a dangerous, uninsured set isn’t a good deal; it’s just a gamble with a bigger pot.
The brutal truth about why your talent and experience mean nothing if you can’t get on the approved vendor list.
The List Is Law
You can be the most talented and experienced lighting designer in the city. You can have a portfolio that makes directors weep. But if you want to work for a major corporation or a big network, none of that matters if you can’t get on their “approved vendor list.” And the first requirement for getting on that list is not your talent; it’s your insurance. You must be able to provide a certificate of insurance that meets their high-limit requirements. The brutal truth is that your insurance policy, not your resume, is your ticket in the door.
Throw away your informal email confirmations. A real contract with insurance clauses is what you need.
The Email That Wasn’t a Defense
My “contracts” for freelance gigs used to be a chain of emails ending with “Sounds good, see you on Tuesday!” I thought that was enough. Then I was in the middle of a major on-set dispute about who was responsible for a piece of damaged equipment. I showed my lawyer the email chain. He sighed. It was legally weak and completely silent on the critical issues of insurance and liability. I learned to throw away the informal emails. Now, a simple but formal contract, with clear insurance clauses, is the only way I will work.
The 60-second test that reveals if your gig work is excluded by your personal insurance policies.
The Phone Call That Costs You Nothing
To see if your freelance work is putting your personal assets at risk, perform this 60-second test. Call your home or auto insurance agent and ask this simple question: “If I am injured while working my freelance gig, or if I accidentally injure someone else, does my personal policy provide any coverage?” The answer will be a swift and definitive “no.” Your agent will point to the “business pursuits” exclusion in your policy. That one phone call will instantly reveal the massive, uninsured liability gap you have as a gig worker.
Why everyone is wrong about how “fun” and “glamorous” behind-the-scenes work is.
The Grind Behind the Glamour
People see the finished product—the concert, the movie, the TV show—and they think that working behind the scenes must be fun and glamorous. This is completely wrong. The reality is a world of long hours, heavy lifting, high-pressure deadlines, and significant physical risk. It’s more construction site than cocktail party. The “glamour” is an illusion that hides the fact that this is a demanding, often dangerous, industrial job. And because it’s mostly freelance, it’s a job with none of the safety nets of traditional employment.
Stop asking “what’s the rate?”. Ask “what are your insurance requirements for independent contractors?” instead.
The Question That Shows Your Professionalism
When a producer calls me for a gig, the first question they expect me to ask is “What’s the rate?” I’ve learned to ask a different question first. I ask, “What are your insurance requirements for independent contractors?” This question immediately reframes the conversation. It signals that I am not just a hired hand, but a professional business owner who understands and manages risk. It shows that I am the kind of responsible professional they want on their set. The rate conversation can wait. The professionalism conversation comes first.
The habit of documenting my hours and work environment on every single gig that I wish I’d started sooner.
The Logbook That Became My Lifeline
I started a simple habit that I wish I had begun on day one of my freelance career. At the end of every single workday, I take two minutes to write in a small logbook. I note my hours, the specific work I did, and any safety concerns or issues I observed in the work environment. It’s a private, personal record. That logbook has become my lifeline. It has helped me win a wage dispute, and it has served as a powerful memory-jogger and piece of evidence in a safety-related disagreement.
Here’s why generic freelancer advice is terrible for a freelance scientific research assistant.
The Lab and the Liability
Generic freelancer advice talks about marketing and contracts. It’s useless for someone like me, a freelance research assistant working in a university biology lab. My risks aren’t a grumpy client; they are a mistake in documenting an experiment that invalidates a million-dollar study, or accidentally exposing myself to a hazardous chemical. I need professional liability insurance that covers my scientific work, and I need to ensure I am covered by the university’s health and safety protocols. My risks are those of a scientist, not a graphic designer.
I’ll say what everyone’s thinking: You’re working in a high-risk industry with no safety net.
The High Wire and the Hard Floor
Let’s just be honest with ourselves, fellow gig workers. We are working in industries—live events, film production, construction—that are inherently high-risk. There is heavy equipment, electricity, and the potential for serious accidents. And we are choosing to do this work as freelancers, which means we have no employer-provided health insurance, no disability coverage, and no retirement plan. We are walking on a high wire, every single day, with no safety net below us. To not acknowledge and actively mitigate that risk with our own insurance is pure denial.
The skill of contract negotiation that matters more than your technical proficiency.
The Deal Memo and the Devil in the Details
You might be the best sound mixer in the business, a true technical genius. But that skill is worthless if you sign a bad contract. The skill of contract negotiation—of being able to read a deal memo, understand the insurance and indemnification clauses, and push back on unreasonable terms—is far more valuable for your long-term survival than your ability to mix audio. Your technical skills get you the gig; your contract negotiation skills are what ensure you don’t lose your house because of it.
This counterintuitive action of creating my own loan-out corporation fixed my liability and tax problems.
The S-Corp and the Shield
It seemed like a massive, counterintuitive hassle for a one-person freelance business. But on the advice of my accountant, I formed my own S-Corporation and became an employee of my own company. This “loan-out” corporation now contracts with the production companies. This fixed two problems at once. First, it created a legal shield, protecting my personal assets from any business lawsuits. Second, it allowed for much more favorable tax treatment. That one, counterintuitive action professionalized my business and secured my financial future.
Why your good intention of “helping out” another department on set is actually a massive, uninsured liability.
The Good Deed and the Denied Claim
On a film set, there’s a great “all hands on deck” mentality. I was a sound guy, but I saw the lighting crew struggling to move a heavy light, so I jumped in to help. The light slipped, and we damaged a priceless antique in the mansion we were filming in. Because I was working outside the scope of my contracted duties, my own professional liability insurer, and the production’s insurer, both initially denied the claim. I learned that my good intention of “helping out” was actually an uninsured act that put me at huge risk.
Quit leaving your gear in your car. It’s not worth the risk of an uninsured theft.
The Trunk and the Tragedy
Every gig worker knows the exhaustion at the end of a long day. It’s so tempting to just leave your gear locked in your car overnight and deal with it in the morning. Quit doing this. It is the single most common way that freelancers lose their entire livelihood in one night. Your personal auto insurance will not cover it. Your homeowner’s policy will not cover it. A professional equipment floater policy might, but even then, a theft from an unattended vehicle is a risky claim. The five minutes it takes to unload your gear is worth it.
The metric everyone tracks (day rate) that means absolutely nothing if one lawsuit takes ten years of your income.
The Rate Race to the Bottom
In the freelance world, everyone is obsessed with their day rate. It’s the number we use to measure our worth and success. It’s a vanity metric. What’s your real hourly rate after you subtract the cost of your insurance, your gear, your marketing, and your self-employment taxes? What does your day rate matter if one uninsured liability claim can vaporize a decade’s worth of earnings? Stop focusing on the day rate. Start focusing on your net profit and your level of professional protection. That’s the real measure of a successful freelance business.
Stop calling it a “gig.” Call it “providing specialist professional services on a contractual basis.”
The Language of a Professional
As long as you call your work a “gig,” you will think of yourself as a casual, temporary worker. It’s a word that diminishes the professionalism of what you do. Start using the language of a real business. You are not “doing a gig.” You are “providing specialist professional services on a contractual basis.” This simple shift in language is a powerful mental trick. It forces you, and the people who hire you, to see your work with the seriousness and professionalism it deserves.
The decision I made to buy a high-limit umbrella policy that sat over my auto and GL that everyone said was overkill (but was required by a big client).
The Umbrella and the Entry Pass
For my freelance business, I had a standard general liability policy and a commercial auto policy. My broker suggested I add a $5 million umbrella liability policy that sits on top of both. My friends said it was ridiculous overkill for a one-person operation. Then I got a chance to work for a major national broadcaster. Their vendor requirements were iron-clad: a $5 million umbrella was non-negotiable. Because I already had it, I was approved in a day. That “overkill” policy was my entry pass to a whole new level of client.
What I learned from my first on-set accident that changed my entire approach to safety.
The Accident and the Awakening
I was on a set and witnessed a serious accident. A crew member was badly injured due to a preventable safety lapse. The aftermath was a chaotic scene of panic, finger-pointing, and legal threats. It was a brutal but powerful awakening for me. I realized that my personal safety is my own responsibility. I no longer blindly trust that a set is safe. I am now hyper-aware of my surroundings, I speak up if I see a hazard, and I will walk off a job if I feel it’s being run unsafely. My health is more important than any day rate.
The common mistake of thinking the general contractor’s insurance covers you, the sub-contractor.
The Sub and the Subrogation
I was working as a freelance sub-contractor for a larger event production company. I made a mistake that caused some damage. The general contractor’s insurance policy paid for the repair. I thought I was in the clear. I was wrong. The process is called subrogation. The GC’s insurance company then turned around and sued me personally to recover the money they had paid out. The common mistake is thinking the GC’s policy protects you. It doesn’t. It protects the GC, and their insurer will come after you to get their money back.
PSA: Most “insurance for gig workers” apps are a scam. Here’s proof of the professional liability gaps.
The App and the Empty Promise
There are dozens of new apps that claim to offer “insurance for gig workers.” Most of them are a dangerous scam. Here’s the proof: they offer basic general liability (for slips and falls) and maybe some accident medical coverage. What they almost never offer is the one thing a skilled gig worker needs most: Professional Liability, or Errors & Omissions. The policy will not cover you if a mistake you make in your actual professional service—your editing, your sound mix, your coordination—causes a financial loss for the client. The app is selling an incomplete and misleading solution.
The skill of situational awareness that veteran stagehands should teach but don’t.
The Head on a Swivel
Veteran stagehands have a skill that is more important than knowing how to tie a knot or coil a cable, but it’s one they rarely teach explicitly. It’s “situational awareness”—keeping your head on a swivel. It’s the ability to be constantly aware of what’s happening above you, behind you, and around you. It’s about anticipating the movement of other departments and seeing a potential hazard before it becomes an accident. This sixth sense for safety is the unseen skill that separates a new stagehand from a seasoned professional who has survived decades in the business.
This 5-minute action of checking my own gear for safety issues before every gig beats trusting it was fine last time.
The Pre-Flight Check
Pilots do a pre-flight check before every single flight, even if the plane just landed. I started doing the same thing with my own equipment. Before every gig, I take five minutes to do a quick “pre-flight” on my gear. I check my cables for frays, my stands for loose bolts, and my power supplies for any signs of wear. It’s a simple habit, but it replaces the lazy assumption that my gear was fine yesterday, so it must be fine today. It ensures that I am never the source of an accident due to my own faulty equipment.
Why that cheap online insurer is actually doing it wrong for anyone who works in a live event environment.
The Algorithm Can’t See the Risk
I got a cheap quote for my freelance business from a big, direct online insurer. Their algorithm asked if I had a commercial office (no) and if I had employees (no). It gave me a low-risk rating. The algorithm is doing it wrong. It can’t comprehend the risks of a live event environment. It doesn’t ask if I work at heights, with high-voltage electricity, or in close proximity to heavy moving scenery. A human underwriter who understands the live event industry would see these risks immediately. The cheap online insurer is blind to my reality.
Stop waiting to get hired for a big job to get insurance. Get the insurance so you can get the big job.
The Chicken and the Egg of Insurance
Many freelancers have a “chicken and egg” problem with insurance. They think, “I’ll buy insurance once I get hired for a big job that requires it.” This is backwards. The big jobs, the ones with professional production companies, will not hire you in the first place unless you can already provide proof of insurance. You need to have the insurance policy in hand to even be considered. The insurance is not the result of getting the big job; it is a prerequisite for it.
The entertainment insurance broker I use that most freelance technicians have never heard of.
The Broker Behind the Scenes
I used to struggle to find the right insurance from agents who didn’t understand my work in the entertainment industry. Then I found a specialist. There are a handful of insurance brokers in the country who focus exclusively on the entertainment industry. They are not famous, but they are the secret weapon for production companies and professional freelancers. They have access to the niche insurance carriers that will cover the unique risks of film, theater, and live events. Finding one of these specialist brokers is the key to getting the right coverage.
Your problem exists because you believe that because you’re a freelancer, you’re not a “real business” that needs insurance.
The Freelance Fallacy
The core reason so many freelancers are uninsured is a simple belief: “I’m just a freelancer, not a real business.” This is a dangerous fallacy. The moment you start charging for your services, you are a business. You have the same legal liabilities as a business. You have assets (your gear) and you have professional risks. To believe that you are somehow exempt from the rules of commerce just because you don’t have a fancy office is to deny reality. Your problem is a mindset. Admitting you are a business is the first step to protecting it.
Delete that gig work app that has a terrible reputation for paying claims. Your financial security will improve.
The App and the Awful Reviews
There’s a popular app for finding freelance gigs in my industry. The work is plentiful, but the app’s own insurance program has a terrible online reputation for denying claims and being impossible to deal with. I made a decision to delete the app. I might be missing out on some potential jobs, but I am also refusing to work under a system with a faulty safety net. My financial security is more important than the convenience of an app with a known history of failing its workers when they need it most.
The advice on liability limits I give that makes new freelancers uncomfortable ($1M is the absolute floor).
The Million-Dollar Minimum
When a new freelancer asks me how much liability insurance they should get, I give them advice that makes them uncomfortable. I tell them that a $1,000,000 limit is the absolute, rock-bottom floor, and a $2,000,000 policy is much better. They are used to thinking about their small, one-person business. But a liability claim is not based on the size of your business; it’s based on the size of the damage you cause. A serious injury can easily lead to a million-dollar lawsuit, even if it’s caused by a “small” freelancer.
Why the common fear of the cost of insurance is irrational and the real fear of a career-ending lawsuit is ignored.
The Fear of the Premium vs. The Fear of the Plaintiff
Freelancers often have a powerful, but irrational, fear of the cost of insurance. They see the annual premium as a painful and direct hit to their income. The real, rational fear that they should have—but often ignore—is the fear of a career-ending lawsuit. The cost of one single legal defense can be more than a decade’s worth of insurance premiums. Fearing the small, predictable cost of insurance while ignoring the massive, unpredictable risk of a lawsuit is a classic case of being penny wise and pound foolish.
I tried to do freelance IT work for a medical office without proper insurance so you don’t have to. Here’s what happened with the HIPAA violation.
The Patient and the Privacy Breach
I took a freelance IT gig at a small medical office. I thought my standard tech E&O policy was enough. Then, I inadvertently caused a data breach that exposed confidential patient records. I was horrified to learn about HIPAA, the federal law governing patient privacy. The fines for a violation are astronomical. My standard policy had an exclusion for violations of federal statutes. I was completely uninsured for the single biggest risk of working in a healthcare environment. You need a specific policy that covers HIPAA violations.
The question about “additional insured” status that instantly reveals if a broker knows what they’re doing.
The Endorsement That Transfers Risk
When I’m interviewing an insurance broker, I ask them this simple question: “Can you please explain to me the difference between a ‘certificate holder’ and an ‘additional insured’?” An expert who understands production insurance will know the answer instantly. A certificate holder is just someone who gets a copy of your insurance certificate. An “additional insured” is someone who is now actually covered by your policy via a specific endorsement. This question reveals if the broker understands the fundamental way that liability is managed and transferred on a professional job site.
This old-school method of having a printed copy of your insurance certificate with you on every job beats every digital version.
The Paper and the Production Office
I always have a digital copy of my insurance certificates on my phone. But I also do something old-school. I keep a few clean, printed copies in a folder in my gear bag. This has saved me more times than I can count. I’ve been on sets where the Wi-Fi is down, or the production manager’s phone has died, and they need a physical copy for their files right now. Being able to instantly hand them a crisp, professional paper copy makes me look prepared and reliable. It’s an old-school touch that makes a huge difference.
Stop romanticizing the “nomad” life of a touring technician. It’s a logistical and insurance challenge.
The Tour Bus and the Trouble
People see the Instagram posts from a touring technician—a different city every night—and they romanticize the “nomad” lifestyle. The reality is a logistical and insurance nightmare. You have expensive gear traveling across state lines, you’re working in different venues with different rules every day, and you’re often far from your personal support system if you get sick or injured. It requires incredible organization, a solid national health insurance plan, and an inland marine policy for your gear that covers it anywhere and everywhere. It’s a job, not a vacation.
The principle of “clear scope of work” that guides every contract I sign.
The Fence Around My Job
The most important part of any freelance contract for me is a crystal-clear “Scope of Work” section. I think of it as a strong fence that defines my job. It lists exactly what I am responsible for doing. Just as importantly, it defines what I am not responsible for. This has saved me countless times from “scope creep,” where the client asks me to do things I wasn’t hired to do. It also provides a clear, legal definition of my role in case of an accident. If it’s not inside the fence, it’s not my job.
Why your IMDb credit is vanity and your professional liability coverage is sanity.
The Credit vs. The Coverage
As a film freelancer, it’s easy to get obsessed with your IMDb credits. It’s a public measure of your success and experience. It’s a vanity metric. The number that represents sanity is the liability limit on your professional insurance policy. Your long list of credits won’t help you when a lawsuit arrives. It won’t pay your legal bills or a settlement. The credit makes you feel good; the coverage is what lets you sleep at night. I would rather have one less credit and one more zero on my policy limit.
Forget being the most sought-after technician. Aim to be the most professional and insurable one.
The A-Lister vs. The Approved Vendor
I know technicians who are legends in the industry, the most sought-after creative minds. But some of them are so disorganized with their business practices that major companies won’t hire them. I decided to aim for something different. I aimed to be the most professional and insurable technician I could be. My contracts are clear, my insurance is solid, and I’m easy to work with. I may not be the most famous, but I am always on the “approved vendor” list, which means I work consistently while some of the “geniuses” are sitting at home.
The realization that made me fire my personal agent and find a broker who understood the entertainment industry.
The Agent and the Audition
I went to my personal insurance agent, who handles my car insurance, and asked him to get me a policy for my freelance work in television. It was like he was auditioning for a role he had never read the script for. He didn’t understand the risks, the terminology, or the specific coverage I needed. I realized I was asking a family doctor to perform brain surgery. I fired him and found a specialist entertainment insurance broker. It was the best professional decision I ever made. You need an agent who already knows the part.
What amateur gig workers do with their invoicing that professionals never do.
The Invoice and the In-Between
An amateur gig worker sends an invoice at the very end of a long project. A professional never does this. For any job that lasts more than a week, a professional will use “progress billing.” They will invoice for a percentage of the total fee at set milestones: 50% upon signing the contract, 25% at the project’s midpoint, and the final 25% upon completion. This ensures a steady cash flow and dramatically reduces the risk of doing a huge amount of work and then having the client refuse to pay at the very end.
The investment in your own, high-quality safety gear that everyone avoids that has the highest ROI.
The Gear That Guards You
On many job sites, there’s a communal bin of beat-up safety gear—old hard hats, scratched safety glasses, worn-out gloves. Most freelancers will just grab something from the bin. The smartest investment you can make is in your own, high-quality, perfectly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE). A comfortable hard hat and clear, unscratched safety glasses are not a luxury. They are tools that can literally save your life or your eyesight. The return on investment for high-quality PPE is nearly infinite.
Stop saying “I’m a freelancer.” Say “I’m the principal of a professional services loan-out corporation.”
The Language of a Loan-Out
“I’m a freelancer” sounds like you’re a temporary worker who is just passing through. It doesn’t command respect. I started introducing myself differently. I say, “I’m the principal of a professional services loan-out corporation that specializes in…” It’s a mouthful, but it instantly reframes the conversation. It tells the producer that I am not just a hired hand; I am a serious, incorporated business owner. It’s the language of a professional who understands the structure of the industry, and it immediately elevates my standing.
The truth about entertainment insurance underwriting I couldn’t say as a standard lines underwriter.
The Stunt and the Statistic
I used to be an underwriter for a standard insurance company. We would get applications for film productions and have no idea what to do with them. The truth is, we are terrified of the entertainment industry. Our data is based on offices and retail stores. We have no statistics for a stunt sequence, a pyrotechnics effect, or the risk of a celebrity lawsuit. We see it as a world of unquantifiable risk, so we either decline it or charge an astronomical premium. The entertainment industry needs its own specialist insurers who understand and are comfortable with these unique exposures.
This tiny detail in the “your work” exclusion can mean the difference between coverage and bankruptcy.
The Work and the Aftermath
As a freelance lighting technician, I was hired to install a complex lighting grid for an event. My liability policy had a standard exclusion for damage to “your work,” meaning it wouldn’t pay to re-do the installation if I did it wrong. But a tiny detail in the wording saved me. After my faulty installation caused a short that damaged the venue’s electrical system, my policy covered that “resulting damage.” The policy wouldn’t pay to fix my work, but it did pay for the catastrophic damage my work caused to other things. Understanding that distinction is critical.
Why a low premium is a trap for any gig worker involved in live events, construction, or media production.
The Price and the Peril
You get an insurance quote for your freelance business that is way cheaper than the others. For a gig worker in a high-risk field like live events or production, this is a giant red flag. A low premium is a trap. It’s a guarantee that the policy is a hollow shell, filled with exclusions for the very things you actually do. It probably excludes working at heights, liability for professional errors, or damage to rented equipment. You are paying a low price for a worthless policy that will vanish the moment you have a real claim.
Replace your complicated toolkit with a simple, well-maintained one that you can insure affordably. You’re welcome.
The Kit and the Cost of Coverage
I used to have a massive, sprawling toolkit with a dozen different specialty items I barely used. It was a nightmare to inventory and expensive to insure. I made a change. I replaced my complicated kit with a smaller, simpler set of high-quality, essential tools. My work didn’t suffer, but my business improved. My equipment insurance premium dropped significantly, and my setup time got faster. I learned that a lean, professional, and well-maintained toolkit is a more valuable and insurable asset than a chaotic collection of everything imaginable.
The skill of saying “no” to an unsafe gig that’s 10x more valuable than a day’s pay.
The “No” and the Next Morning
The call comes in for a last-minute gig. The rate is great, but something feels off. The producer is vague about the details, or you hear rumors that the set is disorganized. It’s tempting to take the money. The single most important skill a freelancer can develop is the courage to trust their gut and say “no” to a gig that feels unsafe. A day’s pay is not worth a lifetime of injury. The ability to walk away from a bad situation is ten times more valuable than any technical skill you have.
Stop treating your insurance like a barrier to work. Treat it as the key that unlocks the best work.
The Barrier vs. The Bridge
Many freelancers see the cost and hassle of getting insurance as a barrier, something that stands in the way of them getting work. This is completely backwards. In the professional world, insurance is not a barrier; it is the key. It is the bridge that allows you to cross over from working small, amateur jobs to working on large, professional projects. Having the right insurance in place is what makes you a viable and attractive candidate for the best-paying, most stable, and safest jobs in the industry.
The experiment I ran of tracking my “non-billable” administrative time that proved I needed to raise my rates to cover insurance and overhead.
The Hidden Hours
I thought my day rate was pretty good. Then I ran an experiment. For one month, I meticulously tracked all my “non-billable” time: answering emails, updating my resume, sending invoices, and researching insurance. I was shocked. I was spending almost ten hours a week on unpaid administrative work. When I factored those hidden hours into my calculations, I realized my “good” day rate was actually barely above minimum wage. The experiment gave me the hard data I needed to confidently raise my rates to cover my true overhead.
Why your old “handshake deal” gigs worked before but don’t in today’s contract-driven world.
The Handshake and the Hard Reality
Ten years ago, I did a lot of work on a simple handshake. We were a smaller, tighter-knit community. That world is gone. Today, the industry is more corporate, more litigious, and more professional. A handshake deal is a recipe for disaster. Without a written contract, there is no proof of your rate, your scope of work, or who is liable for what. The old, informal way of doing business is a nostalgic memory. In today’s contract-driven world, if it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen.
The choice to always work as a corporation, not a sole proprietor, that everyone judges that actually protects your personal life.
The LLC and the Legal Shield
When I tell other freelancers that I operate as an S-Corporation, they often think it’s an unnecessary complication. They’re wrong. The choice to work as a corporation instead of a sole proprietor is the single most important decision I’ve made to protect my family. It creates a legal shield. If my business is sued, they are suing the corporation, not me. They can only go after my business assets. My personal life—my house, my savings, my car—is protected. It’s a professional structure that guards my personal world.
I stopped taking gigs with unclear insurance provisions and my stress level vanished.
The Clause and the Calm
I used to take any gig that came my way, even if the contract was vague about insurance and liability. I was constantly stressed, living with a low-grade fear of what would happen if something went wrong. I made a new rule for myself: I will not sign a contract that has unclear or unfair insurance provisions. I now insist on clarity about who is responsible for what. This has meant walking away from a few jobs, but my stress level has plummeted. Knowing my risk is clearly defined is worth more than any single day rate.
The concept of “indemnification” that nobody in the gig economy understands but is the most important clause in any contract.
The Promise to Pay
The most important, and most misunderstood, clause in any freelance contract is the “indemnification” clause. It is a promise. If you are “indemnifying” the production company, you are promising that if your actions cause them to get sued, you will pay for their legal bills. If they are indemnifying you, they are making that promise to you. A contract with a one-way indemnification clause in their favor is a massive transfer of risk onto you. Understanding this one concept is the key to negotiating a fair and safe contract.
This unpopular opinion on working for “exposure” will trigger new freelancers but it’s true from a liability perspective.
The “Free” Gig and the Expensive Lawsuit
New freelancers are often told to take unpaid gigs for the “exposure.” Here’s the unpopular opinion that’s also a legal fact: from a liability perspective, a “free” gig is the most expensive one you can take. If you make a mistake and cause an accident or a financial loss, you are just as liable as you would be on a paid job. The fact that you weren’t paid is no defense. You are taking on all the professional risks of a job, for zero compensation. You are paying for the privilege of being exposed to a lawsuit.
Stop copying the contract language from another freelancer. Your services and risks are unique.
The Borrowed and the Broken
To save money on a lawyer, I copied a contract from a friend who was also a freelancer. It seemed like a smart shortcut. It was a terrible mistake. My friend was a graphic designer who worked from home. I was a sound technician who worked on-site with heavy equipment. His contract didn’t have any of the specific clauses I needed about workplace safety, damage to rented equipment, or on-site liability. When a dispute arose, my “borrowed” contract was completely useless. Your contract must be tailored to your unique services and risks.
The mistake of ignoring your own disability insurance I see everywhere among physically active gig workers.
The Injury and the Income Interruption
As a freelance stagehand, my body is my business. My ability to earn a living depends on my ability to lift, climb, and work long hours. The biggest mistake I see my peers making is ignoring their own disability insurance. We all have health insurance for a doctor’s visit, but what happens if an injury—on or off the job—prevents you from working for six months? How do you pay your rent? A personal disability insurance policy, which replaces a portion of your income when you can’t work, is the most important and most overlooked safety net for any freelancer in a physical job.
Why this new “project-based insurance” isn’t innovative. It’s just a way to create gaps in your long-term liability coverage.
The Gig and the Gap
A new app offered me “project-based” liability insurance that I could turn on and off for each gig. It sounded innovative. It’s a trap. Professional liability is “claims-made,” meaning the policy must be active when a claim is filed. If you do a gig, turn off your policy, and the client sues you six months later for a mistake you made, you have no coverage. This project-based model creates massive, dangerous gaps in your protection. Continuous, annual coverage is the only way to protect yourself from the “long tail” of your past work.
The rule I break consistently (I ask to see the production company’s certificate of insurance) and why you should too.
The Proof of Their Professionalism
There’s an unwritten rule that freelancers shouldn’t make waves or ask too many questions. I break this rule consistently. On every single gig, I politely ask the production company to provide me with a copy of their certificate of insurance. I do this because their level of coverage is a direct reflection of their professionalism and their commitment to safety. It also confirms that they are a real, properly managed business. A company that hesitates to provide this is a company I don’t want to work for.
Stop believing your skills will protect you. Believe in a solid contract and a comprehensive insurance plan instead.
The Talent and the Tort
You are incredibly skilled at your job. You’re fast, efficient, and you’ve never made a major mistake. You believe that your skill is your shield. It’s not. Your skill cannot prevent a freak accident. Your skill cannot stop a client from blaming you for their own failure. Your skill is what gets you paid, but it is not a legal defense in a lawsuit. A solid, well-written contract and a comprehensive insurance plan are the only things that can truly protect you when something goes wrong. Believe in your preparation, not just your talent.