Travel Photography Insurance

It could be argued that travel photographers and wildlife photographers do not need the same cover as their wedding and commercial cousins. In fact nothing could be further from the truth.

As Steve Newman, writer and photographer specialising in adventure cruising and travel features, says, “I have been chased by an irate Fur Seal in Antarctica and had my camera threatened with destruction after a woman on St Kitts objected to being in the background of a shot I took at a fish market. I’ve also slipped on a rock in a Northumberland river trying take a photograph of Dippers getting my cameras soaking wet”!!

These aren’t the normal problems faced at a hotel wedding reception but they do illustrate that situations can quickly fall out of your control; add to that the risk of mugging and other crime when visiting certain areas of the world. So let’s have a look at what you should be thinking about.

Nine times out of ten if you’re on a press trip your equipment is kept in the coach with a driver but even then or if your going solo you’ll want in-vehicle cover to guard against theft from the vehicle, and you need to decide whether you want UK-wide, EU-wide or overseas cover which can be limited to 60 days a year.

It makes sense to get your travel insurance and professional photography insurance from the same supplier so if anything does happen you’re only dealing with one telephone number. Travel or household insurance will not cover your gear if you are professional and many insurance companies have specific clauses to exclude expensive camera gear for instance.

Also make sure that you get an individual approach looking at and adapted to each aspect of your business and not some catch all policy that some companies offer. Think too about if you’re hiring additional kit for the work you’ll be doing.

Certainly you're going to need Public Liability for anything from someone tripping over your camera bag to knocking over a wildlife ranger’s £2000 telescope on the side of a cliff.

Phil Jones CEO The Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers (www.sinwp.com) and The Society of International Travel & Tourism Photographers (www.sittp.com) commented, “It is essential that the travel photographer has the appropriate and comprehensive insurance to cover all possible eventualities. Do remember that it is not just your photographic equipment that needs to be covered but also yourself especially if you are visiting a dangerous or remote location. Be cautious about ‘off the shelf’ less expensive policies as they may not offer all of the necessary coverage required. It is best to discuss your requirements with dedicated suppliers of policies for the photographer. Additionally if your kit bag changes when you purchase a new piece of gear or simply upgrade then do keep your insurance provider informed, as it would be distressing to find that your all new cameras especially purchased for the latest trip was not covered within your policy.” Remember specialist insurance companies are there to help, building a relationship will go a long way to ensure that you always have the best service.” You can find out more about the services offered by Aaduki Multimedia Insurance at www.aaduki.com or by calling 020 3633 2280.

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