Frequently Asked Questions

The insurance company providing the coverage is St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company.

We often get the question, “Where do I upload my photos/list of my insured equipment?” …actually, we do not require an equipment list for our files, but it is a requirement that insurance clients have an equipment list that can be supplied to the insurer in the event of a claim.

How should this equipment list be assembled? There is no one “official” or “proper” way of doing it. Simply create a spreadsheet and document all the information you feel necessary to keep track of your gear.

Read more: Organizing Your Camera Gear

The owned mobile equipment and rented equipment coverage is included while in your studio/office/home for storage, while in transit to and from your shoots, and while being used away from your premises anywhere subject to the worldwide coverage territory*.

All equipment is full replacement cost coverage for: theft, damage, breakage, fire and loss of use. This includes damage caused by Earthquake and Flood.

The owned fixed equipment and office contents coverage is limited to the declared location address on the policy. Earthquake and Flood coverage does not extend to office contents.

Note that there is no coverage for property while rented, leased or loaned to others.

Unattended/Unlocked Property: The insurance carrier will not cover a loss by theft or pilferage that occurred while covered property is left on or in an unlocked and unattended container, compartment, vehicle or trailer.

*Coverage Territory: This insurance applies anywhere in the world, except where the insurance carrier is legally prohibited from providing insurance.  

Check out these videos on how to add an additional insured to your policy:

How do I add an additional insured to my policy?

What does it mean to add an additional insured to my policy?

Replacement Cost: this is the cost to replace or repair the property/equipment with the same or other similar property of comparable material and quality used for the same purpose without deduction for depreciation.  The equipment insured under the Front Row program will be valued at replacement cost in the event of an insured claim. You need to use a replacement cost value to insure your equipment.

Please note, replacement cost is the cost to replace it new – not the purchase price.

Because replacement costs can vary, we recommend that you round up the value you choose for your equipment limit (e.g. if you estimate the replacement cost of all your gear as $12,756 CAD, select $13,000 as your equipment limit).

Please note that mid-term changes to your policy limits are subject to a $25 change fee. If you know that you will be acquiring new equipment during your policy term, you may wish to include the value of this equipment in your limit total. The equipment limit represents the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay for any one claim. It limits the amount that you could receive from a paid claim. It should be adequate to cover the replacement costs of every item insured under the policy.  

If you have any questions regarding how your equipment will be valued, please contact our office.

Please note: This policy contains an 80% Coinsurance clause.

This is a clause in an insurance policy requiring an insured to carry a certain percentage (usually 80, 90 or 100%) of insurance in relation to the value of the property insured.  The insured shares in losses to the extent that they are underinsured at the time of loss.  Under the terms of this clause, property must be insured in an amount equal to or exceeding 80% of its insurable value. Failure to do so will result in a penalty in the event of a loss.

The manner in which the 80% co-insurance clause would operate is illustrated in the following hypothetical example

Example:

A) Owned Mobile Equipment is insured on a replacement cost basis for $60,000

B) Actual cost to replace the Owned Mobile Equipment is $100,000.

If your total equipment has an actual replacement cost valued of $100,000 but is only insured for an amount of $60,000, you would be subject to an underreporting penalty in the event of a claim since its insured value is less than 80% of its replacement value.

Minimum amount of insurance required to satisfy the 80% co-insurance clause is $80,000. (80% of B)

D) the amount of loss is $50,000

Application of co-insurance clause formula:

Amount of insurance carried  (times)   Amount of loss (divided by) Amount of insured required =  Recovery

(A)  60,000. X  (D) $50,000  / (C) $80,000  = $37,500

This example clearly illustrates the necessity of insurance to value as the insured would only receive $37,500 of the $50,000 loss from the insurance company. Note the amount of recovery never exceeds the amount of insurance carried. For this reason it is important to insure for 100% of the insurable value in order to have enough coverage in the event of a total loss

If you rent equipment or intend to rent equipment from other third parties or a vendor you may want to consider this coverage. Most vendors will require that you carry insurance for equipment that you rent from them. In order for this coverage to apply you need to be shown as legally liable for equipment by way of a valid rental contract.

Please note that mid-term changes to your policy limits are subject to a $25 change fee. If you know that you will be renting equipment during your policy term, we recommend that you include a limit for rented equipment at the inception of your policy.

Once you have purchased coverage, you can request a certificate insurance by clicking here. You will be provided with a blank certificate that you can use to issue certificates to the following parties that are asking to be added as loss payee and/or additional insured:

1. Equipment rental companies, but only with respect to the maintenance, operation or use of the equipment by the Named Insured.

Note: the coverage under this policy does not extend to filming operations and certificates cannot be issued to filming locations as coverage will not apply.

Mobile Equipment: This is owned equipment that does not stay at one location and moves around.

Fixed Equipment: This is owned equipment that remains at the declared location and does not travel with you.

The following types of operations can be covered under this policy:

1. Camera Operator (including Steadicam)
2. Camera Assistant
3. Stringer
4. Director of Photography/Cinematographer
5. Sound Recordist
6. Videographer
7. Digital Imaging Technician
8. Grip
9. Data Wrangler

If your operations do not fall under the above list, please contact our office. Any operations not listed above will not be covered under this policy.

Lessors’ Contingent Coverage is coverage for equipment owned by you while such equipment is rented or leased to others, provided all of the following conditions are met:

• The  owned equipment is covered by your policy

• The equipment is lost or damaged by a covered cause of loss; and

• Lessee signs a standard rental or lease agreement that requires that the lessee to place and maintain insurance coverage on the leased or rented equipment in their care, custody or control for its full replacment value; and

• The lessee fails to place or maintain insurance coverage on the equipment as required by the rental or lease agreement; or

• The insurance coverage placed by the lessee on the equipment is for less than the minimum amount(s) stated in the rental or lease agreement.

Without this coverage, there is no coverage for any equipment while rented, loaned or leased to others. Note: lessors contingent coverage would not insure property that is stolen by the lessee.

How to choose between a DICE Insurance Policy and a DigiGear Policy? This blog post explains it:

DICE: How to choose between a DICE Insurance Policy and a DigiGear Policy?

We do not require a schedule of equipment to be on file to bind coverage under the program. It would be the insured's responsibility to maintain proof of ownership for your records. In the event of a claim, the claims adjuster would require the proof of ownership.

All equipment is full replacement cost coverage for: theft, damage, breakage, fire and loss of use. This includes damage casued by Earthquake and Flood

If you choose to purchase your policy on the same day you want the policy to go into effect, the policy begins at the time your confirmation email is received with the policy documents.  

If you purchase a policy for a future date, the policy will begin at 12:01am on the date chosen.

Please note that the policy cannot be backdated.

We do not have monthly payment options for our online policies.

The deductibles are as follows:

Owned Mobile Equipment  - $1,000

Owned Fixed Equipment - $1,000

Rented Equipment - $1,000

Lessors' Contingency Coverage - $1,000

Commercial General Liability - $1,000

Tenant's Legal Liability - $500

**Coverage Territory: Limited Worldwide - Property coverage applies anywhere in the world with the exception of any country or jurisdiction which is subject to trade or other economic sanction or embargo by the governments of Canada or the United States of America. Commercial General Liability (excluding Non-Owned Automobile Liability, which are Canada/ USA only), applies anywhere in the world with the exception of any country or jurisdiction which is subject to trade or economic sanction or embargo by the governments of Canada or the Unites States of America.  In jurisdictions where the insurer may be prevented by law from paying damages or defending lawsuits they will indemnify you. 

Full coverage for Earthquake & Flood up to policy limits on owned equipment. 

$5,000 Office Contents Coverage - office furniture, fixtures, photocopiers, office supplies, including tenant improvements done to the office space. This would be for a home office/studio or small rented office/studio space. Earthquake and Flood are excluded for office contents. Please contact us if higher limits are needed.

$10,000 Rental Reimbursement - If any Equipment that is insured is lost or damaged by a covered cause of loss, the insurer will reimburse you for the reasonable rental expense you incur to rent substitute property necessary to continue your operations while the insured gear is being repaired or in the process of being replaced.

Coverage for newly acquired equipment for 30 days- Automatic coverage for equipment that is newly purchased or required automatically up to a limit of $500,000 less the value of the owned equipment you have already insured under the policy. The maximum total value of all equipment that can be insured is $500,000.

$5,000. Money & Securities- Coverage for loss of money and securities from within the insured's premises or from the insured's bank or safe depositer

$10,000 Extra Expense Coverage - covers the additional expenses incurred due to a covered loss

An example of this coverage would be: a rented office was damaged in a fire. This would cover the cost to rent a temporary location.

This coverage is designed to protect against all sums that the insured shall become legally obligated to pay for bodily injury, property damage or personal injury to third parties arising out of the operations as a professional equipment operator. It includes the cost of a lawyer to defend you.

This policy excludes liability arising out of the use of motor vehicles, aircraft (including UAV and drones) or watercraft.

The commercial general liability also includes coverage for tenant legal liability (coverage for your professionally used rented premises), Employers Liability (Canadian employees only) and Non-Owned Auto Liability equal to Commercial General Liability limits chosen. The commercial general liability / tenant legal liability coverages would not apply to personal residence or any activities outside of those of professional equipment operator.

This policy is subject to the Field of Entertainment endorsement.

This policy contains an 80% Coinsurance clause.

This is a clause in an insurance policy requiring an insured to carry a certain percentage (usually 80, 90 or 100%) of insurance in relation to the value of the property insured.  The insured shares in losses to the extent that he is underinsured at the time of loss.  Under the terms of this clause, property must be insured in an amount equal to or exceeding 80% of its insurable value. Failure to do so will result in a penalty in the event of a loss.

The manner in which the 80% co-insurance clause would operate is illustrated in the following hypothetical example

Example:

A) Owned Mobile Equipment is insured on a replacement cost basis for $60,000

B) Actual cost to replace the Owned Mobile Equipment is $100,000.

If your total equipment has an actual replacement cost valued of $100,000 but is only insured for an amount of $60,000, you would be subject to an underreporting penalty in the event of a claim since its insured value is less than 80% of its replacement value.

Minimum amount of insurance required to satisfy the 80% co-insurance clause is $80,000. (80% of B)

D) the amount of loss is $50,000

Application of co-insurance clause formula:

Amount of insurance carried  (times)   Amount of loss (divided by) Amount of insured required =  Recovery

(A)  60,000. X  (D) $50,000  / (C) $80,000  = $37,500

This example clearly illustrates the necessity of insurance to value as the insured would only receive $37,500 of the $50,000 loss from the insurance company. Note the amount of recovery never exceeds the amount of insurance carried. For this reason it is important to insure for 100% of the insurable value in order to have enough coverage in the event of a total loss

Once a policy is purchased, policy changes can be made HERE. These changes will be sent to our help desk and processed manually and will then be reflected on your renewal. Please note, a $25 fee will apply to changes that result in additional premium owing. 

Coverage under the DigiGear program provides coverage for filming equipment. The online photography program provides coverage for still photography with a minimal amount of filming. If you are a still photographer who also shoots video on non-DSLR equipment, please contact us to discuss.

This online program is currently only available for Canadian residents and Canadian registered Companies. If you're in the US, you can get a quote for owned gear and rented gear here.

For individuals, partnerships or corporations based in Québec wishing to get more information or to purchase coverage, please contact one of our brokers by:

Completing an online application: HERE

Emailing US at: MONoffice@frontrowinsurance.com

Calling us at 514-382-9625.

Note: the person who listed as the applicant will become the Named Insured on the policy. The name of the insured should match the name on the rental contracts/location agreements. The Named Insured has special rights and duties. These rights and duties are explained in General Rules of the policy wording.

Video: Steve Beatty explains the "Named Insured"

Individual

If you are applying as an individual, please list your full legal name in the Applicant’s name box.

Partnership or Joint Venture

If you are applying as a Partnership or Joint Venture, please list you and partners or co-venturers full legal names.

Trade Name/Unincorporated Company  

If you are applying as a company that is not incorporated, please list your full legal name and your unincorporated company name by including the acronym dba (doing business as). An example of how to correctly list your name in this scenario is below:

Jane Doe dba ABC Rentals

Corporation

If you are applying as a Corporation, please list the full legal name of your corporation including the company’s designation (i.e. Inc. Ltd, Corp.)