Todd Weaver Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Has anyone else been pressured to buy your own liability and umbrella policies for your equipment to submit to the studio before they will pay your kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudRaymond Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 No, I have not. Still able to get certificate of additionally insured from studio policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 I've been asked. Said no. philp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 That's crazy talk!! Ask them for the stedicam or special effects rider to the deal memo or box rental. It will not include the clause requiring you to supply your own equipment insurance. As for PLI, our gear isn't inherently dangerous, so if someone is injured on set because of our equipment (tripping on a cable, getting smacked with a boom, etc.), it's due to the use of the rented item by their employee (you or your crew), not due to failure of the equipment. That said, it's wise to have your own equipment insurance. In case of total loss, like fire or theft, the UPM or Producer will bump the claim up to the suits at the studio and the insurance company, who will look for ANY way of denying your claim. If you have your own insurance, they can fight over who pays the claim, but someone will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormadeaudio Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Well said Robert. I've done a few smaller network one-offs (regional hire for nationally aired programs) where I had to insist several times on getting a COI from them before my gear ever left my house - this is usually after reading the clause in their "deal memo" denying any responsibility for loss or damage to my gear. A few phone calls and/or eMails later, and alas -- there's a PDF copy in my eMail as requested. Yeah, it seems there's yet another facet of our industry that's being slowly (subtlety) chipped away. Maybe they figure many of us won't say anything -- especially those who are newer to the industry. I admit I was a bit ignorant to that facet when I first started buying gear and doing my own gigs -- thankfully, I never got screwed. It's one of the first things I mention now, with any job I do -- bring it up early, and insist on getting a COI listing me (my company) as loss-payee for both my gear and my vehicle. If a client can't provide you with something that basic, you're likely better off not working with them. As for the studios trying to pull that shit -- shame on them. That's ridiculous. In a world where the insurance racket is becoming downright extortion, we have a responsibility to read the fine print and stick to our guns on this. DON'T TAKE WORK FROM COMPANIES THAT WON'T PROPERLY INSURE YOU AND YOUR GEAR! ~tt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 A certificate of insurance is worthless if you sign a "box rental" form stating production is not responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormadeaudio Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Good point Robert ^ Though "box rental" forms are generally designated for Hair and Makeup "kits", and often smaller personal "kits" used by crew members in other departments, and they really shouldn't apply to or be used in connection to our sound gear. Nonetheless, I should have advised in addition that one should NEVER SIGN ANYTHING until it is amended to the desired terms. If you do sign a box rental form for your sound gear, make them remove the parts that deny their liability for L&D to your gear. Contracts are supposed to be mutually beneficial. If all a contract or deal memo does is cover your client's ass, then it's not a contract worth signing... take the time and READ THE WHOLE THING! ~tt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Weaver Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 These folks were trying to get me purchase millions of dollars worth of liability insurance as if my gear was going to obtain artificial intelligence and begin attacking innocent bystanders with all of the dangerous weaponry that is built in to my recording machines. They did the same to Stedicam and video assist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Good info here. They'll only get away with that with the uninformed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Weaver Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 I'm not sure I understand why either.. In addition to insuring the equipment from loss and damage, Isn't that what the COI that they provide us is for? They said that we are considered vendors and must have liability just like any other vendor they do business with.. It seems they are just trying to shift all responsibility to us for their production.. If we are to be responsible for millions of dollars of potential expense in the form of claims, where is our EP credit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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