My business insurance guy must be a wreck.  He’s legitimately concerned that most people walk around with too little protection against risk, in the form of property and liability insurance.

He’s right.

I’m always on location, handling high-voltage lights, carrying tons of heavy gear, working in the elements.   But, thanks to him, I know I’m covered in case something unforeseen happens.

I advise people to hire not just the photographer that fits into their budget, but the best photographer for them.  That is, someone who they personally gel with and whose style both speaks to them and fits the work they need done.

If it’s a business doing the hiring, I also advise them to look a little deeper than the photographer’s portfolio.   Just like you’d hire a licensed and bonded plumber or tradesman, your photographer—particularly in advertising and commercial photography—should have a minimum level of liability insurance to protect themselves and their clients in the event an accident should happen, in-studio or on location.

A true professional should offer this kind of protection for their clients as a matter of course.  Clients should always ask.

Here’s an informative article from Entrepreneur magazine explaining why home-based businesses should have insurance.   For studio-based LLCs like Fitzgerald Photo, it’s even more important.