In short: Production insurance covers a shoot's people, kit and liabilities. Employers' liability is compulsory in the UK once you employ anyone, with at least £5 million of cover. Public liability, hired-in equipment and re-shoot cover depend on the job, so ask a broker to quote from your shot list.
Most productions need more than one policy. This page explains the main types, which one the law requires, and what to settle with a broker before the crew is booked.
The cover the law requires
Employers' liability insurance is compulsory for employers with staff. GOV.UK says the policy must cover at least £5 million and come from an authorised insurer, and that the certificate must be displayed where employees can see it. GOV.UK says an employer can be fined £2,500 for every day they are not properly insured, and £1,000 for failing to display the certificate or show it to an inspector.
The requirement does not apply to an employer who only employs a close family member, or to staff based outside England, Scotland and Wales. Whether a freelancer counts as your employee depends on how they are engaged, so ask your broker how each one is classed.
The cover that depends on the job
Public liability covers your legal liability to other people for injury or damage to property. An older industry guide, written in January 2000, lists it as a cover that depends on the production. It does not protect you if you break health and safety rules, so the duties on the job still apply.
Hired-in equipment is kit lent to you by someone else. The same guide says it is usually insured for its replacement cost, plus the cost of loss of use or rental. A facilities company will normally ask for a certificate of insurance before it releases anything, so read the hire agreement before the kit leaves the shop.
Re-shoot cover, sometimes called negative or videotape insurance, pays the cost of shooting again if material is damaged. The older guide notes that some producers judge it cheaper to absorb that cost, so price it against the shoot rather than buying it by default.
Extra expense covers added costs when something goes wrong, such as a fire at a key location causing continuity problems over several days.
Travel, hazardous filming and cast cover crew sent overseas, personal accident cover for hazardous work such as aerial filming, and key person cover for drama. The older guide says key person cover is mainly for drama cast, can be worth considering in factual work where a producer is also director and presenter, and is often unnecessary. Action vehicles used in filming are normally the production's responsibility, according to the same guide.
What to settle before you book
- Write the shot list and mark every hazard: heights, water, vehicles, stunts, animals, children and public places.
- Send the shot list, the crew list and a kit list to a broker. The kit list and insurance schedule template gives you a kit list to send with the request.
- Disclose everything relevant, including anything the insurer might consider unusual.
- Ask the location, the hire company and any facility what certificates they need before the day.
- Keep the certificates on the day, where the crew can find them.
Freelance crew bring their own paperwork. The freelancer basics page covers what to ask them for. Put the premiums on the production budget top sheet from the start, so they are not a surprise at the end.
If you are hiring the barn, ask us what the hire needs from you before the day.
This is general guidance, not advice on a particular policy. A broker sets the cover for your job, and a competent person must assess the actual shoot.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Employers' liability insurance, read 5 November 2026
- Netribution, Understanding film insurance (January 2000 guide), read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
Is production insurance a legal requirement in the UK?
Employers' liability insurance is. If you employ anyone, you must hold at least £5 million of cover from an authorised insurer. The other types of cover depend on the production, but the older industry guide says a facilities company will normally ask for a certificate of insurance before it releases equipment.
Does a freelancer need their own employers' liability cover?
Whether a freelancer counts as your employee depends on how they are engaged. Ask a broker how each freelancer is classed before the shoot.
What should I tell the insurer before a shoot?
Tell them about stunts, action vehicles, heights, water, animals and any other hazardous filming. An older industry guide warns that an insurer may decline a claim if relevant facts were not disclosed.
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