How much does insurance cost for photography studios?

Photography studios pay an average of $29 per month, or $350 per year, for general liability insurance (sometimes called public liability insurance).

General liability insurance covers common photo studio risks, including third party property damage and bodily injury. For example, if a client trips over a lighting stand at a portrait studio set and injures themselves, a general liability policy would cover their medical expenses.

It also helps pay for legal costs if someone sues your business over copyright infringement or advertising injuries, including defamation.

Some photo studios may need proof of insurance of a general liability policy to sign a commercial lease or secure a client contract.

Below is the average policy for photography studios that buy from Insureon:

Premium: $29 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

Insureon’s licensed agents typically recommend a business owner’s policy (BOP) for small, low-risk photo studios. This policy combines general liability coverage with commercial property insurance at a discount to protect your photo equipment and other business property.

General liability insurance costs depend on factors such as the coverage limits you choose, the size of your business, the amount of foot traffic you have, and any additional insured endorsements you select.

Learn more about how your premium is calculated and how to save money on your general liability coverage.

For photography studios, a business owner’s policy typically costs $54 per month, or an average annual premium of $642.

A BOP bundles general liability and property insurance, usually at a discounted rate. This policy may include business interruption insurance, which covers lost income due to an unexpected business closure.

This is the average business owner's policy for photo studios who buy from Insureon:

Premium: $54 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate
Deductible: $500

Small, low risk photo studios are typically eligible for a BOP. Photography businesses with higher risks can often save money with a commercial package policy (CPP), which offers liability and property coverage with more coverage options and higher policy limits.

Your business property value and the types of photography services you offer will partially dictate pricing.

Learn how to save money on your policy, which coverage limits to select, and more on Insureon's business owner's policy cost analysis page.

Professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O), costs an average of $37 per month (or $449 annually) for photography studio businesses.

This policy covers the cost of client lawsuits over claims that your work was unsatisfactory, negligent, late, or never completed.

For instance, suppose a client claims you captured their wedding photos in poor lighting and decides to sue. A professional liability policy would cover your legal costs and any settlements, helping you to avoid financial loss.

Below is the average professional liability coverage for photography studios that buy from Insureon:

Premium: $37 per month
Policy limits: $1 million per occurrence; $1 million aggregate
Deductible: $1,000

Several factors will influence your professional liability premium, including the type of business you have, your claims history, and the policy limits you choose.

Learn how to save money on your policy, which coverage limits to select, and more on Insureon's professional liability insurance cost analysis page.

The average cost for workers’ compensation insurance for photography studios is $44 per month, or $530 annually.

A workers’ compensation policy covers medical bills and lost wages if you or an employee are injured on the job. Businesses that have employees typically must purchase workers' comp to comply with state requirements and avoid penalties.

Workers' comp state laws vary and your specific requirements will depend on the state you live in. For example, all photo studios are required to carry a workers' compensation policy in California if they have one or more employees. However, coverage is optional in Texas.

Since health insurance plans can deny claims for injuries related to your job, workers' comp coverage is also recommended for sole proprietors and freelancers with no employees as a financial safety net and for extra peace of mind.

The cost of workers' comp depends on several factors, primarily your number of employees and their occupational risks. You can save money on your workers' comp coverage by classifying your employees correctly and implementing a risk management plan to minimize work-related injuries.

Small business owners pay an average of $147 per month, or $1,762 per year, for commercial auto insurance. This type of business insurance pays for property damage and medical expenses from accidents involving your company vehicle. It can also cover vehicle theft, vandalism, and weather damage.

Most states require this type of insurance for vehicles owned by your photo studio. For personal, rented, and leased vehicles used for work purposes, look to hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) instead.

The cost of commercial car insurance depends on several factors, including the policy limits you choose, coverage options, the number and value of your vehicles, and the driving records of anyone permitted to drive.

Photo professionals pay an average of $43 per month, or $519 annually, for inland marine insurance.

Inland marine coverage pays for the cost of lost, stolen, or damaged business owned equipment. This includes tripods, cameras, backdrops, computers, and other specialized photo equipment like drones.

This studio equipment insurance protects your business property while it's in transit, at a video or photo shoot, or stored off-site, such as a storage unit.

Standard property insurance policies only cover items at your business location. In order to fully protect your equipment, this coverage is recommended for all professional photographers.

The cost of inland marine insurance depends on the value of your photography equipment and the types of photo services you provide.