Updated: July 27, 2026
The paperwork that determines who is responsible for payments when something goes wrong.
Video production often requires personnel to transport heavy equipment across various properties. This work frequently involves heights, proximity to water, navigating through traffic, and interacting with the public. While most video shoots proceed without any incidents, those that do encounter problems often involve issues such as damaged floors, tripped display cases, members of the public tripping over cables, and equipment going missing from a location.
Insurance and liability clauses help resolve situations without disputes. Increasingly, they are also a condition of access. Many Miami venues, office buildings, hotels, and public locations will not allow a crew to enter without first seeing a certificate.
The cover types that come up
General liability
This is the core insurance coverage. It includes liability for injuries to third parties and damage to third-party property that result from the production's activities. This certificate is what venues typically request to see, and the amount they require is usually specified in their own terms.
An important detail for clients: venues often require the production company to be listed as an additional insured on the insurance policy for the dates of the shoot. This is a document the production company requests from their insurer, and it takes time to process. Asking for it the day before rarely works.
Equipment cover
This coverage protects the production's own cameras, lenses, lighting, and grip equipment against damage and theft, whether the equipment is owned or rented. Rental houses typically require proof of this coverage before releasing equipment.
This is not a financial concern for the client, but it is important to confirm its existence. A production that loses uninsured rented equipment mid-project faces a problem that can become a scheduling issue.
Workers compensation and crew cover
Covers injuries to crew members. Requirements vary depending on how crew members are engaged. The specifics of the arrangement matter. To ensure proper coverage, inquire about the engagement details and the specific insurance coverage applicable to the crew. This is particularly important for larger shoots involving a mixed team of full-time staff and freelance contributors.
Errors and omissions
It is distinct from the others, covering claims that arise from the content itself: unlicensed music, visible trademarks, individuals who appear without a release, or a claim of defamation. Broadcasters and larger distributors often require this coverage before they will accept a film.
For most corporate work it is not required, but the risks it covers are real and are better managed through disciplined clearance of music, footage and releases. That side is covered in the article on music, stock and talent buyouts.
Drone cover
Aerial work has specific requirements and is often excluded from standard general liability coverage. If your project includes drone footage, it's important to confirm specifically that it is covered, rather than assuming it is included.
What to ask for, and when
If you are commissioning this work, request these items at the time of booking rather than the week of the shoot.
- A current certificate of insurance that shows the types and limits of coverage.
- Confirmation that the limits meet the requirements for every location on the schedule.
- For each venue that requires it, obtain additional insured endorsements with the correct legal entity name.
- Confirmation that any drone work, if applicable, is covered.
- Whether subcontracted crew are covered or need to carry their own coverage.
Certificates take days rather than minutes to issue, and getting an entity name wrong means starting over. Venues often reject certificates due to minor naming errors more frequently than expected. Therefore, you should confirm the exact legal name in writing, rather than copying it from a website.
The indemnity clause
Most production contracts include a clause specifying who is responsible for what. Carefully read this clause to determine if the responsibilities are mutual. A clause that requires the client to indemnify the production company for all liabilities, with no reciprocal obligations, should be questioned.
Also, examine what happens with client-supplied material. If you provide footage, music, or a logo, you typically warrant that you have the right to use it. You are also usually indemnifying the production company if that turns out to be incorrect. This is reasonable and means you should verify your own material rather than assuming.
Location requirements in Miami
Access requirements vary widely depending on the location type.
- Office buildings typically require a certificate naming the building owner and the management company, plus advance registration of the crew
- Hotels and resorts have their own filming policies and often charge a location fee separate from any room booking
- Public property, beaches and parks generally require a permit, with insurance as a condition of it
- Private residences need a location agreement with the owner, and their homeowner cover does not extend to your production
- Marinas and vessels carry additional requirements, and marine work is frequently excluded from standard policies
- Museums and cultural venues often add rules about lighting, proximity and rights over what is filmed
Build the lead time for these permits into the schedule. A permit that takes two weeks is a critical scheduling constraint, not merely a formality. It is a common cause of shoot dates being rescheduled.
Practical safety measures prevent most claims.
Insurance covers the consequences. Basic discipline prevents most incidents.
- Tape and mat every cable run that crosses a walkway.
- Weight and secure light stands, especially outdoors where wind can be a factor.
- Avoid placing equipment cases on pedestrian walkways.
- Protect floors and surfaces before moving heavy gear across them.
- Brief the crew about the layout of the space, including the locations of all exits and any restricted areas.
- Photograph the location both before and after any changes. This approach promptly settles most damage disputes.
Before-and-after photographs are the most cost-effective protection available for any shoot. In just two minutes, these photos can resolve the "that mark was already there" debate with concrete evidence rather than relying on recollection.
How we handle it
We provide current general liability and equipment coverage, offering certificates at the time of booking rather than upon request the week of the shoot. If a venue requires an additional insured endorsement, we will handle it. We request the exact legal entity name in writing early enough to ensure it is correct the first time.
We flag permit and lead-time requirements based on the location list, ensuring that the schedule accurately reflects these needs. Contract indemnities are mutual, and we clearly inform you of the warranties you are providing on materials you supply. Locations are photographed both before and after each shoot.
Send us your location list and we will tell you what each one will require. More on commercial terms in the production blog, related material on cancellation and postponement, or get in touch through the contact page.
The short version
General liability is what venues ask to see, and many require to be named as additional insured, which takes days to arrange. Confirm equipment cover, crew cover and drone cover separately rather than assuming one policy covers everything. Check that indemnity clauses are mutual, and check your own supplied material, since you are warranting rights in it. Build permit lead times into the schedule.
Request certificates during the booking process. Waiting until the week of the shoot is too late and is the most common reason a crew is refused entry.