Ask Aaduki
Insurance questions asked by Societies' members.
Q: Dear Aaduki,
In light of the recent riots in London if I go and take pictures of them and
something happens to my equipment am I covered?
H, Brixton
A: Aaduki says: This will depend in part on who you are ensure with through us. A majority of our Insurers do not exclude riot and civil commotion BUT they will expect you to abide by national guidelines and "best practice" of news gatherers. If you are a wedding photographer that goes out and the Insurance Company has no knowledge of you undertaking this work and you have no experience then expect some very firm questioning from them - they may even decide you have not shown a "duty of care" but if, on the other hand you have "news" on your insurance policy as one of the disciplines then I would fully expect you to be covered under most of our policies. A quick call to the office would be in order to check!
Q: Dear Aaduki,
I have been asked to go and shoot a wedding in Spain and just wanted to know
would my insurance with you cover me?
M, London
A: Aaduki says: Generally, if your insured with us, your policy will be up to 60 days worldwide so your equipment is covered. Just be careful how you get it there particularly if you're flying and remember to store it securely when not in use. For your Public Liability and Professional Indemnity, yes you will be covered but because laws vary from European state to state, any claim will be governed under the law according to England and Wales or EU depending on what it says on your policy Schedule. If you have any doubts, give the office a call.
Q: Dear Aaduki,
I got a quote from you at the Convention and when I went to take it out at
the beginning of march your website had added over £100 to it! Have premiums
gone up this much?
J, Herts
A: Aaduki says: No they haven't! If you got a quote from us at one of the large shows you would have got a special rate - even better at the Convention in London and that rate is not matchable anywhere else. Quotes are generally valid for 30 days so that is why it was significantly more expensive. We can offer members better prices over the phone than on the website anyway, so it is worth ringing in! I will give you a call and hold the premium for you.
Q: Dear Aaduki,
I am going abroad for 4 months on an assignment in Australia. Is my
equipment covered for that length of time away?
V, Somerset
A: Aaduki says: It may be! We would need to look at who you were insured with and that should tell us. Some Insurers we use will give you unlimited worldwide cover in safe areas, others up to a maximum of 60 days. It may be possible to extend the 60 days or we might have to change insurers for you. Easiest thing to do is to call into the office and we will work it out for you!
Q: Dear Aaduki
I am thinking about getting an elevated mast for my architectural work. If I
fix it to my van will you still cover it?
J, Edinburgh
A: Aaduki says: The short answer is no! If it is permanently attached to your van then it will become part of the van insurance. If it is a free standing mast that you take on and off your van, then yes. You will need to check with us though as standard policies don't cover this so we need to get a specific policy for you that covers this risk.
Q: Dear Aaduki
I am going abroad to a dodgy area in the world that the Foreign Office (FCO)
advise against travel to. Is my equipment still covered?
P, London
A: Aaduki says: Absolutely not! A standard policy will cover you for standard risks but if this is classified as a war zone then you will need a specific policy that covers that. We can offer a short term cover for up to £10,000 if you take out travel insurance with us so all eventualities are covered. We can cover anywhere in the world except North Korea, Iran and Syria as Government sanctions don't allow us to pay hospital bills there so we can't cover you. You will need to give us a call on 01737 735050 and talk to one of the team. Be warned though - this insurance is not cheap so make sure you have built some contingency into any fee you are quoting to a client.
Q: Dear Aaduki
I am tendering for a contract with the local Council and need to show them I
have insurance in place as part of the tender. Can I take out a policy and
then cancel it if I don't need it?
J, Birmingham
A: Aaduki says: Technically a photographic policy is a commercial policy and after the first 14 days it is non-refundable - that means insurers can keep the whole premium for the full 12 months. However, we would look to give you a refund but something like short term rates would apply. You will need to give us a call in the office to talk this through with us. However, I would advise if you are working in a professional manner you SHOULD have insurance in place anyway! When you get your quote for this tender, make sure you ask for £5 million Public Liability (PL) - Local Authorities tend to insist on it.
Q: Dear Aaduki
Is there anyway I can cover myself in case I am sick and cannot do a
wedding?
P, Southampton
A: Aaduki says: Well Professional Indemnity should cover you for this provided you have done everything you can to try and get someone to cover. If you have made no effort to get another photographer to do the job then insurers are unlikely to pay - they will claim that you have a "duty of care" to your customer. We are also looking at providing some personal accident cover and sickness cover in the future so this might help too depending on what you exactly meant by your question. Watch out for further details coming soon.
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