Question 1

Do I need professional indemnity insurance as a freelance designer or writer?

Accepted Answer

If a client could argue your work caused them a financial loss — a missed brand guideline, a factual error in copy, a design that infringes someone else's IP — professional indemnity covers the legal defence and any settlement. Many agencies and larger clients now require freelancers to hold it before they'll sign a contract, so it's often a practical requirement even where it isn't a legal one.

Question 2

Is my camera and equipment covered if it's stolen from my car?

Accepted Answer

Usually only if you meet your insurer's security conditions — kit left visible in an unattended vehicle is a common reason claims get declined. Portable equipment cover for photographers and videographers typically requires the gear to be out of sight and the vehicle locked, and some policies set a lower limit for cover away from your home or studio.

Question 3

Do I need public liability if I only shoot on location, not from a studio?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Public liability covers accidental injury or property damage you cause while working — knocking over a client's vase while setting up a shot, a lighting stand causing a trip hazard at a wedding venue. Venues and event organisers increasingly ask to see proof of cover, often £1–2 million minimum, before allowing access.

Question 4

What happens if a client claims I used copyrighted material by mistake?

Accepted Answer

This falls under professional indemnity, specifically intellectual property infringement cover where included. It typically responds to allegations that content you created — a design, a piece of copy, an image — infringes someone else's copyright or trademark, covering legal costs even if the claim is ultimately unfounded.

Question 5

Do I need employers' liability if I occasionally hire a second shooter or assistant?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the working relationship, not the invoice. If someone works under your direction, using your equipment or plan for the day, insurers are likely to treat them as an employee for insurance purposes, which brings employers' liability into play at a legal minimum of £5 million. Genuinely independent freelancers who bring their own kit and invoice separately usually carry their own cover instead.

Question 6

Does my policy cover client data if my laptop is stolen or hacked?

Accepted Answer

Only if you have cyber or data liability cover, which is separate from standard professional indemnity or equipment cover. Given how much creative work now lives on laptops and cloud storage — unreleased footage, client contracts, personal data — this is worth checking specifically rather than assuming it's bundled in.

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