Insurance Terms & Definitions

A

Above the Line In the movie industry, above-the-line expenditures (ATL) are negotiated or spent before filming begins. These costs can include rights for the material on which the screenplay is based and salaries for the screenwriter, lead producer(s), star actors and director. ATL personnel customarily do not include the Line Producer, Unit Production Manager or other salaried players.

In television production, above-the-line expenses include salaries for the positions mentioned above (typically all employees working under individual contracts) but are budgeted on a weekly or episodic basis for the run of a series.

ACORD A standards development organization for the insurance industry, ACORD creates the standard forms we use, including insurance certificates.

AD&D Coverage Accidental Death and Dismemberment (also known as AD&D) is a policy that pays benefits to the beneficiary if the cause of death is due to an accident.

Accounts Receivable Provides indemnification for loss of business income.

Additional Insured A person or entity that is protected against loss by the terms of the policy, in addition to the named insured.

Additional Premium to Equal Policy Minimum Underwriters use a rating process to determine your insurance premium. When that rate is below the absolute minimum premium that the insurer has established for that policy, “additional premium to equal policy minimum” will appear as a line item on your quote, bringing your rate up to the minimum premium.

Adverse Weather Coverage for extra expense incurred by the interruption or abandonment of the production due to adverse weather conditions at the location.

Advertising Injury Arises out of oral or written publication of material that slanders or disparages a person or organization or its products or services; publication of material that violates a right to privacy; misappropriation of advertising ideas or style of doing business, or infringement of copyright, title or slogan, but not infringement of trademark and trade names alone.

Agency/Talent Re-Shoot Costs Provides coverage for contractually obligated (yet unanticipated) talent, services or facilities cost incurred to reshoot the production after a covered loss.

Aircraft Insurance Required when a plane or helicopter is rented, leased, or borrowed for use as a picture plane, to scout locations, or for aerial photography. Hull coverage may also be required if the production company is responsible for physical damage to the aircraft itself.

A.M. Best An independent company that provides credit ratings of insurance companies. Their financial-strength ratings measure an insurance company’s ability to pay claims.

Animal Extra Expense Provides indemnification to the production company for the value of an animal that dies during a production or for the net loss due to illness or destruction of an animal used in a production. Values of animals have to be established in advance and current Veterinarian Certificates are required.

Animal Mortality Provides indemnification to the production company for the value of an animal that dies during a production or for the net loss due to illness or destruction of an animal used in a production. Values of animals have to be established in advance and current Veterinarian Certificates are required.

Auto Coverage (owned/rented) Legal liability coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims arising out of the filming of the picture. Coverage may include the use of owned or non-owned vehicles, including physical damage to the vehicles. Coverage is required prior to filming on city or state roadways, or location sites requiring filming permits. Coverage does not apply to aircraft or watercraft, which must be separately insured.

Auto Liability Covers the medical & legal bills arising from an auto accident, including damage to vehicles owned by others. Coverage is for hired & non-owned vehicles only. The policy will be excess coverage for any crew members using their own vehicles.

Auto Physical Damage Covers any damage done to vehicles used for the production. Coverage is for hired & non-owned vehicles only. The policy will be excess coverage for any crew members using their own vehicles.

B

Below the Line In a motion picture or television production budget, below-the-line costs include salaries of non-starring cast members and technical crew, use of the film studio and its technical equipment and travel, location and catering costs, etc. In contrast to above-the-line costs, the below-the-line budget is usually fixed. Some of the positions in the below-the-line category are director of photography, assistant directors, gaffer, grips, etc.

Bereavement Family Bereavement is an extension of Cast insurance. It indemnifies the production company for the net loss or for extra expenses to begin or complete principal photography of an insured production, due to serious illness or death of an immediate family member of any insured artist or director. (See cast insurance).

Binder A temporary contract of insurance, oral or written, offered by an insurer pending issuance of a permanent policy. It is usually written for a period of 30 days and remains in force until a permanent policy is either issued or denied.

Bodily Injury Liability The liability that arises from the injury or death of another person.

Broker A broker represents the person or company seeking insurance (the insured).

C

Care, Custody and Control Provides legal liability coverage for loss, damage or destruction of property belonging in the care, custody or control of the production company.

Cast Extra Expense Insurance  This coverage usually is purchased on feature films or TV productions (except documentaries) but also may be purchased for other types of production. It indemnifies the production company for the net loss or extra expenses to begin or complete principal photography of an insured production, due to death, injury or illness of any insured artist or director. Insured persons are initially covered for accident only, until they are examined and complete a medical questionnaire. The insurer then will expand the coverage to include illness. Coverage also can be extended to include kidnapping and bereavement. 

(See bereavement above).
Cast insurance normally begins four weeks before the first camera day; however, additional time can be purchased (Extended Pre-Production Cast Coverage).

Certificate of Insurance The insurance company document that verifies insurance.

Civil Authority Coverage extension under Extra Expense that reimburses a production for delays due to the action of a government authority.

Claim A formal request to the insurance company asking for payment based on the terms of your insurance policy.

Claims Made Policy provision limiting coverage to claims that are filed during the policy period (as opposed to an occurrence policy provision).

Clearance Procedure Procedures recommended by the clearance attorney for the production company to follow that mitigate the potential for Errors & Omissions claims.

Completion Bond A written contract that guarantees a motion picture will be finished and delivered on schedule and within budget as required by the bank or other financiers funding an independent film.

Copyright Report A research report outlining copyright procedures required to obtain Errors & Omissions Coverage.

Cost of Hire The budget costs for vehicle rentals -- used to determine auto insurance premiums.

Coverage Extension Endorsement Includes the following: Valuable Papers - $25,000, Signs - $10,000, Outdoor Property - $5,000 per item/$25,000 Total, Electronic Media and Records - $5,000, Debris Removal - $50,000, Employee Dishonesty - $5,000, Fire Department Service Charges - $25,000, Fire Equipment Recharge - $10,000, Pollutant Cleanup and Removal - $15,000, Sewer Backup - $25,000, Temporary Location - $25,000, Accounts Receivable - $25,000, Money & Securities - $5,000.

Crime Coverage Reimburses the production company for loss of money, securities, or inventory resulting from crime such as employee dishonesty, embezzlement, forgery, robbery, safe burglary, computer fraud, wire transfer fraud, counterfeiting and other criminal acts.

D

Declaration The formal addition of a new production to an existing insurance program. Also the first page of an insurance policy that summarizes key information specific to the policy; sometimes called a dec page.

Deductible The amount for which an insured is responsible before the insurance company pays a claim.

DICE A type of production package policy. Acronym for Documentary, Industrial, Commercial, Educational.

Distributor Errors & Omissions Legal liability coverage, including defense costs, for claims alleging unauthorized use of titles, format, ideas, characters and plots; plagiarism and unfair competition. Also provides coverage for libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.

Disability Insurance is a policy that pays disability benefit as a partial replacement of income lost due to illness or injury. Most disability insurance policies pay a fixed sum for a fixed period, while others pay a monthly sum for the entire period the insured is disabled from earning suitable income (as determined by his or her qualifications, experience, and training).

Distributor Errors & Omissions Legal liability coverage, including defense costs, for claims alleging unauthorized use of titles, format, ideas, characters and plots; plagiarism and unfair competition. Also provides coverage for libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.

E

EDP (Electronic Data Processing Equipment) Computers and related equipment, media, software. Software extra expense is automatically included up to 25% of the hardware limit.

Employment Practices Liability Provides defense and indemnity insurance for claims arising from the employer/employee relationship. The policy shields employers from claims of harassment, discrimination, failure to hire, wrongful termination, and includes all current, former and prospective employees, directors and officers, even the corporate entity.

Endorsement A document that changes the policy; changes to the policy language.

Entertainment Package The standard policy that covers all property and business interruption expenses on all types of productions.

Errors & Omissions Legal liability coverage, including defense costs, for claims alleging unauthorized use of titles, format, ideas, characters and plots; plagiarism and unfair competition. Also provides coverage for alleged libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.

Essential Element refers to a person who is essential to the production. This is a policy endorsement added to cast coverage wording. A claim is made under the cast coverage if death or injury or sickness for a specified time of an essential element during pre-production or principal photography prevents the completion and delivery required by the distributors and makes it necessary to abandon the production. A separate charge generally applies.

Excess Liability (Movie Boat Program) The basic Movie Boat Line Slip covers Protection & Indemnity in the amount of $1,000,000. Each vessel is considered a separate insured entity. $9,000,000 excess can be attached without notice to underwriters. Higher amounts of excess liability can be arranged.

Exclusion A specific loss or risk not covered by the policy.

Extra Expense Indemnifies the insured for extra expense incurred as a result of interruption, postponement or cancellation of a declared production as a result of loss or damage to property such as props, sets, wardrobe or miscellaneous equipment, including third party property.

F

Family Bereavement An extension of Cast Extra Expense insurance. It indemnifies the production company for the net loss or for extra expense to begin or complete principle photography of an insured production, due to serious illness or death of an immediate family member of any insured artist or director. See additional details under cast insurance.

Faulty Processing Covers loss, damage or destruction of raw film or tape stock, exposed film (developed or undeveloped), recorded videotape, matrices, lavenders, positives, interpositives, working prints, cutting copies, fine grain prints, color transparencies, cels, art work and drawings, software and related materials used to generate computer images, sound tracks and tapes, resulting from fogging or use of faulty materials (including cameras or videotape recorders), faulty sound equipment, or faulty developing. Faulty coverage does not include loss caused by errors of judgment in exposure, lighting or sound recording, from use of incorrect type of raw stock or faulty manipulation by the cameraman. Faulty Stock, Camera and Processing coverage can be purchased only with Negative, Film and Videotape coverage.

Faulty Stock Broad Form Broadens the faulty stock coverage by providing coverage for: faulty manipulating or judgment of the camera operator or assistants; error(s) of judgment in exposure, lighting or sound recording; use of incorrect raw film stock or videotape or media/software; and errors in machine programming or instructions to the machine.

Faulty Stock & Processing The Faulty Stock coverage is usually excluded from the Negative / Videotape coverage and added back as a separate endorsement. The Faulty Stock endorsement provides coverage for loss or damage caused by the following: Fogging, or the use of faulty materials.
*Faulty cameras or videotape recorders.
*Faulty sound equipment or soundtracks.
*Faulty developing, editing, or processing.
*Accidental exposure to light
Faulty cutting, editing, cueing or other laboratory work; or accidental erasure of videotape recordings or soundtracks,
Faulty Coverage indemnifies the Production Company for the extra expenses incurred in re-shooting or repairing the lost or damaged material, or for the aborted costs in the case of abandonment. There is commonly a large deductible for Faulty Coverage.

Fine Arts Jewelry/Fine Arts coverage is generally sub-limited under the Props Sets & Wardrobe coverage. Amounts over the sub-limit must be scheduled in the policy.

Foreign Liability Covers Bodily Injury and Property Damage liability arising out of accidents and fortuitous occurrences outside the United States of America and Canada.

G

General Liability covers payments the insured will become legally obligated to pay as a result of Bodily Injury or Property Damage to 3rd parties arising out of an occurrence during filming activities.  An example of a covered loss under Bodily Injury could be third party "trip and fall" accidents (people hired by you are not covered under general liability.  Workers compensation covers potential injury to people hired by you).

Property damage for rented premises under the general liability section is limited to major structural damages.  Third Party Property Damage is the recommended coverage for the rented premises. 

Gross Production Costs All costs, including overhead, chargeable directly to the production stated at the time of declaration of an insured production or series of productions. The following costs are not included: story, scenario, music rights, sound rights, royalties, residuals, continuity, premiums paid for the insurance, interest on loans and taxes.

Guild Travel Accident coverage with limits required by the guild or union contacts with the producer. Coverage also may be extended to non-union employees, up to $50,000 each.

H

Hazardous Activities, Stunts Activities that may be considered as potentially hazardous / stunt activities are required to be reported to the underwriters for approval. A partial list of these activities are: Stunts, Falls, Fight Scenes, Pyrotechnics, Fireworks, Airplanes, Helicopters, Hang gliders, Hot Air Balloons, Parachutes, Boats, Water Scenes, Animals, ATVs, Go Carts, Mopeds, Motorcycles, Scooters, Segways, Snowmobiles, Weapons, Blanks, Squibs, Precision Driving, Live Gangster Rap Music, Hard-Core/Soft-Core Porn.
Additional Description:
-Aerial Scenes (Shoots from aircraft including airplanes, helicopters, gliders and balloons. Includes scenic shots from private or commercial aircraft that do not involve aerial acrobatics or other hazardous maneuvers. Does not include aircraft liability.)
-Stunts/Falls (Covers scenes involving scripted and choreographed falls), Fight Scenes (Fight scenes that are choreographed, structured, and sequenced. These scenes may involve physical contact between actors and the use of weapons)
-Recreational Vehicles (The use of recreational vehicles such as ATV's, go carts, mopeds, motorcycles, scooters, Segways, snowmobiles, and similar type vehicles)
-Water Scenes (Boats, canoes, kayaks, shots on lakes, shoots primarily in water, surfing, pools) Does not provide watercraft coverage. See the movie boat program.
-Precision Driving (Controlled driving on public roads, race tracks, off-road, chase scenes, skidding, collisions, explosions, motorcycles) Weapons (Scenes that involve prop guns*, squibs, blanks, knives, or other similar weapons)
*Guns that discharge other than squibs or blanks. Note that guns unable to fire are not considered stunt activities. Animals (Scenes involving the use of animals, such as dogs, farm animals, household pets, and zoo animals)
-Pyrotechnics (Fireworks, flash boxes, demolition, explosions, and other pyrotechnic effects)

Hired/Non-Owned Auto Reimburses the leasing company or an individual for comprehensive and collision damage to a hired or rented vehicle used in an insured production, for which the Production Company has become legally liable.

Hull and Machinery Hull and Machinery protects owners and production companies with an insurable interest in vessels and floats of all kinds against the expense that might be incurred in repairing or replacing property damaged, destroyed or lost because of a covered peril. Coverage is written on an “all risk” basis. Included in the hull policy is Collision Liability, up to the value insured on the hull policy, for damage caused by collision with another vessel.

I

Illness Coverage Indemnifies the production company for the net loss or extra expenses necessary to begin or complete principal photography of an insured production, due to death, injury or illness of an insured artist or director. Insured persons are initially covered for accident only. The insurer will expand coverage to include illness, if the person qualifies, based upon a medical examination and questionnaire.

Inland Marine is a type of insurance policy that offers various lines of property coverage. Some of the coverages available on this policy are: Rented Equipment, Owned Equipment, Rented Props/Sets/Wardrobe, Faulty Stock, Third Party Property Damage, Hired & Non-Owned Auto Physical Damage, etc.

Insured The Policyholder, or You, if you have an insurance policy.

Insurer The insurance company that issues your policy.

J

Jewelry / Fine Arts coverage is generally given a sub limit under the Props Sets & Wardrobe coverage. Amounts over the sub-limit must be scheduled under the policy.

Jurisdiction means the legal environment (state, city or country) that will apply to an insurance contract.

K

Kidnap & Ransom Coverage for payments demanded by kidnappers for the release of an insured. Most insurance policies have a deductible and exclude abductions within certain geographic areas.

L

Library Stock Coverage Expands the definition of negative film, videotape and digitalized image to include insured's original cut negative film of completed or released productions, duplicate negatives, completed video tapes or other related media.

Limit The most your insurance policy will pay for a specific type of claim.

Limited Computer Virus Coverage Attaches to EDP (electronic data processing) and provides limited coverage for computer viruses.

Loan-Out Company A corporation that is controlled by a performer and furnishes that performer’s services.

Loss Adjuster A specialist who investigate claims for insurance companies and helps policyholders get paid for their loss.

Loss of Use Income lost due to damage or loss to tangible property, such as a camera package.

Loss Payee The entity that is paid in the event of a claim. If you are renting equipment from a rental house, they will ask to be added as Loss Payee, so that the insurance company will pay them directly if equipment rented to you is damaged.

M

Medical Examinations Full cast coverage is subject to acceptance of a completed medical exam form and is approval by the insurance company. The cast member must be examined by a physician appointed or approved by the insurance company.

Medical Payments (Under General Liability) Reimbursement for reasonable first-aid and medical expenses for persons other than the insured or employees of the insured, injured due to the negligence of the insured.

Miscellaneous Equipment Protects against loss or damage to property such as cameras, portable generators, lighting and sound equipment rented by the production company.

Money & Securities Coverage for money and securities lost due to fire, burglary or armed robbery.

Mysterious Disappearance Claims from mysterious or unexplained disappearances are not typically covered by insurance.

N

Negative Film Covers the cost to recreate lost or damaged shots or scenes. If it is not possible to reshoot and the production is abandoned, negative film coverage will reimburse the insured’s expenses incurred by the production.

O

Occurrence (see Claims Made) A claim is paid if the event occurred during the policy period regardless when the claim is submitted.

Office Contents Provides coverage for loss or damage to office furnishings and equipment located in a temporary space.

Owned Equipment, Props, Sets & Wardrobes Provided coverage for any equipment, props, sets or wardrobes owned by the insured. If equipment is owned by anyone else, including members if your crew, it should be covered as Rented Equipment.

P

Payroll Service Typically provides the workers’ compensation and disability benefits required by each state for cast and crew members. (See Workers’ Compensation below.)

Personal and Advertising Injury An injury, other than bodily injury, arising out of oral or written publication of material (including advertising) that slanders or libels another’s goods, products, or services, or that infringes on copyright, title, or slogan.

Physical Damage Property losses arising out of direct damage to tangible property.

Policy A contract between the insurer and insured, which determines the claims that the insurer is legally required to pay.

Political Risk Covers a company’s financial and real property assets for losses from expropriation, currency inconvertibility, terrorism and other political events. Types of coverage can include Kidnap & Ransom and Evacuation & Repatriation.

Post Production The final stage in the production of a film after completion of principal photography. Involves editing, addition of sound/visual effects, dubbing, etc.

Pre-existing Condition A medical condition affecting the artist that exists before the medical examination performed for a specific production.

Premium The cost of the insurance policy, paid to the insurance company.

Principal Photography The time period in which the production is actually shot. This does not include pre- or post-production time.

Producer/Distributor Liability Coverage for claims alleging unauthorized use of titles, format, ideas, characters, and plots; plagiarism; and unfair competition. Also provides coverage for alleged libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.

Producer/Distributor Liability Coverage for claims alleging unauthorized use of titles, format, ideas, characters, and plots; plagiarism; and unfair competition. Also provides coverage for alleged libel, slander, defamation of character or invasion of privacy.

Products and Completed Operations This limit will cover you if a claim arises caused by a product that you sell that is no longer in your possession, or that happens after you have completed a job and left the premises. For instance, if you sell someone a sweater, and six months later they sue you, claiming that the sweater turned their skin green, this is the coverage that would come into play.

Props/Sets/Wardrobe Provides coverage for rented props, sets, scenery, costumes and wardrobe against risk of direct physical loss, damage or destruction during the specified production period.  Owned equipment is not covered. The insurable value should be the total value of your rented props, sets and wardrobe from all vendors. Props, sets and wardrobe insurance includes your vendors being provided with certificates of insurance naming them as loss payee in the event of a loss.  Unlimited certificates can be issued.

Property Damage Liability Insurance (Third Party) Provides legal liability coverage for damage or destruction of property belonging to others while the property is in the care, custody or control of the production company and is to be used in an insured production. This includes loss of use of the property. Coverage does not apply to damage caused by operation of rented or leased motor vehicles, aircraft or watercraft that are covered under props, sets, or wardrobe, or to miscellaneous equipment insurance. This coverage is not included under a Comprehensive General Liability Policy.

Proposal A written offer that outlines all insurance coverage requested by the client.

Protection & Indemnity This coverage protects the insured against 1) liability for specified types of Bodily Injury or Property Damage and 2) certain unexpected vessel related exposures and disbursements.  The principal liabilities that are covered are:

• Loss of life, personal injury and sickness of the vessel crew, production crew and third parties;
• Damage to cargo on board the vessel;
• Damage to piers, docks, jetties, and other fixed objects;
• Damage to other vessels and their cargo caused otherwise than by collision with the other vessel;
• Inadvertently incurred fines and penalties because port rules were violated;
• Expenses incurred when the law requires that a wrecked vessel be removed; and
• Limited pollution liability coverage for vessels under 100 gross tons. (Fines are excluded from coverage).

Q

Quote An outline of coverage and premiums from the insurance company based on the script and production budget.

Quote Expiration Date The last day you can purchase your insurance quote without having to reapply.

R

Railroad Protective Coverage for claims that arise from the production at or near railroads. Coverage includes Bodily Injury Liability, Property Damage Liability and Physical Damage to railroad property.

Rental Cost Reimbursement Covers the potential additional expense to rent similar equipment after a loss.

Rented Equipment Camera, sound, lighting and miscellaneous rented equipment. Owned equipment is not covered. The insurable value should be the total value of your rented equipment from all vendors. This insurance includes your vendors being provided with certificates of insurance naming them as loss payee in the event of a loss.  Unlimited certificates can be issued.

Rented Furs, Jewelry, Arts & Antiques The Props, Sets & Wardrobe form provides up to $25,000 for furs, jewelry, arts, antique coverage. If a higher limit is required, include the additional limit under this coverage. A schedule/appraisal of the item(s) will be required.

Risk Management Procedures that minimize the financial impact of a risk by identifying and analyzing potential sources of loss.

S

Statement of Health A questionnaire that must be completed by an artist in order to get coverage for full cast insurance. The form must be approved by the insurer.

Stop Date The termination date in an artist’s contract for a specific production.

Storyboard An outline or script of a production.

Strikes or Civil Protest As a result of an officially sanctioned strike or civil protest, covers the loss due to the interruption, postponement or cancellation of the production.

Stunts, Hazardous Activities are activities that may be considered as potentially hazardous / stunt activities are required to be reported to the underwriters for approval. A partial list of these activities are: Stunts, Falls, Fight Scenes, Pyrotechnics, Fireworks, Airplanes, Helicopters, Hang gliders, Hot Air Balloons, Parachutes, Boats, Water Scenes, Animals, ATVs, Go Carts, Mopeds, Motorcycles, Scooters, Segways, Snowmobiles, Weapons, Blanks, Squibs, Precision Driving, Live Gangster Rap Music, Hard-Core/Soft-Core Porn.
Additional Description:
-Aerial Scenes (Shoots from aircraft including airplanes, helicopters, gliders and balloons. Includes scenic shots from private or commercial aircraft that do not involve aerial acrobatics or other hazardous maneuvers. Does not include aircraft liability.)
-Stunts/Falls (Covers scenes involving scripted and choreographed falls), Fight Scenes (Fight scenes that are choreographed, structured, and sequenced. These scenes may involve physical contact between actors and the use of weapons)
-Recreational Vehicles (The use of recreational vehicles such as ATV's, go carts, mopeds, motorcycles, scooters, Segways, snowmobiles, and similar type vehicles)
-Water Scenes (Boats, canoes, kayaks, shots on lakes, shoots primarily in water, surfing, pools) Does not provide watercraft coverage. See the movie boat program.
-Precision Driving (Controlled driving on public roads, race tracks, off-road, chase scenes, skidding, collisions, explosions, motorcycles) Weapons (Scenes that involve prop guns*, squibs, blanks, knives, or other similar weapons)
*Guns that discharge other than squibs or blanks. Note that guns unable to fire are not considered stunt activities. Animals (Scenes involving the use of animals, such as dogs, farm animals, household pets, and zoo animals)
-Pyrotechnics (Fireworks, flash boxes, demolition, explosions, and other pyrotechnic effects)

Stunt Breakdown An outline of stunt activity.

Subrogate After the insurance company pays the insured for a claim, it has the right to recover the amount of the loss from the liable third party.

T

Territory Specifies the geographic area where injury or damage must occur for coverage to apply.

Terrorism The use of violence to produce terror for political or ideological purposes. Terrorism is distinct from war in that it need not be the act of a military force or be directed by a sovereign power. Foreign acts of terrorism may be certified as an insurable loss exposure under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).

Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) A federal law that has existed since 2002 that provides government backup for insurance claims that arise out of acts of terrorism. It allows you to purchase insurance that will still pay out if you have a claim as a result of a terrorist act.

Third Party Property Damage Provides legal liability coverage for damage or destruction of property belonging to others while the property is in the care, custody or control of the production company and is to be used in an insured production. This includes loss of use of the property. Coverage does not apply to damage caused by operation of rented or leased motor vehicles, aircraft or watercraft that are covered under props, sets, or wardrobe, or to miscellaneous equipment insurance. This coverage is not included under a Comprehensive General Liability Policy.

Title Coverage A single film title cannot be copyrighted. Therefore, during the development process, a lawyer should run a title search to discover if the title has been used before as a film title, song title, chapter heading or in newspaper articles. The search also will recommend whether your title can be used for your type of media. The more the title has been used, the safer it is to use again. If the title is connected with only one thing, for example “Gone with the Wind,” then it is inadvisable to use it. The title user can claim that diminished financial prospects by using the same or a similar title.

Tower's Liability Hull & P&I policies contain standard towage exclusion clauses. Towers liability clauses provide coverage for the object being towed, and coverage for any cargo aboard the tow.

Treatment The starting point of a production, it outlines information about the production’s subject and its direction. The treatment describes locations, situations, stories, images, tone and color, pacing, etc. of the production. This helps in creating a budget.

U

Umbrella A policy designed to provide protection against catastrophic losses. It generally is written in addition to various primary liability policies, such as the business auto policy, commercial general liability policy, watercraft and aircraft liability policies, and employers’ liability coverage. The umbrella policy serves three purposes: a) it provides excess limits when the limits of underlying liability policies are exhausted by the payment of claims; b) it picks up where the underlying policy stops when the aggregate limit of the underlying policy is exhausted by the payment of claims; c) it provides protection against some claims not covered by the underlying policies after the retention.

V

Video Production Professional video production, or videography, is the videotaping, editing, and distributing a finished video product.

Voluntary Workers’ Compensation Extends workers’ compensation benefits to employees who may not be entitled to benefits under the workers’ compensation law.

W

Waiver of Subrogation The insurer relinquishes the right to collect damages from another party paid on behalf of the insured. The waiver of subrogation is referred to as a "transfer of rights of recovery."

Watercraft (non-owned) Liability Required when a boat is rented, leased or borrowed for use as a picture boat, chase boat or camera boat. Hull Coverage may also be required if the production company is responsible for physical damage to the craft itself.

Weather Insurance Provides coverage for extra expense incurred by the interruption or abandonment of the production due to adverse weather conditions at the location that which reasonably and necessarily prevents filming or taping.

Wharfinger's Liability The marine form that covers the liabilities and bailments of parties that operate or control a dock, pier or marina.

Workers’ Compensation This coverage is required by state law for all temporary or permanent cast or production crew members. The policy provides medical, disability or death benefits to any cast or crew member who becomes ill or who is injured in the course of employment. Independent contractors or subcontractors are usually considered as employees for Workers'' Compensation purposes. Failure to carry this insurance can result in paying benefits plus penalties. Even though a payroll service is the employer of record, the production entity must have its own Workers'' Compensation policy.

Wrap Up An insurance program put together for advertising agencies that hire production companies to shoot commercials for their clients and for record label companies that produce music videos. The production company, post-production company and all other entities or individuals involved in the production are covered by the wrap up. Since this includes contractors or sub contractors, their bids should not include insurance costs. A wrap up program includes general liability, a production package, errors and omissions, auto liability, property damage, an umbrella and possibly travel accident, non-owned water and aircraft and approved stunts. A wrap up reduces insurance costs, provides broader coverage and simplifies insurance administration.