COMPENDIUM: INSURANCE POLICIES
for artists and art collections in North America - the USA & Canada
​

Below you can find links to information about INSURANCE POLICIES relating to the USA & Canada for:
  • Artists, Artisans and Art Studios 
  • Art Businesses 
  • Art Galleries and Art Fairs
  • Art Collections 

Information about Canada specific Insurance Policies is towards the bottom of the page.

MORE about INSURANCE FOR ART AND ARTISTS on the main page

​If you have any specific recommendations please email me (see form at end). 
​
Please do NOT email asking for a quote or a recommendation - I do NOT provide them.
 DISCLAIMER: One has to start somewhere when inviting insurance quotes - HOWEVER
(1) Inclusion of a link to a website does NOT endorse or otherwise indicate the organisation provides a reputable and effective service - although I aim, with your help over time, to compile a useful and comprehensive compendium of crowd-sourced recommendations about different insurers - and which to avoid.  
(2) I'm also not responsible in any way for the services provided at the other end of a link or advert
(3) I don't know which adverts you see (Google tailors them to you and YOU control what you see) and I do not specifically endorse any services offered by advertisements.
In 2010, 69% of artists were not properly insured 
​READ ​Insuring Creativity - CERF Business Insurance Survey

Emergencies (fire/flood/winds etc), crime or an accident ​- may well have a significant impact on your business
(Insurance for Art and Artists Page has Case Studies about artists and art galleries affected by fire, flood and tornados).
​However YOU can minimise the impact of risks to your business and your income with appropriate business insurance - and awareness of what is and is not insured - and appropriate preparation and precautions.

RECOMMENDED READING
Business Insurance Guidebook for Artists
​

I very much recommend you READ ​BUSINESS INSURANCE Guidebook For Artists BY CERF+ (A Studio Protector Publication). It provides an EXCELLENT GUIDE to what you need to know
Just click the link and download the PDF file to keep and read at your leisure.
YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO
1. OBTAIN A NUMBER OF QUOTES
2. REVIEW AND COMPARE THE COVER AND PRICES OFFERED
BEFORE
​3. DECIDING ON WHICH INSURANCE POLICY YOU BUY

INSURANCE FOR ARTISTS BASED IN THE USA
​

Below are links to sites which state they provide insurance for artists in the USA and Canada

There are two main routes to insurance tailored for artists
  • use an artists organisation that has negotiated good rates via a broker for specialised insurance for art and artists
  • use a specialist arts insurance broker - and get a quote direct​​​ specific to your personal needs.
  • ​Some of these are listed in directories compiled by artists' organisations
INSURANCE FOR ARTISTS - ORGANISED BY ARTISTS' ORGANISATIONS
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​The Art Glass Association Insurance Program - Members have unique insurance needs and the program understands the specific needs of artists working with glass. The AGA Insurance Program has created a "one stop shop"with access to innovative, industry specific insurance products and coverage at an affordable cost.​
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Short and to the point - in terms of scope and coverage
 CERF+ provides advice and information about insurance for artists - but does not negotiate insurance plans
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A website with some of the best content - but some very confusing navigation. It's not easy to find this Insurance Hub Home Page.
Business related items are NOT COVERED BY DOMESTIC INSURANCE!
If you experience a disaster then you need business insurance to receive recompense for what you have lost.
​See the CERF+ Video below.
Damage from floods is not covered by most homeowners, renters, and business insurance policies. Flooding is water that comes from the ground up, rather than driven by wind or through a roof that has been damaged which is covered by most policies.
ADVERT
SPECIALIST ARTIST INSURANCE BROKER - in the USA
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Types of Insurance that Sculptors Regularly Need to Obtain for their Studios, Employees, and Exhibitions by Daniel Grant (Sculpture | June 2004) - an article about the type of insurance that sculptors need in the US

What follows are various specialist providers of insurance for artists, sculptors etc including those exhibiting in art galleries, art fairs and trade shows.
Art Studio Insurance | Business Insurance USA - Art studios, like other small businesses, need to protect company profits and assets while also providing the best protection they can for their customers. 
  • General liability insurance is a broad level of coverage for your art studio.
  • Business owners policy (BOP) - protects the art studio against losses of physical business assets (eg art studio inventory or furnishings inside). It can also protect intangible assets and provides public liability insurance
  • Business auto insurance policy for protection from the financial fallout caused by auto accidents while driving on art business
  • Workers comp insurance is required by law in most states when you have employees
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Well designed website with an integrated quote system leading to an online form for your business details
​Artist, Crafters, & Tradesman Insurance | ACT Insurance (managed by Veracity Insurance Solutions, LLC ) The website is designed to ​designed to help artists and crafters get the insurance they need. and offers two different types of insurance
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All the basics on the front page - tick! Personally I'd redesign the front page so that the content of the left and right columns line up.
Fractured Atlas | Liability Insurance for Artists and Arts Organizations Lots of people can sell you insurance, but Fractured Atlas is different. A non-profit organization that supports the arts and creative industries.
Fractured Atlas empowers artists, arts organizations, and other cultural sector stakeholders by eliminating practical barriers to artistic expression. It is a nonprofit tech company that creates online tools to help artists with the business aspect of their operations.
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The page for art equipment coverage - the page for artists does NOT says "Arts" NOT Visual Arts
Artist & Craft Artist Insurance - Zinc Insurance (on insuranceforartists.com) - describe themselves as an insurance agency inside an art studio ​
Any artist or craft artist who lives or maintains a working premises (shop or studio) in any of the eligible states may purchase the insurance (see "Qualifying Locations" above). Spouses and resident relatives of the artist or craft artist are covered at no additional charge. Employees, associates, and apprentices are not covered, but may purchase insurance of their own.
  • available to all those reside in these states - AL, AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA.
  • choice of three limits of liability and six property amounts.
  • You must choose one limit for liability and one for property. You also have the opportunity to increase your transit and exhibition coverage via the optional endorsement. ​ ​
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Very contemporary design - almost too simple relative to what it offers
​Below is a very useful YouTube Video about Business Insurance for Artists by Zinc
or why business insurance is difficult for people who tend to be more are different rather other professionals

​Founder of Zinc Insurance Seth Zaremba discusses the different types of insurance that can benefit visual artists and answers some common questions to help you protect your art, assets and career.
ADVERT

Healthcare Insurance for artists in the USA
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[NOTE: This section needs updating for changes since originally drafted]

These are links to:
  • sites discussing affordable care and health insurance for artists in the USA
  • sites which state they provide help to artists who have health insurance needs​

Affordable Care - Information

This section looks at the issues associated with the The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or "ObamaCare". This requires every American to carry health insurance or face a tax penalty. Health insurance is also supposed to become more affordable - and Insurance companies should no longer be able to deny coverage for any reason. 

HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES FOR ARTISTS
Affordable Care - Insurance - Springboard health | Artists’ Access to Healthcare (AAH) Springboard for the Arts connects artists to excellent, affordable community health resources.
  • Based in Minnesota - provides a guide to healthcare resources locally
  • Links to a health care plan called MNSure

INSURANCE FOR ARTISTS BASED IN CANADA
​

A general comment about websites relating to insurance for art, artists and art organisations in Canada is that many of them provide a LOT LESS INFORMATION that similar websites elsewhere - with some notable exceptions.

Presumably this is due to lack of competition - but the insurance companies in Canada look old fashioned to me. They could improve both their presentation and access to information which might help their customers make important and meaningful decisions. In particular they should review how to help people make decisions in an informed and time-efficient way.

I'd very much appreciate feedback from artists as to which companies they find most helpful and what the process was like when trying to review who provided the best level of cover offering best value for money
INSURANCE FOR ARTISTS - ORGANISED BY ARTISTS' ORGANISATIONS
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Insurance is negotiated by the representative arts organisation for its members.
  • They know their needs and can attract scale economies.
  • Ask your art society of they arrange insurance for its members.
​
Craft Ontario (Ontario Crafts Council) - Member Services: Insurance
Membership with Craft Ontario gives you access to exclusive insurance rates and plans specifically for people in the arts! See available coverage options below.
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Excellent presentation - smart design, informative text plus link to the insurer broker for credibility
Front Row Insurance - Studio Insurance for members of Graphic Designers of Canada
- offers affordable office insurance for small businesses by removing the broker and underwriter from the purchasing process. The Business Office Package insurance policy costs c. $500 per year. The page details what specific cover is offered (in outline terms)
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Urban and contemporary - but not a lot of graphic design studio on view!
​SPECIALIST ARTIST INSURANCE BROKER - in Canada
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​Artisanandcraftinsurance.com (run by - claims to be "the leading Insurance provider for over 14 years to the Artisan and Craft industry". Their customers re people who create products for sale, work from home or a studio, exhibit at fairs, malls, shows or exhibitions. They are also the official Insurance broker for the Canadian Association of Exposition Managers, CAEM. We are also members of Exhibition Services & Contractors Association, ESCA. - so may potentially have a conflict of interest between those who organise exhibitions and fairs and those artists who exhibit at them
  • ​This is their application form - which looks like it was designed decades ago.
  • This is the eligibility list - which is comprehensive
  • HOWEVER The website is very light on details as to what the policies cover making it very difficult to compare their offers with alternatives. (i.e. there's a lot less detail than similar sites provide similar cover elsewhere in the world). It's not giving me a good impression.
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Is it just me who feels patronised when confronted with this type of image?
ASSURART - based in Montreal - has developed insurance programs to answer the needs of professionals and businesses in the Art, Culture and Entertainment sectors. Licensed as a Financial Services Firm in six major Canadian Provinces
EXTREMELY HELPFUL BILINGUAL WEBSITE
Insurance provided - and explained on the website - specifically for Applied and Visual Arts
  • ​Appraisers / Conservators
  • Artists - coverage for artworks, studio, lawsuits, public commissions
  • Artist-run Centers - coverage for operations and directors & officers 
  • Body Art
  • Framers - coverage for artworks, framing shop, lawsuits and faulty workmanship
  • Galleries - coverage for artworks, gallery, lawsuit and errors and omissions re. appraisals
  • Illustrators - coverage for studio, lawsuit, professional indemnity and media liability
  • Jewellers
and Event and Industrial Designers.  It also works with a number of art organisations to offer discounts for their members.
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Covering the breadth of the Arts - working with artists' organisations - and multi-lingual
Gallagher (Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Limited)
Obviously a very large insurance broker with comprehensive coverage of many different sectors of economic activity
​It provides fine art insurance policies (but not a lot of detail) for:
  • Museums & Exhibitions - both private and public museums, with flexible options from small, local exhibitors to historical libraries or national archives. Coverage is available for both temporary and permanent exhibitions, as well as items on temporary or long-term loan.
  • Corporate Collections - specialized policies
  • Artists, Art Dealers & Auction Houses - re. items on consignment to items in transit or on display at an art fair to coverage appropriate for artists, art dealers, owners of commercial art galleries and auction houses.
  • Restorers and Conservators - specially designed for restorers and conservators of all media, including paintings, furniture, glass, textiles, sculpture and stonework - with scope to refine for individual requirements​
They also provide more generic insurance for:
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Possibly better suited to the corporate world? ​- says the website design....
Protégé: Custom Insurance for Art Schools and Art Educators
Provides cover for a private instructor, studio owner, or educational institution
Provides VERY LITTLE INFORMATION about the scope of the cover - or why they are better than a generic business insurer.
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A very simple page with soothing words and not a lot of detail about what cover is on offer

What this site does NOT cover

PLEASE NOTE:
  • I do NOT provide insurance 
  • I do NOT sell policies
  • I do NOT provide quotes
  • I do NOT offer advice as to the most appropriate insurance strategy or policies for YOU. Guidelines are generic i.e. general.
  • I am NOT liable for any problems you have as a result of reading this page or any site it links to. YOU make the decisions not me.
I'm in the same boat as you - just looking to see what's out there.

The only difference between you and me is that I created a website which tries to pull relevant information together in one place!  

This site might help you but it can't provide definitive answers to all situations. I also cannot advise you on your personal situations

Only you can satisfy yourself as to what insurance cover you need and whether the policy you buy does all it needs to.