While many assume that the major headaches facing film production firms stem from stunt sequences, weather disruptions, or production delays, the most common source of claims is far more routine: car accidents.
According to Damian Schleifer (pictured), executive vice president at Front Row Insurance Brokers, that’s not the only surprising insight. Another widespread misconception is that urban shoots present the greatest insurance challenges. In reality, it’s often productions in rural or remote areas that generate the largest claims – and the biggest headaches for insurers.
“The biggest area of claims that we see is car accidents, as strange as it might seem. That can have a very dramatic impact on the rates and coverage deductibles that production companies are able to get,” he told Insurance Business.
While traffic-heavy cities might seem like the likeliest hotspots for auto-related incidents, Schleifer says it’s actually the opposite in film and TV production. “You would think that just because of the traffic and, generally in insurance, people in more congested urban areas tend to pay more for car insurance,” he said, adding that, while accidents do happen on highways or busy streets, they tend not to be as severe.
By contrast, productions in rural or remote locations often face more dangerous driving conditions – and consequently, more serious accidents. Schleifer noted that crews traveling between set locations are more likely to encounter unexpected hazards like deer or moose crossings, slippery backroads, and wintry weather that can persist well into spring across parts of Canada.
“A lot of car crashes happen in that type of scenario,” he said, pointing out that these remote-area incidents often result in larger claims and more disruption to filming schedules.
When it comes to vulnerability from vehicle-related claims, Schleifer says it’s not the largest or smallest productions that are hit the hardest – it’s the ones in the middle.
“Large companies or big TV series will have so many vehicles that they’re renting and using, just from a numbers standpoint, you're bound to get some sort of auto accidents,” he explained. “But they have more money and more means to absorb a large deductible or pay for small fender-benders themselves.”
At the other end of the spectrum, small independent productions may only operate a handful of vehicles over a short filming period, reducing both their exposure and the likelihood of serious incidents.
It’s mid-sized productions – those shooting for a few weeks to a couple of months, with modest fleets and tight budgets – that tend to feel the pinch most acutely. Schleifer noted that while they may not experience a single catastrophic event, a series of smaller accidents can quickly eat into their budget through cumulative deductible costs.
“If they get a number of auto accidents, just the cumulative amount of their deductibles can be a financial burden for them,” he said. “So I think those are probably the most vulnerable.”
Zooming out to the broader picture, Schleifer said the entertainment insurance market in 2025 remains stable after several years of steady inflationary increases. Rates have plateaued, and there is currently no widespread pressure to raise prices.
However, a slowdown in production volumes could shift the balance. With capacity still abundant, fewer projects could mean heightened competition among insurers—potentially pushing rates down.
“If that demand is fairly weak, or there isn't as much activity, we could see more competition between insurers for a smaller pie,” he told Insurance Business.
While he sees limited risk of a market hardening, Schleifer believes some modest softening could take hold by late 2025 or early 2026 – provided activity doesn’t rebound significantly. Rate increases, he emphasized, would likely be confined to clients with specific underwriting red flags.
“It'd be very unusual to see a rate increase,” he said. “There would need to be something problematic with a client's business for an insurer to try and increase rates.”
Schleifer noted that while nothing fundamentally new has emerged in terms of underwriting expectations, the fundamentals remain just as important as ever.
“There needs to be a balance between an artistic vision and a desire to do something that's creative, unique and entertaining on one side and strong business practices on another,” he said.
