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BBC CONTRACTOR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS – EXPLAINED
Make Sure Your Insurance Matches What the Contract or Purchase Order Asks For
Many BBC contractors are asked to confirm they hold certain insurances before starting work – usually Public Liability (PL) and sometimes Professional Indemnity (PI), especially for advisory, technical or production roles.
Insure24 helps contractors understand those requirements and put suitable insurance in place, with documents you can send to the BBC, agencies or production companies.
This page is for general guidance only. Requirements vary by contract, supplier type and project. Always check your specific BBC contract or supplier documentation.
Common Insurance Requirements for BBC Contractors
What you may be asked to hold as a freelancer, limited company or PSC.
Typical Core Covers Requested
- Public Liability Insurance – often required where you attend BBC premises, studios, locations or events. Limits frequently requested: £1m / £2m / £5m (exact amount depends on the contract).
- Professional Indemnity Insurance – sometimes requested for editorial, journalistic, consultancy, production, technical or advisory roles, especially where advice or content is produced.
- Employers’ Liability – legally required if you have employees; some contracts may ask you to confirm your status.
- Equipment / Kit Insurance – for cameras, sound, lighting, laptops and other gear you own and bring on site.
- Business / Office Insurance – home-office or office contents where you work from your own premises.
- Optional Cyber & Data Insurance – for roles dealing with sensitive data, cloud platforms and email.
What Insure24 Helps You With
- Interpreting the insurance wording in your BBC or agency contract.
- Matching your policy limits and cover types to what is being requested.
- Producing certificates and documentation you can send to the BBC or intermediaries.
- Adding or adjusting cover if you change role, production, or type of work.
- Structuring cover to support outside-IR35 working where relevant.
- Advising on how PL, PI and equipment cover work together for your situation.
Who Is This Guidance For?
Contractors and small businesses providing services to the BBC or related productions.
Typical Contractor Profiles
- Freelance camera operators, sound engineers and lighting technicians.
- Editors, producers, assistant producers and production managers.
- Journalists, researchers, writers and content creators.
- IT, digital, web and technical contractors working on BBC projects.
- Marketing, comms, PR and branding specialists.
- Independent limited companies and PSCs supplying services on contract.
Different Ways You Might Be Engaged
- Direct contracts with the BBC or BBC Studios.
- Engagement via production companies supplying programmes to the BBC.
- Engagement via agencies or umbrella companies.
- One-off projects versus ongoing series or long-running productions.
- Hybrid roles: creative plus technical, or production plus advisory.
- Individuals who previously worked staff and now contract back in.
Key Risks for BBC Contractors
Why the BBC (or an intermediary) may ask you to hold specific insurance.
On-Site & Operational Risks
- Accidental injury to other crew, staff or the public during filming or events.
- Damage to BBC property, sets, locations or equipment.
- Trips, slips or falls caused by your cables, kit or setup.
- Use of your own equipment that causes loss or damage.
- Work at external venues, locations or abroad where cover still needs to apply.
- Third-party locations or studios asking for proof of Public Liability cover.
Professional, Content & Contract Risks
- Disputes over the quality, timeliness or suitability of content you produce.
- Alleged mistakes in editing, research, scripting or technical setup.
- Issues linked to copyright, permissions or use of third-party material.
- Contractual obligations to hold certain limits as a supplier.
- Possible contribution to complaints or reputational issues from content.
- Data risks where you store or transfer footage, audio or digital assets.
How We Help BBC Contractors Meet Insurance Requirements
Simple steps from contract wording to proof of cover.
1. Review Your Contract or Request
- You share the relevant section of your BBC or agency contract.
- We identify the requested insurances and minimum limits.
- We look at how often, where and what kind of work you will be doing.
- We consider whether you already have any cover in place.
- We highlight any ambiguous or unusual insurance wording for discussion.
2. Arrange Cover & Provide Documentation
- We recommend a package of PL, PI and any optional covers that fit your role.
- We set limits that meet or exceed the requested minima.
- We issue certificates and schedules you can send to the BBC or intermediaries.
- We can help update documents quickly if contracts change.
- We support you at renewal to ensure ongoing compliance with new projects.
My contract paperwork asked for specific Public Liability and Professional Indemnity levels before filming dates were confirmed. Insure24 helped interpret the wording and arranged cover and certificates quickly.
Freelance Camera Operator, UK
UNDERSTAND YOUR BBC INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
& PROTECT YOUR CONTRACTS
WHY CONTRACTORS USE INSURE24 FOR BBC WORK
- Experience supporting media, production and creative contractors.
- Clear explanations of what each requested insurance actually does.
- Ability to match or exceed requested limits and provide proof quickly.
- Joined-up cover – PL, PI, kit, cyber and legal in one conversation.
- Ongoing support as your roles, productions or clients change.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What insurance do I need to work for the BBC as a contractor?
Requirements vary by role and contract. Many contractors are asked for Public Liability, and some are also
asked for Professional Indemnity. The exact limits should be stated in your contract or supplier
documentation. We can help you interpret these and arrange suitable cover.
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What Public Liability limit is normally requested?
PL limits often range between £1m and £5m, sometimes higher for certain locations or events.
Check your contract for the exact minimum and we’ll ensure your policy meets or exceeds it.
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Do I always need Professional Indemnity to work with the BBC?
Not always. PI is more likely to be requested where you provide advice, editing, production, technical or
creative services that could lead to a dispute about quality or suitability. Your contract should confirm
whether PI is needed and at what limit.
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Do I need Employers’ Liability if it’s just me?
If you are the only person in your business and you have no employees, you may not legally require
Employers’ Liability. However, if you use assistants, labour-only crew or employees, you are likely to need it.
We’ll discuss your set-up and make sure the policy is correct.
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Will the insurance cover my own kit and equipment?
Public Liability covers injury or property damage caused by your activities, not your own equipment.
You can add separate equipment/kit cover for cameras, sound, lighting and similar items you own or hire.
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Does this insurance help with IR35 status?
Insurance alone does not determine IR35, but having your own business insurance is one factor that supports
the picture of operating as an independent business. We structure cover around how you work and contract.
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Can you look at the exact insurance wording in my BBC contract?
Yes. You can share the relevant clauses with us and we’ll explain, in plain English, what is being asked
for and how your policy can be set up to match it.
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How quickly can I get proof of cover for onboarding?
In many cases we can arrange cover and issue documentation very quickly, subject to insurers’ acceptance.
We understand that production schedules and start dates are often tight.
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Are you connected with or endorsed by the BBC?
No. Insure24 is an independent insurance broker. We are not part of, endorsed by or officially associated
with the BBC. Our role is to help contractors arrange suitable insurance based on the requirements they are given.
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How do I get started?
Contact Insure24 with your role description, a copy of your BBC or agency insurance clause and your
anticipated day-rate or fee. We’ll talk you through the options and provide quotes that meet typical
contractor insurance requirements.