When shooting on public land like state parks and beaches, do you purchase usage permits and the required insurance? And let's say you have a model on location and he/she gets injured. Are you liable? Do  you do anything to waive your liability?

Thanks
OX

In Australia, many locations require coverage of $10million or more.

Like Ed says, you can be liable if you've done something to cause their injury. Having them sign a waiver that is endorsed by the insurer can exclude you from liability incurred by the model's actions, but it doesn't protect you for much, as you have a duty of care as the shoot producer/organiser.

I'm changing insurance (was formerly getting insurance through the PPA) and am finalizing things this week.

As of this afternoon, I'm insured up to $2million.  There is an "errors and omissions" aspect of the policy in case I shoot an event and a CF card becomes corrupt and I have to re-shoot it.  My equipment is covered at FULL REPLACEMENT VALUE.  In other words, if I break my 5D MK II and they aren't made anymore, they will pay for me to get a 5D MK III to replace my camera.  If my equipment is stolen or my house burns down with it in it, they will pay for any losses incurred with my ability not to work due to the loss.

The only portion that I am working on finalizing (should be by Friday) is I've asked for a supplemental policy that covers me for any claims made by a model or anyone else that sues for right to privacy reasons.  As an example, say a model sees an image of themselves on the cover of a magazine and suddenly they decide that even though they were compensated, they feel they weren't "adequately" compensated, or they feel they didn't understand the model release.  This will also cover editorial situations where if I shoot an editorial image, an it's used in a travel brochure or in a newspaper, I am covered if the people in the image attempt to sue me.

I think it's worth it as well - per the TOS of most micro agencies, we indemnify them...I can't afford to do that out of my own pocket.  I went through Hill & Usher and my understanding is that many stock photographers have similar supplemental policies.

Is anyone prepared to say what sort of prices these policies cost?
Any I've seen have been really expensive (UK). [NB, I don't shoot models.]

Sue, my initial insurance through the PPA was $320 USD/year.  That covered $1 million general liability (what's required here in Colorado to get permits to use a facility).  In New York, my understanding is more and more, the requisite is $5 million in liability.  The PPA policy strictly covers general liability.

The policy I have through Hill & Usher is $729 USD/Year  The policy is much more comprehensive and covers:

-$2,000,000 general liability including personal injury each occurance  up to $4,000,000
-$300,000 damage to premises rented (i.e. studio building)
-$10,000 medical expenses
-$15,000 Business personal property (camera bags, props, furniture)
-Business interruption (up to 12 months)
-$10,000 Rented quipment
-Building glass
Accounts receivable $125,000
Valuable paper and records $25,000
-Electronic data processing $50,000 (say your computer gets a virus and you lose all your images or need to pay for recovery)
Targeted hacker attack
$25,000-rental cars

I don't have numbers yet on the supplemental policy but I beleive it will be approx $400 or $500 for $1 million worth of coverage.

Thanks ED. My agent flaked out and I am looking for a good policy. I will head down your road to H&U