Front Row Insurance: We’re a Brokerage, Not an Insurance Company

The Difference Between a Broker and an Insurer

Colby Spencer: Why don’t you just give people a quick rundown of Front Row.

Mike Groner: Sure, we are an entertainment brokerage; we’re primarily based in Canada (main offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal) and then we have offices in New York, LA, Colorado and Florida. So, we’re on both sides of the border. We do 100% entertainment. Of that, probably 80% is for the film industry and then we also do live theatre, touring and other entertainment-related risk. We don’t do “any and all” things insurance; you’re not going to come to us for your auto or home insurance, for example.

Colby: And just to be clear: you’re brokers, right? So, that’s different than insurance companies (insurers). You’re negotiating with the insurers to obtain solutions for your clients.

Mike: That’s correct, we do not work for the insurance companies; we work for the production companies and producers. So, we work on their behalf to get them the best possible insurance coverage at the best price.

Colby: Kind of like a mortgage broker would be, right? You’re representing the production to the insurance companies.

Mike: We really do become part of the crew. I mean, we’re interacting with the producers, filmmakers and location managers on a daily basis from three- or four-weeks during prep all the way to delivery to the broadcasters. So, we’re playing a role as one of the crew members.

Colby: And all sizes of production, right? $2,000 to $200 million budgets, right?

Mike: Yes, we do everything from a student film shooting for two days on a weekend to $150 million large-scale TV series and everything in between.

Colby: That’s good to know because if you’re an indie filmmaker and you don’t know where to start, some might think that a corporate entity as large as Front Row might not give them the time of day.

Mike: We try to make it as easy as possible for a new filmmaker to obtain insurance. Usually, they don’t even consider the need for insurance until they walk up to an equipment vendor and the vendor asks, “where is your insurance? We’re not giving you the camera without your insurance.” For that purpose, we’ve created automated solutions (such as short shoot insurance) where a filmmaker can go online and purchase insurance on their phone while standing at the desk of a vendor, hand over the certificate and walk out with the equipment.

Colby: Insurance can be daunting and it’s this big scary corporate word and you’re like “ohh, I don’t know, what do I pay, it’s going to cost so much money and if I want to insure this little thing I’m doing, it’s going to be thousands of dollars” but I realized on your site that that’s just not the case. It can be quite efficient and reasonable and provides a lot of peace of mind.

Mike: Absolutely, and the fact is, most people don’t buy insurance until they have to have it, until someone tells them, “you can’t shoot here unless you have location insurance and you can’t take out this camera unless you have property insurance.” And that’s why we’ve made it so easy and most film packages come with a minimum million-dollar limit for equipment but, you know, a UBC student who is renting a $20,000 camera doesn’t need a million of equipment coverage; s/he needs $20,000 of coverage. So, we made short shoot insurance allows them to just buy what they need for the number of days they need it, and that’s all they’re charged for.

Colby: Yeah, so kids, do it. Get the insurance, don’t cut corners. Gear has come way down too; I remember when camera packages were way more than a lot of them are now. We’ve come a long way with technology.

Mike: We have, although there is still a chip shortage, and inventory shortage out there as a result of COVID, but hopefully that’s going to fix itself over the next six- to eight-months and everyone’s inventories will be replenished.

Are you a producer in Canada or the US? Get a quote for film production insurance here.

Related:

• Mike Groner Bio
• Digital Film Insurance and the Future | Digital Media Insurance
• Common Film Insurance Claims
• Civil Authority Coverage for Film Productions

Content courtesy of the Vantropolis podcast

About: Front Row Insurance Brokers Inc. is an independent insurance broker that specializes in the entertainment industry – specifically, the film industry. Front Row works hard to provide insurance protection for a very low cost. Should a claim occur, Front Row works diligently with clients and insurers to expedite the payment.

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