In recent years, many producers have been told they cannot be covered for losses due to hurricanes under their Production Insurance. And with almost all entertainment insurance brokers, that is true. Underwriters are often wary of the large potential losses if a hurricane hits the area where a film or television show is shooting.
But over the last fifteen years, I have been able to secure hurricane and wind coverage for my clients, on very favorable terms.
I have the most experience with identifying and controlling the risks to production involved with hurricanes and other natural disasters of any broker/risk control consultant in the industry. I have provided hurricane advice to feature, reality and episodic productions in such diverse locations as Mexico, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, Texas, North Carolina, Australia, Tahiti, and the Solomon Islands. My contingency plans help you define:
- Timelines and checklists for each stage of an approaching hurricane/cyclone - including phases for shutdown, evacuation, sheltering and resumption
- Identification of evacuation and storage sites
- Notification and communication for staff and interested parties
- Equipment and supplies for evacuation/sheltering
- Steps to mitigate damage and downtime
-
How to document for the insurance claim
I offer onsite consultation to advise on location vulnerability, help identify safe evacuation sites and establish and implement the contingency plan. On many occassions I have even been onsite to advise clients through the shutdown, evacuation and resumption of production.
If you are considering shooting anywhere in hurricane or cyclone country, shouldn't you be with a broker that has 'been there' and can guide you through the process? To learn more, contact me at +1 818 224 6142 or by email
Profile
A risk and insurance professional for more than twenty years, Chris is a recognized authority on international film and television risk. He was director of risk control for Aon/Albert G. Ruben for twelve years.
He has provided risk control consultation on more than 900 film and television productions including Sahara, Titanic, X Men, Flyboys, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Behind Enemy Lines and Windtalkers. He managed production safety and was a risk management consultant to MGM/United Artists for five years. He was safety/risk management consultant for all HBO productions from eleven years and advised studio and independent productions for Fox, Disney, Miramax and Hallmark Entertainment.
A pioneer in reality television safety, he was the on-set safety and risk management consultant for the first three seasons of Fear Factor. Other reality television projects include American Idol, American Inventor, America’s Got Talent, Big Brother, MTV Video Music Awards.
As a member of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers Industry Labor-Management Safety Committee, he helped draft many of the industry safety bulletins.
Chris is the author of the CMM World Risk Guide, which measures the risks facing filmmakers in every country in the world. A constituent member of the U.S. State Department Overseas Security Advisory Council, he provides clients with international production exposures with up to date security and threat assessment information, advises on risk protection measures including security measures for crime, kidnap and ransom, extortion, terrorism, evacuation and crisis management.
Chris has taught film and television production safety at the Directors Guild of America, American Film Institute, and UCLA Film School. He has been a featured speaker at many industry events including International Film Finance Summit, RIMS Entertainment section, Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, and the Morrison/Foerster ‘Managing Risk in Reality Television’ seminar.
By identifying and controlling risk and helping the underwriters understand the nature of your production, Chris helps obtain more favorable terms from the insurance underwriters. Many difficult-to-insure productions have been cleared through this process. He also assists clients with hurricane contingency planning, security and medical evacuation plans, accident investigation, claims advocacy, injury and illness prevention plans and government agency liaison.
He has been featured in dozens of articles for publications including Variety, Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Daily Telegraph (UK), Chicago Tribune, and the Los Angeles Business Journal. He has also been a guest on National Public Radio programs “The Business” and “GeoQuiz”.
