Liability Insurance for Creative Freelancers

What exactly is liability insurance?

Business liability insurance—or BLI for short—protects you when you, your work, or your equipment causes harm to someone else. Personal injury. Property damage. The financial consequences that result.

It’s not insurance you hope you’ll need. It’s insurance that ensures one unfortunate moment doesn’t jeopardize your entire business.

At Oddny, we explain it the way we’d like to see it explained ourselves: in plain language, without jargon, and without the catastrophic imagery often used to sell insurance. Protection isn’t about fear. It’s about responsibility—toward your work, your clients, and your own livelihood.

Who is this insurance for?

For creative freelancers and small businesses who take their work out into the world—physically, digitally, in studios, on location. We’re here specifically for:

•  Photographers — equipment on location, set liability, client materials

• Architects — on-site work, project liability

• Videographers — production, filming set, client equipment

• Graphic designers, UX designers, interior designers — damage during delivery, presentation, or installation

• Musicians — liability during performances, instruments, recordings

• Stylists — costumes, locations, third-party property

• Artists and creators— workshop, exhibition, transport

Do you work in a general partnership, a limited liability company, or as a self-employed individual without employees? Even then, Oddny is the right choice for you.

What is covered?

Damage to persons and property

If you, your work, your employees, or your equipment cause damage—injury, death, or damage to others’ property—Oddny will cover the damages. This includes the resulting financial consequences, such as business interruption for your client.

Product liability

Do you deliver a product that later causes damage—a defective prototype, an installation that fails, a print that comes loose? That’s covered too.

Legal assistance

In the event of a covered claim, we cover the costs of legal support. Determining liability. Conducting legal proceedings if necessary. Statutory interest. Salvage costs.

Employer’s liability

Do you have staff, temporary workers, or interns? Damage they sustain due to a workplace accident or occupational disease is covered. This also includes employees’ personal belongings that are damaged while on the job.

Environmental damage to persons

Liability for injury caused by environmental damage is also covered.

Retroactive coverage (optional)

Damage that occurred before your policy’s effective date but was reported afterward can be covered retroactively for up to three years. Condition: the damage was not known at the time the policy was purchased.

Standard coverage amount

€2,500,000 per claim, with a maximum of €5,000,000 per insurance year. You can adjust this amount to suit the nature of your work—ask us for advice if you’re unsure.



Where does the insurance apply?

Throughout Europe. For professions in healthcare and personal care, coverage is limited to the Netherlands.

What is not covered?

No insurance covers everything. That’s not a pitfall—it’s how the system works. To be clear, in plain language:

• Having to redo a product or service. If your work doesn’t meet standards and you have to redo it, that’s not covered by the General Liability Insurance.

• Damage caused intentionally. If you or an insured person intentionally causes damage.

• Damage caused by aircraft or motor vehicles. You have separate insurance for your car or bus. Exception: damage caused by an e-bike (up to 25 km/h) is covered.

• Asbestos. Damage resulting from asbestos is excluded.

• Deliberate violation of government regulations.

• Custody. Damage to items in your care—rented, on loan, or that you are working on—is generally not covered. In some situations, we may make exceptions to this. Please inquire.

• Foreign branch. Damage related to a branch outside the Netherlands.

• Environmental damage to soil or water. For work that may cause soil contamination, we recommend separate environmental damage insurance.

• Post-termination coverage. Damage reported after the policy’s expiration date, even if it occurred during the policy term, is not automatically covered. Upon termination, you can cover this residual risk separately.

Not sure if your situation is covered? Call us or send a message. We’d rather be upfront about what we can and cannot cover than have you find out when you file a claim.

Three real-life scenarios

On-location photography

You’re setting up a shoot at a client’s home. A tripod tips over and hits an antique mirror. The damage: €3,200. With a General Liability Policy, that bill isn’t your problem—you file the claim, and Oddny handles the rest.

Architecture on the construction site

You visit an ongoing project and accidentally knock over a ladder. A contractor’s employee is injured. In addition to medical expenses, he files a claim for lost income. The general liability insurance covers the costs and handles the legal proceedings, so you can get back to work.

Styling during an event

A decorative element you installed falls over. A visitor is injured. Liability is placed on you. Oddny acts on your behalf, covers the damages, and handles the legal aspects.

How much does liability insurance for self-employed professionals cost?

Honest answer: it depends on a few things. Your field of work. Your revenue. The coverage amount you choose. The deductible you accept.

For most creative freelancers, the premium starts at €9.63 per month. Higher-risk fields—on-site work, or work in healthcare and personal care—are slightly higher.

We don’t use introductory rates that secretly go up later. What you see when you sign up is what you pay. If something changes in your work, we’ll discuss it—honestly—and adjust the policy.

Is liability insurance mandatory?

Not by law. In the Netherlands, no self-employed person is required to take out liability insurance.

But in practice, the story is different. Many clients—especially larger companies, government agencies, and event venues—require valid general liability insurance before you can work for them. Sometimes it’s in the contract, sometimes it’s requested verbally. So having a policy in hand opens doors that would otherwise remain closed.

And then there’s the personal aspect: without coverage, you bear the cost of every damage claim yourself. For a broken laptop, that’s manageable. For an injury claim amounting to tens of thousands of euros, it starts to hurt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does BPL mean?

AVB stands for Business Liability Insurance. It covers the financial consequences when your business or work causes harm to others—personal injury, property damage, and the resulting business interruption.

How does liability insurance work?

You pay a monthly or annual premium. If damage occurs for which you are held liable, you report it to Oddny. We assess the claim, reimburse the damage up to the insured amount, and handle the legal proceedings if necessary.

What is the difference between general liability insurance (AVB) and professional liability insurance (BAV)?

AVB covers physical damage—injury and property damage—resulting from your work. Professional liability insurance (BAV) covers professional errors: errors in advice, design flaws, or defects in delivered work that cause financial loss without anyone being injured or anything being damaged. For many creative disciplines, both are relevant—ask us for advice.

Does the insurance also apply abroad?

Yes, throughout Europe. For healthcare and personal care, coverage is limited to the Netherlands.

What if I close my business?

You can cancel the insurance on a daily basis. Upon closing your business, you can take out separate coverage for residual risk—damages reported at a later date.

Can I adjust the policy if my work changes?

Absolutely. We even recommend doing so. Eighty percent of Dutch business owners never inform their insurer of changes—as a result, coverage sometimes lags behind reality. At Oddny, an adjustment is a conversation, not a form.

What is the deductible?

You choose that yourself. A higher deductible means a lower premium, and vice versa. Different deductibles apply to certain specific situations; these are clearly stated in your policy.

How much does liability insurance cost for a self-employed professional?

At Oddny, the premium for creative self-employed professionals starts at €9.63 per month. The exact premium depends on your field, revenue, coverage amount, and deductible. Easily calculate it with our premium calculator.

How does it work at Oddny?

1. Tell us about your work

No jargon-filled forms. Just a few questions about what you do, for whom, and what risks are involved.

2. Get a fair quote

Immediate insight into your premium and what’s covered, in plain language. You can ask questions—we have real people, not scripts.

3. Sign up in minutes

Online, at your convenience. Your policy will be in your inbox before your coffee gets cold.

Why Oddny?

We’re here for creative freelancers. Not “also for”—exclusively for. We understand that your work is personal. That your income depends on it. That a misunderstanding with a client costs not only money, but also time, energy, and focus that you’d rather spend elsewhere.

What that means in practice:

• Our policies are written in plain English, not legal jargon.
• Our tools help you figure out what you really need.
• Our content answers the questions that keep you up at night, not the ones that suit us.
• Our service is people-first—call us, and you’ll speak to a real person.

"A work is never finished, only let go."

— Paul Valéry

We’re here for the journey in between