The Best Production Insurance Carriers for Connecticut Film Shoots in 2026
Quick answer: Six carriers do the lion's share of production insurance for Connecticut film and television in 2026: Chubb (deep episodic + features), AIG (broad streaming appetite), The Hartford (commercials + corporate content), Travelers (regional commercial productions), Markel (indie + documentary), and Lloyd's-backed specialty markets like Hiscox and Beazley (higher-risk content). The right placement depends on production class, subject matter, distribution context, and the broker's relationship with the underwriter — not on who answers the first call.
Production insurance is a specialty line that the vast majority of commercial insurance brokers don't actually write often enough to know cold. Picking the right carrier is the difference between a Connecticut shoot that binds in two weeks at a clean price and one that runs into endorsement gaps the week before principal photography. This piece is the producer's-eye view of the carrier market for CT-based film and television production.
For the full anatomy of what each policy covers and why, start with Production Insurance 101 for CT Film Shoots. This spoke focuses on the carrier comparison.
The Carrier Tier Map
| Carrier | Best fit | Premium positioning | Connecticut footprint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chubb | Episodic, mid-tier and major features, E&O | Premium-priced, deep capacity | Active CT writer |
| AIG | Streaming series, real-person dramatizations | Competitive on volume | Active CT writer |
| The Hartford | Commercials, corporate content, branded | Competitive on commercial | CT-headquartered, very active |
| Travelers | Regional commercial and indie | Mid-market pricing | Active CT writer |
| Markel | Indie features, documentaries, festival-bound | Most competitive on indie tier | Active via brokers |
| Hiscox / Beazley (Lloyd's-backed) | Higher-risk content (controversial docs, real-person) | Higher premium, specialty | Via specialty brokers |
| Allianz / Zurich | International co-productions, multi-state | Specialty placements | Selective writes |
Chubb — Deep Episodic and Feature Appetite
Chubb is one of the deepest production insurance markets in the US and writes a significant share of CT-based episodic and mid-to-major feature business. Their entertainment specialty unit has the underwriting depth to bind a $50M+ episodic series, the appetite for E&O on streaming content, and the loss-control resources that come with a Tier 1 carrier.
Pricing position: premium, but the premium reflects capacity. Chubb wins where producers want certainty of placement and depth of resources over absolute lowest cost.
CT note: Chubb is active in Connecticut, with experienced entertainment underwriters reachable through specialty brokers.
AIG — Broad Streaming Appetite
AIG's entertainment specialty business writes broad streaming and feature volume and is one of the more flexible markets on real-person dramatization, biographical, and docu-drama content. AIG's E&O appetite is competitive with Chubb's and often comes in tighter on price for content where Chubb's pricing is most premium.
Pricing position: competitive across episodic and feature; one of the strongest streaming-platform markets.
CT note: regular CT writer; producers should ensure the broker is positioning through AIG's entertainment specialty rather than commercial unit.
The Hartford — Headquartered Locally, Strongest on Commercial and Branded
The Hartford is, of course, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. Their entertainment appetite is strongest on commercial productions, branded content, and corporate video work. They've developed a meaningful production-package specialty over the last decade, with particular strength in workers' compensation paired with film production.
Pricing position: very competitive on commercial and corporate content; mid-tier on episodic/features.
CT note: The Hartford is the closest "hometown" carrier for CT productions. Their CT workers' comp pricing is competitive, which matters because CT-paid WC premium is credit-eligible.
Travelers — Mid-Market Regional Strength
Travelers writes a significant volume of CT-based regional commercial productions, indie features, and event/festival work. Their pricing in the mid-market is sharp and their CT-based commercial relationships make them an efficient placement for productions that fit the appetite.
Pricing position: mid-market competitive; strong on regional commercial.
CT note: active CT writer with experienced regional underwriters.
Markel — The Indie Workhorse
Markel's entertainment unit is the dominant indie-feature and documentary market in the US in 2026. They quote the festival-bound feature, the documentary feature with sensitive subject matter, and the short-film-to-acquisition pipeline more readily than the Tier 1 carriers, and their pricing is the most competitive at that tier.
Pricing position: most competitive at indie/documentary tier.
CT note: Markel is a critical market for CT indie producers and is best accessed through specialty brokers with active appetite relationships.
Lloyd's-Backed Specialty Markets — Hiscox and Beazley
When production content is higher-risk — controversial documentaries, real-person dramatization without life-rights agreements, satirical political content, or content with prior litigation history — the standard market declines or excludes the relevant exposures. Lloyd's-backed specialty carriers like Hiscox and Beazley fill that gap, typically at higher premium and with more bespoke underwriting.
Pricing position: premium specialty pricing reflecting tail risk.
CT note: accessible only through specialty brokers with Lloyd's syndicate relationships.
Producer's pro tip: Don't let your broker bind with the first carrier that quotes. Production insurance is a market where running three quotes across the right three carriers can shave 12–25% off premium. The discipline is editorial, not just price-shopping — the right three carriers depend on your subject matter, not on whoever has appetite this month.
Why an Independent Broker Matters Here
No single carrier wins for every CT production. The broker's job is to know which carrier's appetite fits this specific project's subject matter, distribution context, budget, and risk profile — and to position the placement to the right underwriter at the right time. A generalist broker who runs every quote through one carrier is leaving 15–30% on the table, on average.
iConn Insurance Solutions operates as an independent broker with active appetite relationships across the full carrier set above. Working alongside our sister agency at Insure Connecticut LLC, we cover the entire entertainment-specialty stack for Connecticut productions through coordinated placement — producer's package, GL, workers' comp, E&O, equipment, drone, and umbrella.
Key takeaways
- Six carriers handle the lion's share of CT production insurance: Chubb, AIG, The Hartford, Travelers, Markel, plus Lloyd's-backed specialty markets.
- Carrier choice depends on production class, subject matter, and distribution context — not on who answers first.
- The Hartford is the closest hometown CT carrier and competitive on workers' comp + commercial content.
- Markel dominates the indie and documentary tier; Chubb and AIG dominate episodic and features.
- An independent broker running 3+ targeted quotes typically saves 12–25% versus a single-carrier placement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which insurance carrier is best for a Connecticut indie feature?
Markel is the most competitive indie market in 2026, followed by Chubb and AIG depending on subject matter and distribution context. Lloyd's specialty markets enter the conversation only if content carries higher-than-standard risk.
Is The Hartford a good production insurance carrier for CT filmmakers?
Yes — particularly for commercials, corporate content, branded productions, and projects where workers' compensation is a significant line. The Hartford is headquartered in CT and competitive on its core appetite.
Why does the same project get such different production insurance quotes?
Because different carriers have different appetite for the same subject matter, distribution context, and risk profile. A production with real-person depiction will get a sharper Chubb or AIG quote than Markel; a festival-only indie will get a sharper Markel quote than Chubb.
Can I buy production insurance directly from a carrier without a broker?
Practically no — entertainment specialty insurance is broker-distributed. Direct relationships exist for high-volume studios, but for independent producers and mid-tier productions, broker placement is the standard path.
How do I know my CT production insurance broker is the right one?
Ask three questions: which entertainment carriers do you have active relationships with, how many CT productions have you placed in the last 18 months, and can you walk me through a typical claim scenario you've handled? Specialty knowledge shows in the answers.
What's the average production insurance premium as a percentage of budget for a CT shoot?
3–4% of total production budget for a full insurance program (producer's package, GL, WC, equipment, E&O). The qualifying portion is credit-eligible under CT's 30% film tax credit.
Need the right carrier mix for your CT shoot? Let's run targeted quotes.
Production insurance placement coordinated across the carrier set that fits your specific production class, subject matter, and distribution context.
For the broader Connecticut commercial and personal lines conversation, our sister agency at Insure Connecticut LLC covers the full P&C and health stack for CT businesses, and our colleagues at Wealth America, Inc. handle the financial-planning, entity-structuring, and credit-monetization strategy side. Insure Connecticut LLC, iConn Insurance Solutions, and Wealth America, Inc. are independently operated companies under common ownership.