Music catalog insurance overview
The short answer
A catalog keeps earning for decades, and claims can surface just as long. Catalog coverage defends claims over the songs and recordings you own, pays to recreate masters that are lost, damaged or corrupted, and adds Fight Back to go after unpaid royalties and streaming theft.
For full label and catalog coverage, see Record label insurance.
Start here
This is the quick overview. Music liability for every release, catalog and masters coverage, Fight Back and proof of insurance are all on the record label page.
Claims follow the catalog
When you own the rights, you own the fights that come with them. Warner/Chappell collected fees on "Happy Birthday" for decades before a court held the rights to the lyrics were never acquired. Read the Happy Birthday case. John Fogerty was sued for plagiarizing his own song by the company that owned it. Read the Fogerty case.
Buying or selling a catalog
Tell SongSure before you close. Your policy can start with the deal and cover songs released before you owned them. Claims you already know about cannot be insured, so get covered first.
FAQ
What is music catalog insurance?
Coverage for the songs and recordings you own: defense against claims over the catalog, the cost to recreate lost or damaged masters, and Fight Back for unpaid royalties and streaming theft.
Does it cover songs released years ago?
Yes. Tell SongSure what is in the catalog and your policy will cover the back catalog, not only new releases.
The catalog was cleared when I bought it. Do I still need this?
Yes. Clearing lowers your risk, but it does not stop a claim. The Beastie Boys licensed the recording they sampled and still spent four years in court. Read Newton v. Diamond.
Get a quote
Tell us what you need covered. A real person reviews every request and gets back to you with a quote.
On the form, check Masters. Add anything else you want covered in the notes, and SongSure will build it into one policy.