With some of the biggest stars in the Hindi film industry going out of action due to illness or injury, more and more filmmakers are seeking special assurances in form of film insurance.

This year, most of the prominent Hindi movies opted for film insurance, including Ashutosh Gowarikar and UTV project "Swades", Ketan Mehta's "The Rising", Mukta Arts' "Kisna", Yash Chopra's "Bunty Aur Babli" and Karan Johar's "Kaal".

This is a marked difference from last year when only action flicks like "Lakshya", "Deewar" and "Dhoom" were insured.

While it has been in Hollywood for a long time, it is only now that the Mumbai film industry is adopting it in a big way. Given the reliance of the Mumbai based studios on just a handful of stars, it has come as a blessing for most.

Time was when Bollywood filmmakers would not allow an ambulance to stand anywhere near their film sets. Now, however, they are going in for an astonishing range of risk covers that they did not even know they needed.

Director-producer Karan Johar says: "Insurance is a great protective measure today as anything can happen anywhere. Insurance guards you against unforeseen circumstances like what happened to 'Black'. In any film where big money is involved, the risk factor is high and requires insurance."

Perhaps, this is the only reason that filmmakers are not crying hoarse in spite of the fact that a number of stars like Amitabh Bachchan, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan have not been able to work.

Insurance cover assures that a film that cannot be completed because the key cast member has left can get compensation.

There are a few Bollywood filmmakers who are not sold out to the idea of insurance.

Sajid Nadiadwala, who has not insured any of his films, says: "Whether a film is insured or not, a producer has to take moral and legal responsibility in case an accident takes place."

Most producers agree that they don't go in for insurance because it raises the film's budget. Says Nadiadwala: "Paying the premium is not important. It is more a lack of education and mental application. I went through 80 per cent of my film before I realised I hadn't insured it."

Hindi film industry has seen some very unfortunate incidents like the time when Amitabh Bachchan was injured in film "Coolie" (1982), Sanjay Khan was seriously injured and 51 of his colleagues died during making of TV serial "The Sword Of Tipu Sultan", one actor was killed and another rendered invalid at the sets of "Devdas", two workers were killed during making of "LOC", a cinematographer was injured during the filming of "The Rising" and "Queen of Bollywood" Aishwarya Rai was injured during making of "Khakee".

United India Insurance is one of the leading insurance companies delving into film insurance, reports say. Ever since it began insuring films, United India has insured 96 films in all.

They branched out with Subhash Ghai's film "Taal" which was the first film to be insured. Recently they insured "Yuva", "Khakhee", "Munnabhai MBBS", "Main Hoon Naa," "Koi... Mil Gaya", "Kisna", "The Rising", "Lakshya" and "Mumbai Central".

Industry analysts are of the view that the concept of insuring films is finally gaining momentum in the country, with a consciousness to cover risk not only limited to Bollywood but among regional filmmakers as well.

United India recently insured a Bengali film and a Bhojpuri film.

An official with the company says: "This in itself is reflective of the increased awareness for going in for film insurance among producers these days."

Unlike other general insurance products, film insurance is usually a customised offering. The premium could vary from film to film and the extent of risk cover of the production.

The product usually covers, fire, serious illness or death of lead actors, failure of equipment, etc.

Even as film insurance is gaining acceptance across genres, television producers are also evincing interest in insurance.

One of worst accidents on sets of television serial was in February 1989, when fire raged the Mysore sets of "The Sword Of Tipu Sultan" for just 10 minutes destroying property worth millions.

The fire caused the death of 51 people and seriously injured producer Sanjay Khan. He received massive burns and septicemia or blood poisoning, and underwent surgery 72 times over the next five months.

After establishing themselves in filmdom, company United India Insurance is foraying into insurance for television production.

Bollywood stars are yet to catch up with their Hollywood counterparts when it comes to personal accident covers.

In America there has been a tradition of celebrities insuring talents and body parts. Thus actress Jamie Lee Curis, who insured her legs for $1 million while advertising for stockings; actress and WWII pin-up girl Betty Grable insured her legs for a million dollars many decades earlier; and rocker Bruce Springsteen who is reported to have insured his voice for a whopping $6 million.

In India, insurance cover for celebrities, models, sportspeople and artistes has not really taken off. Anyone listening!