Business insurance for entertainers and performers
When you’re in the business of entertaining others, it’s important to make sure that nothing gets you down. That’s why you should have adequate business insurance – for that peace of mind, just in case you need to make a claim.
When you’re in the business of entertaining others, it’s important to make sure that nothing gets you down. That’s why you should have adequate business insurance – for that peace of mind, just in case you need to make a claim.
What insurance do entertainers need?
Whether you are an individual performer or a part of a troupe, you should ensure you and your business is protected at all times. Your cover details will depend on type and location(s) of your performances, but you’re likely to need liability protection to some extent anyway. Even if you’re employed by a company, you may want to review insurance they have in place to ensure it secures you enough.
Employers’ liability insurance for entertainers with staff
If you run your own agency and have entertainers working for you, then you’ll need employers’ liability insurance by law. This covers permanent employees as well as temporary workers such as students or trainees. Having employers’ liability in place means you’ll be able to compensate your staff if they suffer an injury through work. You are required by law to display a copy of your Employer’s Liability Certificate of Insurance where your employees can easily read it. Failure to display the certificate can result a fine of £1000 from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Failure to have Employer’s Liability insurance could lead to a fine of up to £2,500 for every day you don't have this insurance in place.
Public liability insurance for entertainers and performers
Public liability insurance protects you against claims arising from accidental injuries to the general public which happen as a result of your negligence at work. As your job is defined by having an audience, you should seriously consider taking out public liability cover. It’s not a legal obligation, but it will help to protect you if for example, someone trips over your equipment, hurts themselves and makes a claim against you. Before you dismiss public liability, ask yourself first if you could afford to pay compensation costs and legal fees out of your own pocket.
What else might I consider?
If you are often on the road and use a van to get to gigs, make sure you’ve got appropriate van cover. Being upfront and honest about your mileage is very important as frequent travelling increases the risk of becoming involved in an accident and your insurance provider needs to factor this in when calculating premiums.
If you’d like to cover your equipment against theft or damage, consider taking out equipment cover. Remember to check your policy exclusions, though, as some covers don’t extend to kit left in a vehicle overnight. If you’ve got anything particularly expensive, such as sound systems or DJ equipment, then make sure you’re clear about this and get an adequate insurance for business use. If you store equipment at your business premises, you may also want to look for commercial buildings and contents insurance.
Don’t be tempted to skimp on cover – the best policy might not be the cheapest, it’s more likely to be the one that’ll give you adequate protection.
How do I get performers insurance?
We like to make things as straightforward as possible. Use our public liability or employers’ liability comparison services to find the right deal for you and your business needs. Just tell us a bit about your business and we’ll take it from there.
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Mubina Pirmohamed - Business and landlord insurance expert
With almost 15 years’ experience in the insurance industry, Mubina is an expert from one end to the other. From leading the introduction of new products, marketing them, innovating them, all the way to handling claims with customers. At some point in her career, she’s done it all.