Public liability insurance for bands

MandyH · Feb 22, 2013

I know this question has been asked before, I can see it when I search, but the links don't seem to take me to the answers, and I'd like something up-to-date, anyway.

Our band requires Public Liability insurance.

Our instrument/ sheet music insurers are willing to add us individually, 15 people for at least £35 per head is rather expensive, so we're hoping to find a group insurance solution.

Since it's the council who are requiring this, I'm guessing we may need £5million cover.

Any suggestions?

rhysonsax · Feb 22, 2013

Our big band gets insurance through "Making Music" http://www.makingmusic.org.uk/ an organisation for voluntary and community music making groups. They have had quite competitive insurance rates, but they are edging up. http://www.makingmusic.org.uk/our-services/insurance

Our function / covers band gets insurance via "Your Insurance" and pays just over £150 per year.

Both bands have only started needing insurance in the last four years or so - we ran without for several years before that.

Rhys

Tenor Viol · Feb 23, 2013

I second the Making Music option. You need to join - they have rates depending on the size of your group etc and then various levels of PLI cover (my main choir has to go for the top level as we need £20,000 event cancellation insurance as well....).

I've been involved with PLI for amateur groups of various types for over 20 years and it's become rather expensive and uncompetitive (I think there are only about 4 or 5 underwriters).

Sue · Feb 23, 2013

Another vote for Making Music - we use them for everything - great to deal with. They have a decent library of music you can borrow from too.

altissimo · Feb 23, 2013

Excuse my ignorance, but under what circumstances does a band need public liability insurance? I thought that was the venue's responsibility.

rhysonsax · Feb 23, 2013

altissimo said:
Excuse my ignorance, but under what circumstances does a band need public liability insurance? I thought that was the venue's responsibility.

For our bands it has only been:

the Town Council (who are providing the outdoor venue and electric power) - presumably concerned about our PA falling on a member of the public
Hotels - presumably similar concerns

Most of the people booking us don't even think about insurance and liability, but the modern world is forcing it on us all.

Rhys

MandyH · Feb 23, 2013

What Rhys says...it's the Town Council in our case.
We have played elsewhere and never been asked, but this year we have been invited to join the "Bands in the Park" programme (normally restricted to Brass Bands, so a real honour for a Saxophone Choir to break in) and they have asked us to confirm out PL insurance.

I think the concern is if any of our equipment were to cause injury to any member of the public, then it is our responsibility to be insured, not the council's.

Mind you, we are acoustic, and if any of our instruments were damaged, we'd all be distraught!

We will look into the Making Music insurance - thanks all.

Sue · Feb 23, 2013

altissimo said:
Excuse my ignorance, but under what circumstances does a band need public liability insurance? I thought that was the venue's responsibility.

Good question. It's something we've always done through Making Music. Some of the smaller venues we play (village/church halls etc) don't have a stage and as we have cabling, I expect it's our (the band's) responsibility to ensure it's safe. So I suppose if someone tripped we'd be responsible (band member or paying guest).

As well as the pl cover it also covers insurance for all band sound equipment, stands etc, trailer to transport said stuff. It doesn't cover instruments - that's our own responsibility.

MandyH · Feb 23, 2013

Out of interest, does it cover sheet music? We are currently insured with Allianz for Band equipment (not personal instruments) and sheet music, but I can see that if this works with Making Music, then we might switch everything.