Thread: Public Liability Insurance: Please get it!

Dear All,

For those of you who have not heard of public liability insurance (PLI), here's a quick overview of what it is:

Public liability insurance | Business Link

So in short, it covers things like:
- a member of public tripping over your discarded bra and smashing their kneecap.
- your cane being thrown to oneside, only to smash a footlight.

Fire performances and other acts with 'high risk' need a more specialist PLI.

For many events, notably FESTIVALS, PLI is a requirement for your employment.

As a festival organiser recently wrote to me:

"[PLI] is normally essential for professionals in the industry[...]. [N]ormal, professional practice is for each party to be covered according to their role and responsibility."

I can't help but feel a little embarrassed when I have to explain that it's hard for me to find 5 performers, to a high standard, each complementing one another, all available for a set fee, on a set date, with PLI and/or willing to obtain PLI for a one-off event. The fact of the matter is that it shouldn't be difficult for me to find this.

Do you have PLI? If you're a member of Equity, you gain PLI as part of your membership package. If you don't have PLI, why not? Is it something that you've never been asked for? Do you feel that burlesque is low-risk and therefore you will probably never need to claim on PLI? Would you purchase PLI if a festival gig required it?

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i got it a few years ago, when i did a corporate show for hampshire arts council.
i was sat behind a piano for an hour... it seemed pointless.
but since then, i've been asked for it so so so many times! so it was definitely worth getting!

that - and i play with fire too. (but that wasn't till later)

I haven't got it yet, but do see why it is essential. Even if you don't claim on it, it puts the right image across as a professional performer. I am going to get it alongside Equity, but just haven't got around to sorting that out yet, what with limited recent bookings due to illness.

Once PLI is purchased, it probably opens a lot more doors in terms of which gigs you are offered, so it is a sound investment!

I've been considering this recently. It’s been suggested I take over my hula hoop class now my instructor has left because of what this would involve I’d need insurance.
And when I do branch out onto the stage swinging my hoops about there is a high risk of taking out lights or landing one on a member of the audience. (I am usually in control, but accidents can happen!)
I’ve recently been introduced to fire… so there enters another potential risk!
It would also be handy when I get involved in more community arts projects too.
So I definitely think it’s worth getting. It just seems to be the professional thing to do. It would give promoters more confidence when taking you on and surely if you are doing private parties or the likes it would be a necessity as you wouldn’t be cover by anyone else.

x

MoB has actually been in talks with an insurer about providing special policies for performers.

Nothing has been finalized as of yet, but watch this space!

I've got it through Equity. I had to arrange it a long time ago for a one off gig, but now that I have it it gives me (and promoters) that extra bit of peace of mind

I thankyou!

I'm also finding performers who have Equity PLI's but are performing fire without paying for the actual upgrade for a fire PLI. Come on people it's a SUBSIDISED rate of £25!

When we were booking for the street shows last year it was a delight to find every street performer we contacted had PLI including upgrades, regional differences and their statements weren't catch all but DETAILED everything they do.

I dont know if I'd neccasarily recommend Equity after realising this year they don't always fight in our corner unless you want it primarily FOR PLIs.

This is a good place to start looking at what you need
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?r.s=sc&r.l1=1073858790&r.lc=en&r.l3=1074299 774&r.l2=1074429401&type=RESOURCES&itemId=10743016 56

You're PLI goes with you, some even cover the USA or you can upgrade to do this. Do check your policy as some require notice if you are going out of the country (normally a quick email to the company to check cover will suffice)

Would anyone here happen to have any links or information about PL insurance for abroad? I've been trying to get some Australian info, but without much luck.

Originally Posted by glamourbeastie

Would anyone here happen to have any links or information about PL insurance for abroad? I've been trying to get some Australian info, but without much luck.

Do you mean insuring Australian performers for performance in the UK, or insuring Australian performers for performance in Australia?

It's for insuring Australian performers for performance in Australia.