If the pandemic taught us anything as musicians and music-lovers, it’s how much we took for granted seeing live music (and performing live on-stage for those of us who do so). And during the past few years, if you were spending more time in the studio than on the road, you might be open to welcoming back the wonderful world of touring, gigging and playing those big outdoor festivals this summer.
That also means being prepared for life on the road, and that means not just getting the right gear for your upcoming tour.
WHY NOW?
Understandably, one of the things you may not have kept front of mind during the past few years is your touring needs outside of the obvious: gear, transportation and merch to sell. Namely, we’re talking about liability insurance to cover you and your act in case something goes wrong during the gig. Now, this is obviously something we don’t want to think about, but sometimes things don’t go according to plan, and people (and property) can get hurt and damaged as a result of people’s actions (or, in some cases, inactions).
While many of us have been homebound for a while, touring is back in full effect, so now is the PERFECT time to start looking into insurance options if you are not currently covered, or if your coverage lapsed while you were not performing. The last thing you want is to be left vulnerable in the event that you become responsible for something other than your audience’s good times.
Luckily, companies like K&K Insurance have made the process of evaluating affordable options for musicians and live entertainers easy, and you can even start the quote process online before talking with an agent to address your specific needs.
WHY DO I NEED INSURANCE AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR
This is a great question – you may be thinking that wherever you’re playing surely already has insurance, right? Maybe (well, hopefully), but some venues and promoters will specifically require performing talent to also carry their own liability coverage to protect themselves, so knowing what you need in terms of certificates and proof of insurance is something your booking agent should be able to provide after speaking with the promoter.
It’s also just a good idea in general to explore insurance coverage for yourself so that you’re not leaving it up to the venue, who may be looking out for their best interests first.
When it comes time to actual move ahead with a policy, your insurance provider should be able to help you determine how much insurance you need, what to cover for your specific act, as well as how to handle claims in the event that something does actually go wrong during the big day.
Look for insurance that provides the best liability coverage you can afford, and at least meets the minimum requirements that you may need to contractually fulfill for your performance. You should also work with agents who deal specifically with live entertainers as they’ll be more in tune (no pun intended) with your specific job risks and can help provide helpful information on how to avoid said risky situations so that you can prevent the need for claims to ever be filed in the first place (for example – knowing what you can and cannot touch during load-ins and load-outs is a really good thing to be aware of, ask me how I know).
WHAT IT ALL MEANS
At the end of the day, covering your live act with an insurance policy for your performances is a smart way to get instant piece of mind, one less thing you need to worry about when your full attention should be spent on the creative aspect of the show, and not the (let’s face it) less glamorous but still crucially important aspects of the road. So, get your policy taken care of ahead of time – it’s easy, usually pretty darn affordable, and there are people to guide you towards the most appropriate coverage for your show.
To learn more and get started today before your summer gig schedule fills up completely, head to https://www.kandkinsurance.com/sites/Entertainer/pages/BandsPerformers.aspx.
