Musicians have an unimaginable number of hurdles to surpass in the constant struggle towards their definition of success, whatever that may be. Most of these challenges you’ll never see coming. But if tragedy struck when you were expecting it, well then it wouldn’t be so tragic. The number one thing any and every musician must do to ensure their ability to last in the industry is deal with the boring, the confusing, the unimaginable. Case in point: insurance. Inland marine, key man policies, special riders, homeowners vs. renters vs. auto, liability coverage, volunteer accident, small groups vs. individuals; these are all severely uncool topics that no musician can survive without. Whether you’re travelling with the band or if your home is your stage and studio, if you’re solo on the road or based locally in an orchestra, you will absolutely need to cover yourself through both insurance and knowledge thereof. So, where do you start? First, we must decide what needs insuring based on several qualifiers: where you play, what you play, when you play, and how you play. And while the decision of what to insure and for
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how much, based on your needs and the needs of those around you, is entirely yours, it’s necessary to be aware of the possibilities. Be aware of when the insurance of others might cover you; be even more aware of when you are not covered. If you’re one person gigging at the local taverns with an inexpensive acoustic guitar plugged into a cheap amp, and singing into a mic that has 20 years’ worth of spit on it and smells like a rotten bar towel, you might not need any at all. If you’re hauling around a trailer full of highly technical and expensive equipment, you had better be darn well prepared for accidents, theft, car crashes, any form of damage or loss. Even if it’s not your fault, the other person’s insurance will rarely cover all of your need.
can acquire broader business/commercial insurance which will cover any additional gear, trailers, merch, anything basically essential to your show. If you generate an income through your use of instruments, where the loss of your essentials represents a direct loss in income, you need this form of insurance, and likely many more.
That’s on you, and no one else. Always know your options. Here are some of the big ones:
Event liability insurance again does what it sounds like it should, which is to insure you (and your band, crew and fans) as well as your property at any kind of one-off event: concerts, music festivals, private parties, sporting events, the lot. CONTINUE ON PAGE 12
First up, we have commercial general liability, also known as business liability, or in this instance as simply musical instrument insurance. While some forms of this instrument insurance will only cover specific instruments, you
Volunteer accident insurance is exactly that. It can (make sure it does) cover any accidents caused by or inflicted on any of your volunteers. Anyone you pay for their work needs to be covered under a workers compensation policy (stipends reimbursing volunteers do not count as pay).
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