Insurance is rather odd. Everyone hopes they’ll never need to use it ever, but sometimes, it comes in to completely save the day, and you have no idea where you’d be if you didn’t have it.

There are also tons of different kinds of insurance, and basically anyone who owns or operates a business needs at least one form of insurance. Yes, even performers and entertainers of all kinds need performer’s insurance.

In this guide, we’ll explore what performers insurance is and why performers and entertainers need it. We will also discuss how performance can be obtained and the best forms of insurance for their trade.

Read on to get a basic understanding of insurance options for performers and entertainers, or skip directly to getting expert advice from an insurance professional local to you by filling in a simple request for quote/information form.

What Is Performers Insurance or Entertainers Insurance?

Performers insurance or entertainers insurance is for individuals in the United States who are performers and independent contractors. These independent contractors may also be sole proprietors of their performing business operations. Entertaining the public is what defines you as being a performer or entertainer.

Having a performer insurance policy provides protection against those who may be watching your performance, property damage to the area where you are performing, and some coverage for their own instruments and property or other products that you are using in your act. This is an essential form of insurance for those who perform and entertain for a living when their performances and entertainment shows are not under the umbrella of another company or business.

Why Do Performers Need Insurance?

Just like every other type of business, performers need insurance as well. Accidents can happen with entertainment of any kind. In some such instances, certain types of entertainment may lend itself more to possible accidents, injuries of bystanders or those watching the performance, or property damage.

For example, if you are performing a show in which you need to call a volunteer audience member to come up on stage and do something for you, most of the time, this should go well. The audience member who comes up will be a volunteer, and they will be happy to be on stage with you and will go back to their seat happy as well.

But in some rare cases, accidents can definitely happen. And if this is the case and the individual who comes up as your volunteer is, for example, injured seriously, they may end up suing you because they were injured in your act.

Naturally, the injury that was caused to the individual in your act may not have been your fault. In fact, it could entirely have been the fault of the individual themselves or of something beyond your control. But there are many instances in which an individual in this situation would still sue you no matter what. This seems to be the nature of how legal operations go in the United States.

And if this happens, the only way to make sure that you have protection for yourself is to make sure that you have a comprehensive entertainer or performers insurance policy in place. If you do have an insurance policy like this in place, it will take care of any warranted costs associated with the injury to your audience member volunteer.

Likewise, if you are doing a performance and the property where you are is damaged, whether the damage was caused by you directly or again, was beyond your control, having property damage insurance can protect you so that you do not lose your entire business and finances.

Liability performers insurance or entertainers insurance is not something that most entertainers want to think about, but it’s a smart and wise investment to may. It is a small price to pay for the coverage that it provides to you and the protection that it offers your business as an entertainer or performer.

The Difference between Professional Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance for Performers

There are two main types of liability insurance for entertainers or performers. They are professional liability insurance and public liability insurance. Below we will go over the differences between these two main types of insurance.

What Is Professional Liability Insurance?

First, let’s discuss professional liability insurance. This type of insurance will be included in any performers insurance policy without extra charge. It will cover you for any claims that may be made against you and your performing business that are the result of professional advice that you may have given to someone.

For example, let’s say that you are a clairvoyant and you have given professional guidance to someone else. Professional liability insurance will cover you in case you give advice to someone and they do something drastic and it causes an injury or something negative to happen in their life.

What Is Public Liability Insurance?

Now let’s talk about public liability insurance. This is when a third party makes a claim against you. They may file a suit against you because of damage to their property where you are performing or because of injuries. Public liability insurance will cover you in these situations.

Here’s an example: let’s say that you are performing in a public square. You had all the paperwork to be able to perform in a public square, but then, accidentally, one of your juggling balls hits someone in the head and causes them to fall over and get a concussion. If they were to sue you for this because of their personal injury, your public liability insurance would cover you.

Another Type of Performers Insurance: Instrument and Equipment Coverage In addition to the two types of coverage listed above for entertainers and performers, there is another type of important performance insurance that you may want to consider if you work as a musician or if you use lots of equipment in your act.

This is called equipment coverage or instrument coverage or equipment and instrument coverage. This type of coverage and insurance policy is especially good for those who are involved in theater productions, those who are musicians and have instruments and other musical equipment, and DJs. Most insurance agencies that offer entertainment insurance will offer separate policies to cover equipment and instruments.

All insurance agencies are different and in this capacity, they will cover different types of equipment, and they will cover different aspects of the equipment. For example, they may only cover up to a certain amount for instruments and up to a certain amount for sound and lighting equipment.

But generally speaking, equipment and instrument coverage for performers will cover musical equipment and instruments, entertainment equipment of various types, including costumes and props, audiovisual equipment, lighting equipment, and overall sound equipment. Again, it is important to speak with your individual insurance agent to know exactly what equipment and musical instruments and musical equipment will be covered with a plan like that.

Who Needs Performers Insurance?

There are numerous types of performers and entertainers that need to have performers insurance. They are as follows:

Astrologers and Clairvoyants

If you are an astrologer or clairvoyant and give advice to people, you will be covered. Many clairvoyants and astrologers worry about this because they may give advice to someone such as, “You should quit your job,” or maybe, “You should leave the person you’re with,” and if this causes negative problems for the individual’s life, they may end up suing the clairvoyant or astrologer. If you have performers insurance that will cover these things, you will be safe from cases in involving someone being disgruntled with the advice that you have given them in your performer’s capacity.

Keep in mind that astrologers and clairvoyants are covered under most types of entertainers or performers insurance, but hypnotists will not be covered in this capacity.

Magicians and Clowns

Magicians and clowns are often inviting people up from the audience to participate in their acts. This can be a great way to get involvement from your audience, but it can possibly lead to accidents. For example, if the magician invites someone up to participate in an act in which they’re going to saw them in half, you can only imagine the possible negative ramifications that can occur from a situation like this! Let’s hope that no magician saws an audience member in half, but you get the idea. Performers insurance will take care of both magicians and clowns.

Aerial Performers and Acrobats

Aerial performers and acrobatic performers are amazing to watch, but it is easy for them to cause damage to passersby, individuals watching the performance, or property where they’re located. If this is the case, it is important to know that you as an acrobat or aerial performer are covered with your performers insurance.

Face Painters and Temporary Tattoo Artists

If you are a temporary tattoo artist or a face painter at an entertaining event or festival, it is possible that you may run into problems with someone’s face or skin that you paint or tattoo. In this case, know that you are covered by your performers insurance.

Mimes and Jugglers of Non-Dangerous Items

Jugglers and mimes are often seen on city streets and in public places during their performances. If this is how you make a living or if you make money in this capacity, you need to be covered. Remember that when it comes to jugglers, however, performers insurance will only cover you if you are juggling and working with non-dangerous items. If you are working with fire, for example, this will not be covered under most insurance policies for performers and entertainers.

• Actors and Actresses, and Impersonators
• Dancers and Burlesque Artists
• Public Speakers and Poets
• Musicians and Singers
• Models
• TV Presenters, Hosts of Trivia Nights, etc

What Is Probably Not Covered When It Comes to Performers Insurance?

Some things are not covered when it comes to entertainers and performers insurance, and as an entertainer, with insurance like this, it is important to know what is covered and what is not likely covered. It’s important to note here that all insurance agencies are also different, so you will need to speak directly with the insurance agent that is working with you on your plan to determine what will and will not be covered, but in general, you can expect that the following will not be covered by performers insurance despite it possibly being a part of your act for performance:

• Zip line stunts
• Fireworks
• Devices with pyrotechnic aspects
• Hypnotists
• Special rigging
• Instruction that you may give to other dance or aerial performers
• Fire appliances and fire products in general
• Grandstands

What if You Travel a Lot When You Perform?

Many performers end up traveling because of their entertaining abilities. They may travel extensively throughout their state. They may travel extensively throughout the United States or North America. And they may even travel extensively throughout the world in their capacity as a performer and entertainer.

If this is the case for you, we you can get liability insurance that covers you no matter where you go in the entire world.

How to Go About Obtaining Entertainers Insurance

Are you a performer or entertainer who is interested in obtaining performers and entertainers insurance? If so, you’re on the right track to having adequate protection for your business.

In order to obtain entertainers or performers insurance, you will need to speak with an insurance agent in your area about policy options. There are numerous policy options available to you as a performer, and you can speak with them about the specifics of your plan. Once you nail down a plan that meets all of your needs, make sure that you know it inside and out, backward and forward. It is essential that you know your limits and know what you can do in your capacity as a performer. You want to be covered at all times.

If you do not already have entertainers or performers insurance right now and you are working in this capacity, make sure that you seek it out at once. This is an essential part of making sure that your company, your business, your work as an entertainer, and of course, your finances, are all covered in the event of an unexpected emergency or accident.