String Quartet Public Liability Insurance- Why Your Group Should Have It – It is becoming increasingly common for wedding and concert venues to get in touch with us a few days before we are due to play there, asking for proof of our public liability insurance. Essentially, this is a policy which means that if any of our players cause damage to objects or people whilst performing at a venue, that it will be our insurance covering any costs, rather than the insurance at the venue itself (which may cover staff who are employed by the venue, but may not cover visiting wedding suppliers such as musicians, florists, photographers or toastmasters).

As we have full public liability insurance through the Incorporated Society of Musicians,¬†this gives us and the venue peace of mind that in the unlikely event of an accident (say, a guest tripping over¬†one of our¬†music stands or a musician accidentally knocking over an antique vase),¬†we would be insured against any costs.

It is surprising then, that in our conversations with wedding venues, they frequently tell us that they come across many groups who do not have insurance at all! We assume that these would be¬†music students¬†or¬†part time groups who play for weddings at weekends, yet have other jobs during the week. ¬†As it’s a requirement that visiting suppliers have their own cover, in the worst case scenario this would mean that despite the¬†bridal couple¬†booking the group for the wedding,¬†the venue would not allow the musicians to perform on the day¬†unless cover was arranged.¬† As these insurance checks are often asked for within the week¬†preceding the wedding, that would mean the players would need to very swiftly take out a policy if they are going to fulfill the booking.

So in a nutshell,¬†before proceeding with any booking for a¬†wedding string¬†quartet or other supplier, it is important to¬†ask¬†whether the group¬†have public liability insurance and that their instruments are insured. More and more¬†venues require it and by having insurance in place well in advance, it saves any last minute anxiety.