The past few years have taught us one thing: hosting events can be unpredictable. There will always be incidents that will surprise us, for good and sadly for the bad too. When hosts face these kinds of negative surprises, it can ruin plans and future events. These incidents can be anything from weather, cancellations to a worldwide pandemic. A minor incident can have a significant growing effect on special events and the event industry.
Events are something that people quickly save on their calendars and look forward to it all week, months or years. The event planner spends a large budget to meet the expectations of attendees. The events could be anything, such as weddings, concerts, trade shows to worldwide known sports competitions. An event not going as planned can cause a large amount of financial damage.
However, hosting companies and individuals can purchase event insurance to cover risks. Many companies and individuals are more interested in making sure they have event insurance before they plan anything. Event insurance is crucial, and this article will explain why businesses need it for every event.
What is Event Insurance?
Picture this; there are thousands of people who have just purchased tickets for a massive concert hosted by your business. Your company books the arena, the bands are paid, and a large amount is invested in satisfying all guests. A few days before the bands have cancelled, the government demanded to cancel all events due to the national mourning (under conditions). Any of these incidents will result in a significant loss and angry customers. The negative impact is why every growing plan needs event insurance, which reduces the risk of financial loss and advantages their customers.
Insurers can customise event insurance specifically to different types of events, events ranging from a simple corporate company party to large public concerts or exhibitions.
Event insurance will cover a range of risks that could affect the event or an accident that occurs during the event. Purchasing event insurance will help hosts recover from the financial loss associated with event disasters.
Top Reasons to get Event Insurance
Public Liability
Events can be great fun and interactive, but also could be followed by danger and injuries. It is very common to have injuries or property damage during events, especially with a large group of attendees. The threat can be caused by the people, location and many reasons that the host can’t predict. The host is responsible for all these accidental injuries and the cost of medical care.
The accidents could be, for example, an attendee tripping over the carpet and breaking his arm. Additionally, could include a sports event ball flying out of the stadium and damaging a nearby car.
In these situations, the main aspect of event insurance becomes an advantage, which is public liability. When one purchases event insurance, the event and hosts are instantly protected with public liability. Public liability cover is essential in this situation and will pay if your event is found liable for bodily injury, property damage, wrongful arrest, interference or obstruction. In addition, this will provide the host coverage for all the accidents due to the event. Therefore public liability provides the host with the motivation to host the best events, rather than fear accidents or damages.
Equipment Damage
Most events are full of expensive types of equipment that are either rented or owned by the host (business). These types of equipment are crucial to the event and are needed for the event to be successful, but they are very expensive to rent and buy. They range from audio/visual, decoration, seating equipment and much more. Equipment damage can be a common risk due to the number of people at the event and the event’s location. For example, expensive sound equipment in musical festivals can be damaged by spilt drinks or equipment accidentally dropping from a height.
Equipment damage is another risk that the insurer may cover with event insurance. The insurance covers any damage on material owned or rented by the organisation. Therefore the insurance will provide the sum of money needed to repair or replace. Event insurance will also provide a financial value on theft that may occur too. However, event insurance will not cover damages caused by rain at an outdoor event (company negligence). The cover provides comfort to the business or host – to know the expensive equipment is covered from any damage or theft.
Cancellation
Many situations can surprise the host and result in cancellation. It has become a very common result in recent years. These surprises could include: the leading artist cancelled for uncontrolled reasons, the main photographer no show, weather or even a natural disaster. Every year many weddings, competitions and business events have been cancelled due to these reasons. Cancellations result in the host being at a loss, as they will have to lose their deposit, return money to the customers and much more.
An event insurance policy will provide coverage if an event is cancelled for reasons beyond the business’s/host’s control. The insurance will cover irrecoverable expenses that have been pre-paid. Although there are some exclusions – a popular exclusion that will not be covered is if the act doesn’t show up with no reason or refuses to perform, as this is in the business’s control and responsibility. The host/business needs to understand what the event insurance will cover and work the event around it to be risk-free. As no company wants to pay thousands of dollars just because of one exclusion, they did not understand.
Weather
Rain, storms, and typhoons!- are some of the worst things to hear before a big event, as sudden weather changes can ruin an event and the experience. The weather could altogether cancel the event, especially if the event is outdoors. It is another factor that is not in the control of the host and can result in a sufficient financial loss.
Unpredictable weather can result in cancellations, as mentioned. Event insurance will cover all cancellations cost and payments that have been made but, unfortunately, not damages caused by the rain on an outdoor venue. The insurer cannot take responsibility for a common accident that has a high chance during outdoor events. However, if the host can prove the event cannot continue in that weather, the insurance will help the host.
Can I Get Covered For The Pandemic With Event Insurance?
The start of Covid-19 was a curse to the event industry as the government worldwide cancelled thousands of events and lost billions of dollars. Events such as the Olympics, European football competitions, concerts, and many more were cancelled in 2020, resulting in insurers paying these companies billions of dollars. For example, UEFA took steps to postpone the scheduled 2020 European Football Championship to 2021. A report recorded the move cost UEFA an estimated 300 million euros; on the other hand, cancelling the event would have cost the federation around 400 million euros.
At the same time, covid has had a significant impact on the insurance industry too, where many insurers in early 2020 had to pay these businesses for cancelled events, which cost them millions.
Event Insurance will not cover pandemic cancellations. Over time the worldwide pandemic showed insurance companies an increasing chance of events being cancelled by Covid. As an insurance company, it is not wise and feasible to cover such high risks. Furthermore, it can promote irresponsibility in the event industry during covid times.
The chart on the right shows data of the world regarding event cancellations due to COVID-19. As illustrated, events are getting cancelled or recommended to be cancelled all over the world. Proving that a cancelled event due to covid would be an unreasonable risk to handle for an insurance company.
Outcome Of Having Event Insurance
Money Reimbursement
There are many benefits of having event insurance; as explained above, they cover many factors that could affect the event. In addition, when the host uses the insurance, it has a fantastic outcome for the host and the business. One of these advantages is that the event insurance will reimburse the host for all the financial loss. In addition, this money can help pay off all the rented equipment, repair equipment, and pay back customers a refund due to cancellation.
Confidence to Reschedule
Another outcome that benefits the host is that the covered money paid by the event insurance allows the host to reschedule the event. Rescheduling events is essential for a business and for personal events too. The event can be crucial to the public and needs to be rescheduled by the host to help the company gain profit or celebrate an extraordinary situation for a personal event. Event insurance helps give confidence and hope for the future.
Peace of Mind
It is impossible to predict the unpredictable. If anything unavoidable happens during an event, it always feels great to know you have coverage available to protect you. Event Insurance offers the host peace of mind. It allows the host to prepare for the events to the best quality and not worry about unpredictable risks.
Before you plan your event, It is best to consult with specialist insurance providers who understand your event. They can help you pick the right kind of event insurance policy that fits the risk of your event.
To learn more about event insurance and cover an event with no stress worldwide, contact Red Asia Insurance.
