In the next of our series of blogs on specialist insurance for DJs, we look at protecting the tools of your trade – your equipment. From a humble iPod through to thousands of pounds worth of decks, your kit is your livelihood. It’s also the single biggest investment you’ll make in your business, so it pays to make sure you have all the insurance cover you need.
Specialist DJ insurance isn’t one single policy – it’s usually a package of relevant insurance deals that ranges from public liability and loss of earnings cover through to equipment insurance. And to make sure that your equipment insurance is sufficient for your needs, you may have to revisit your agreement before the policy is up for renewal, particularly if you make a substantial investment in a piece of equipment, such as a portable mixing desk or a PA system. So having a good relationship with a broker who understands the specific needs of your situation is important.
Travelling abroad
While your equipment insurance may cover you for gigs in this country, once you move outside the UK you may have to extend your cover to protect your equipment abroad. It is particularly important to ensure that your DJ insurance and protection for your equipment covers it whilst in transit (especially if it is being sent by freight or cargo carrier). If that is the case then you will need to ensure that the freight company’s small print on their terms and conditions does not negate your own cover, and if necessary you may need to take out extra insurance.
Once you’ve arrived at your destination you will also need to check that your cover protects you against damage, loss or theft while outside the UK, especially if you are taking up a residency at a venue for any prolonged period of time. Remember, it will be unlikely that if your kit is lost, damaged or stolen that you’ll be able to claim against the venue’s insurance.
If you think that equipment cover is an unnecessary expense then you should ask yourself one simple question – if that kit was lost or stolen tomorrow could you afford to pay for replacement equipment out of your own pocket? The answer is probably no, so for the sake of a relatively small premium, equipment cover is an important inclusion in any comprehensive DJ insurance package.