It’s that time of the year to string up the lights and make merry. Preparations are underway up and down the country for Christmas markets and festive feasts. If your business is going to make the most of the season of goodwill by organising a festive event, make sure you’ve got the right festive event insurance to cover you if things take a less jolly turn.
Do I need special festive event insurance?
This really depends on your business and what you’re doing. Anyone organising an event like a Christmas Market, craft fair, putting up public Christmas lights, or organising any other special festive event, you’ll definitely need to take out events insurance. If you’re a street food stallholder, attending a Christmas Market may be covered by your regular insurance, as long as that specifies outside events. If you’re a pub or restaurant planning a festive shindig for Christmas or the New Year, you may need to add on extra event insurance to extend your regular cover. And if you’re an office manager planning the Christmas party, it’s also something to consider. If you’re not sure, call our experienced team at Park insurance for a free chat and advice.
Why do I need festive event insurance?
From faulty lights causing fires to slips and trips, the mood can turn sour at any festive event. If something does go wrong, you can face legal proceedings against you. First and foremost, taking out insurance gives you peace of mind that you’re financially covered if there’s a disaster.
If you’re attending an event like a market or fair, you may also find that holding appropriate public liability insurance is a requirement from the organisers. Without it, you won’t be able to take part.
Types of festive event insurance
- Public liability insurance
Trips over cables and slips on mulled wine (or any other injury to the general public or damage to their possessions) can result in expensive legal fees and big financial payouts. Cover yourself with public liability insurance. If you sell food, public liability insurance also protects you from claims for food poisoning or allergic reactions.
- Employers’ liability insurance
If you have any members of staff you’ll need Employer’s liability insurance by law. This legal essential that pays out if a member of your team makes a claim against you for any injury or damage at work.
- Cancellation cover
The Great British weather is always unpredictable, especially in winter! If you have to cancel your event because of the weather, cancellation cover will help ensure you’re not liable to cover the costs.
- Buildings and contents insurance
As well as looking pretty, Christmas lights have a reputation for starting fires. If you’re holding your event on your premises, make sure your business buildings and contents insurance is up to date and covers you for the true cost of replacing anything that is damaged.
- Equipment cover
If you’re holding an event that requires extra equipment, such as live music, make sure your insurance covers you. Sound equipment can be costly to replace if it’s damaged, so you may need to extend your usual limit to ensure it’s covered.
- Stock cover
We traditional push the boat out when it comes to food at Christmas. But that can mean a big expense for your business if this luxury stock is damaged. Stock cover pays out for any stock lost because of equipment failure, such as a power cut or fault resulting in the contents of your freezer or fridge going off.
Be aware of the risks before you hold your event
If you’re organising an event, make sure you complete a full risk assessment to minimise any risks. This includes:
- Making sure all members of the team have had the appropriate health and safety training
- Checking equipment is working properly and is safe
- Checking for flammable materials – for example, Christmas decorations close to hot computers
- Keeping a close eye on any weather warnings that could adversely affect your event
- If you’re having fireworks at your party, follow the Firework Code
Call us for help getting the right Christmas events insurance
Our experienced team at Park Insurance has been helping customers for 30 years to get the right level of cover. Tell us what your business is planning this festive season, and we’ll help you to put together a robust package of insurance for your peace of mind. Call us on 0117 9556835 or fill in our online form for a free quote and advice. Then you can get back to business making the most of the festive season.