We love our festivals. And the glorious summer of 2014 (so far, anyway) has meant that attendance numbers have been on the rise for all the major events this year. Yes, Glastonbury did get a bit muddy, but it’s not summer unless Glasto-goers are wearing wellies, right?
According to the Oxford Economics study for Visit Britain, festivals attract six and a half million revellers every year – and that number is increasing. But it’s not just the festivals that keep the punters coming in, but all the satellite events as well, and all of this has meant it’s been a bumper year for insurance brokers. One event insurance broker commented that business had been “incredibly buoyant this year”.
But if things go wrong (and who can predict the English summer weather for certain?), that’s when insurance providers loose their sunny disposition and have to start paying out for cancellations. And while the event organisers may be covered if that happens, what about contracted suppliers such as DJs? Does their DJ insurancecover them for costs if an event they’ve been booked for is cancelled?
Normally, the answer is no. It’s down to the contractor to approach the venue provider to discuss any cancellation fees, even if those cancellations are last-minute affairs.
Who’s fault is it?
By the same token, if a DJ has been booked for an event and fails to appear, they may find themselves being sued for costs by the venue. In this instance, it’s important for a DJ to have that essential public liability cover. Nobody wants to let a paying customer down, but there may be occasions when circumstances beyond your control conspire against you. Make sure you’re not going to be left financially out of pocket by protecting yourself from compensation claims from the venue provider.
So this is yet another argument for the importance of PLI for DJs, and that any ‘small print’ on contracts is carefully studied. Events do get cancelled, and if it’s not your fault then there should be some financial redress in the form of an agreed cancellation fee. However, if the cancellation or non-appearance is down to the DJ (for whatever reason), then expect to have to recompense the venue by return. And without the right DJ insurance, that recompense could be coming out of your own pocket.