Hi,


i am 14 years old if you didnt know and I am now getting quite a few more gigs on the mobile dj scene, i want to get insurance and pli for my disco but can i do this I f i am under 18

Dan

There is no law to say that you can't have insurance when your only 14, in fact its a very responsible attitude. The problems start when you have to sign a binding contract and agree to any terms imposed. Legally you are unable to do this, which makes PLI difficult to obtain in your own name.

Technically whenever you D.J, you really should have an adult / parent with you in any case. Simply get them to have the PLI in their name.

Hi,

Yes, I have been thinking of putting the PLI under one of my parents names but would my parents have to be present at the gig because they are the ones with the insurance an not me. If so it is really impractical for my parents to stay there the whole night.

I just want to do things by the book as best i can. Am i even supposed to do what I am doing at 14.

I would recommend that you have an adult with you at any function for your own safety, especially if you are planning to do private functions for adults. Trouble is rare, but can happen especially where people have had too much to drink and most D.J's have at some point being physically threatened, or been potentially heated situations, even if nothing actually, came of it.

I have no idea of the legal standpoint of this situation, but I think that legally you would have to have an adult in attendence with you, even if they didn't actually work with you. There are also other aspects, to consider, Legally you aren't able to go into a pub or other licensed premises without an adult - for instance.

There are many people who were millionaires by the time they were 14,. Richard Branson was well on the way too,

Our preffered supplier of PLI will consider under 16's, but i believe that you must have a competent adult with you. This then makes it interesting, as PLI only covers the named person, so the "adult" would probably need PLI as well, then because there is two of you, even if your partners, you must by law have Employers liability Ins as well. Em, Rock and a Hard Place, comes to mind.

Would the other person need PLI if he was a casual worker, or self employed himself ?

Although technically at 14 and not having a N.I number he's technically not self employed in the true sense, he's just "floating". In the UK there is no real hard and fast rules for young people who have their own business, they are exempt from tax and National Insurance, they are not old enough to get credit or sign a contract and yet by running a Disco and working for themselves, they are not breaking any laws or minimum age requirements either.