at what point did you guys get insurance and stuff? I haven't really started doing any proper gigs for people whom i don't know yet. Most if the stuff has been in peoples houses or gardens. Did you guys get insurance as soon as you did a first private do in a proper function room, or did you wait until you had regular work?

I'm doing a gig in a proper function room soon, but i'm not sure how many gigs i will get so wonder if i should hold off on the insurance bit for a while.
would appreciate your comments,
Kathy ;-)

you need the insurance now. as you never know whats going to happen... if you type in E&L isurance or musicguard into the search box on the forum it will take you to the posts with the relevant links.

Yes, get insurance now, and then its done with . Even if you are only just starting out.,If you are going to be actively advertising for or intend on canvassing for Mobile work then you are in business, and need to have some level of liability insurance.

Id echo Tonys advice of "straight away".


There are two types of insurance: Equipment/music insurance, which covers your gear, CDs and ye olde vinyl from theft, and sometimes accidental damage etc.

Then theres Public Liability insurance, which protects your bank balance if someone tries to sue you if a light fell off of your rig, or they got hurt by a speaker falling on, or if they tripped over one of your power leads, or got an electric shock by licking your lightbulbs etc...

Some venues, especially those RUN by hotel chains and local councils etc wont let you play their venue unless you have PLI.

And just to make it difficult some PLI policies will only cover you if your equipment is PAT tested (portable appliance testing)

I've just dug this post out from a few months ago, when there was a rumour circulating that some of the more commonly used companies where about to push up PLI prices.

There is another company offering combined PLI, Equipment and personal accident cover, and they are willing to negotiate extended amounts of PLI cover if required. Bear in mind that some companies charge over £100 for PLI on its own, it could be a good offer?.

£5000 All Risks Equipment Insurance Cover
£2m Public Liability Cover
£2000 Personal Accident Cover

For a Premium of £90 per year.

You can also request a quote for £5m or £10m liability but that would be down to your requirements and done on an individual basis. I believe that £1m or £2m is the average cover in this area but colleagues in the South may have to ask for additional PLI cover.

To get your own quote from the above company email joyce.beale@personaltouchinsurance.com - don't forget to mention D.J's United when you contact them

Why hold off, you may get a telephone call in 5 minutes asking you to do a gig tonight.

Get it ASAP !!

I think we got PLI after about a year of doing disco's on a more formal basis (I started off mobile djing with a mate). Looking back though for the price that it costs we should have got it straight away. My premium now with a lot more cover on actual equipment value is still under a tenner a month.

I know we've had pointers where to look for insurance, like E&L and Musicguard and I've looked at these along with doing searches on the net. I've also emailed joyce.beale@personaltouchinsurance.com (I even remembered to mention DJ's United ), just waiting for a reply from them.

What I think would be really useful though would be some recomendations of which company to go with.

Who are you guys & gals with, and how much cover do you have? After all, having been in the business a long time, you'll have tried different ones over the years and for me there is no better guarantee of satisfaction than recomendation.

I know different area's probably need different levels of cover so an indication of area like London, South West, North West, Scotland etc would help me (and other newbies) to pick the right level of cover.

Good thinking Chris!
I've also asked for a quote and mentioned DJU so hopefully they'll start thinking it might not be a bad option for them.

Vinnie

Dont think PLI is based on where you work... but type of venue and building... some listed buildings will require you to have 10m others 2m ..... look into where you will be working in the main, then go from there.

also requested a quote and mentioned DJU

he he, i also requested a quote and mentioned the forum. still haven't had a reply though, maybe they've got too many quotes to do now! ;-)

Is that really you in your avatar Kathy ?

Can you really get insurance on DJ equipment + PLI for around a £100, when we got insurance we had a great deal of difficulty getting anyone interested in insuring a mobile disco and PLI, even LLoyds of London couldnt give us any companies that would do it, we are now paying around £600, this is for equioment £10,000, CDs £10,000 and PLI £1m

Suggest you go by the previous threads and contact one of our suggestions then.
Mine is with E & L costs about £130 per year and is for equipment, 2 mill PLI etc. and that is in the South East covering LOndon and Essex


Spin

Had a reply from personaltouch on Wednesday:

Yes we are with leisure insure, but wont be come renewal time!

I would be interested in Disco insurance for as little as a tenner a month. My insurance with FML for £10k equipment was nearly £300 pa and they want £250 pa for liability.

With musicquard.co.uk they want £270 pa for £10k equipment and 1 million liability but there restrictions of the equipment insurance make me feel uneasy to use them. This was after getting the lowdown from there representative etc and the fact that they don't really insure the CDs which make up nearly half of the equipment costs.

TNT Disco