One of our mottos is ‘are you sure you are fully insured’ and this phrase really does need to apply to every business, no matter how small. Finding yourself without adequate insurance cover or worse, no cover at all, at best can leave you with a large bill and at the worst cause you to go out of business.
Because of this, making sure your cover is adequate is absolutely crucial and when you come to something as high risk as circus insurance you really do not want to be in a position where you have overlooked something.
Whilst there are a lot of areas to consider, here are five top things you should be thinking about when considering your circus insurance:
Stage Collapse
Your stage and seating areas are obviously vital to the running of your circus, however, have you considered what would happen in the event that it collapses.
This happened, for example, at Winter Funland in Greater Manchester during 2019, and whilst no one was killed, three people experienced minor injuries.
You would be very likely to experience multiple claims in this circumstance and your insurance should be able to cover you for the incident provided you have it covered on your policy.
Injury To Participants
Another risk is an injury to participants. For example, whilst performers are required to have their own policy you could still be at risk if found to be at fault.
This is a complex area and something that a good broker will be able to advise you on.
Collapse Of Tent
In a similar way to the collapse of the stage or seating, the collapse of a tent can wreak havoc as not only could people experience serious injuries, but repairs can be costly and significantly eat into your profits.
This happened at an event in New Hampshire during 2015 where two people were killed and about 39 injured. Just a quick web search will reveal multiple other instances where this has occurred.
As with the collapse of a stage or seating, you would be very likely to experience multiple claims should this happen. Your insurance should be able to minimise the loss you experience including compensation payments, legal fees, and repairs needed.
Slips, trips & falls
This is something that all public performances need to consider and falls under your public liability insurance.
Whilst you do need to ensure that the right policies and procedures are followed, having cover in place will help minimise any losses that you may experience should an accident result in a claim.
Audience participation
The final point to consider is audience participation. Imagine that you have an act that involves some form of audience participation where something goes terribly wrong, leaving that person with an injury.
You would think that this could be in relation to ‘dangerous’ acts such as those involving fire or other stunts but in 2016, a member of the audience was accidentally knocked unconscious by a clown when taking part in a performance in Blackwood.
As with the area of injury to participants, this is a complex area and something that a good broker will be able to advise you on.
Always use a broker!
As you will see, you cannot risk not having the right insurance in place and this is why you should always use an insurance broker.
Not only do we have around 40 years of experience in circus and showman insurance, but we also have some very competitive rates that will make sure you are covered for everything you require.
We offer a free policy health check and are always happy to discuss your policy. You can get in touch by calling on 01474 557427 or emailing sales@jackamaninsurance.co.uk.
