For circus performers, it is just another day at the office. Leaping into thin air, breathing fire, traversing the trapeze to stun the audience, and putting her years of practice to the test. When it comes to insurance, however, these things are simply not covered by your traditional policy because of the level of risk involved.

Whereas some circuses may hire performers as employees and cover them under their company insurance policies, many require performers to have their own insurance cover; particularly if they are hired as independent contractors.

When the risks are as high as a potentially life-changing injury, it is extremely important for performers to have the correct level of cover in place. Naturally, this is important because the very nature of the role could mean that you are out of work for many months, years or longer should an injury occur.

A lot of performers have a very hard time finding adequate liability insurance because most insurers simply do not wish to expose themselves to the potentially costly pay-outs with the most common being for bodily injury.

In addition to injury to the self, a circus performer may experience a claim against them in the event of an injury or damage that they cause to another person or piece of equipment. If you are not covered, then the cost could be high; particularly if a serious injury was caused to another performer.

The most important thing to look for when arranging performers’ liability insurance is a dedicated insurer, who knows the market well and can not only find a competitive policy but one which provides the level of cover required. Doing this will help mitigate the risk of purchasing a policy through an online portal and finding that you are not covered.

When it comes to policy limits, the common limits are £1M, £2M, and £5M, however additional levels are also available depending on the situation. This may depend on the type of activities involved, perception of the risks faced, and perhaps contractual requirements that the performer may have in place.

We specialise in providing insurance for the leisure and entertainment industry and this includes some top-level performers. If you would like any advice about what type of insurance could be right for you then please do get in touch and we will be more than happy to assist!