Event Liability Insurance?

[lauraewing]

I'm applying to some juried shows for the first time this year. I have to have event liability insurance - I'd appreciate it if anyone would be willing to share "where/what/how much is reasonable" info with me. Thanks!

[Nature artist]

It depends on what you sell.  If you sell something that could cause harm (say candles) some insurance companies don't handle that.  There is State Farm, Nationwide, RLI - which is more for craft artists and so on.  You can get full year coverage or coverage for one event.  It is all up to what you need.   Is it "event" liability or product liability for small business?  Sorry for the questions, but unclear what you need from your question.

Michelle
By the Bay Botanical
www.bythebaybotanicals.com
www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com

[lauraewing]

Thanks for the ideas. I am a glass artist with a studio on my property. I just got a quote from RLI, who will not provide event liability by itself, but only as a package with business/studio insurance. They gave me a reasonable quote, but it is over twice what others are saying they are paying for event liabilty insurance only. These are tight times for many of us, and it would be nice at least to have multiple quotes on both event and home business insurance, just to be a good little shopper. I have heard other art fair vendors say that they are paying in the $300+ range for a million in craft/art fair insurance for a year. I'll check the other companies you mention.

[VT Exhibitor]

That's interesting as I have RLI and I have it for events only. I pay $249 a year with a million dollar coverage.

[Kay]

That's interesting as I have RLI and I have it for events only. I pay $249 a year with a million dollar coverage.

I used to have that same insurance from RLI and it was great for shows, in-transit etc.  But they would not insure my studio or my retail (barn) on our property because of what I made, so I had to change companies (this was in 2002).  I now have coverage that covers events, traveling, everything I need for shows and my other buildings.  We had to divide our homeowners insurance policy and cover the studio and barn with a BOP (business owners policy) and the rest with our regular home owners insurance.  The BOP alone runs about 550.00 a year.  
Being a potter I had a hard time finding the right company.  I believe I am a high risk because of my kiln in my studio and that might be the case with you also.  Which is why they won't let you have event-only coverage.
If you got a quote from RLI on event/ studio insurance, it sounds like they carry what I need now.  I will have to check it out and see if RLI compares to my current company.

[lauraewing]

Kay might be right about the kiln. When we bought the place our regular insurance guy was going to cover the studio, but could not understand the difference between a glass blowing furnace and a kiln. He kept talking about forest fires. I explained that there really wasn't any way for the hot things to escape and leap out into the trees, but I suppose it's hard for someone who hasn't experienced that type of craft first hand to understand what's really involved. Anyhow, I think it would be better for me to get insurance for the art fairs only until I can sell some things and be able to afford the business insurance. I'll keep shopping around. I wonder if maybe the American Craft Council or a state arts agency.

[lauraewing]

Well, it might help if I finished my sentences. What I meant was, I think I hear somewhere that some arts agencies had some kind of even liability insurance.