insurance?

[sofarok]

Hi, does anyone know of a good insurance policy (in the uk.) to cover vjs?

[spark]

i found a good consumer electronics policy here in the uk that covers my gigging gear but i gig light with just my laptop and camcorder. and i haven't claimed yet... which is the proof of the pudding.

but the questions a biggie... depending on the line you draw between 'talent with mix kit' and 'visuals solutions' what cover does a vj need?

when do you start needing public liability? or rather, what happens when that projector you've stuck to the roof falls onto the crowd?

a lot of policies are borderline when you're dealing with club environments... has anyone got experience of making claims in dodge situations... is the stage still a private area even if it was swarming with punters? etc.

toby

[labmeta]

My answer to this was to insure myself as a independant film maker in three ways -

1 my eqiupment at home as an edit station.

2 my gigging equpment providing i or a freelance operator is present at all times

3 Public liability and professional indemnity

I am assured that club scenarios are not a problem as a the policy covers location work anywhere. but again i have not claimed.

Try Anchorman insurance - dont have a number but they were the first of many companies i tried that could help me.

[murph]

my solution - "sold" my projector to my mom. She's a speaker, and can insure it as part of her business. Speakers aren't as scary to insurance companies as VJs. =]

[PilotX]

Originally posted by spark

when do you start needing public liability? or rather, what happens when that projector you've stuck to the roof falls onto the crowd?
toby

As far as I was aware, public liability insurance must be taken by the club/night and this will cover you (although not the projector).
I could be wrong, but this was my understanding of that particular situation.
If you are really concerned, talk to an independant insurance advisor, who should know the law inside out.

Tom
SyZyGy visuals

[labmeta]

I dont have great knowledge on this but as i see it....

Public liability insurance is relativelely cheap compared to getting your equipment covered. If your concerned then get it . I got it because i used to rig slide projectors from cradles, just felt a bit para about relying on the clubs liability insurance while putting kodak 2050`s 60 ft in the air above unknowiing punters.

If your not rigging much stuff then probaly wont need it for just your vj setup, unless (i have seen this before) a drunk/drugged up punter starts messing with power cables and electrocutes himself. I saw it happen in a uni bar one night, one of the noise boys power cables had a break in the insulation that was taped up with gaffa, some clumsy yet determined guy unravelled it and hurt himself. The point is in bars n clubs people seem more able / likely / vulnerable to damage themselves.

If it was something that could have been avoided by an action you should have taken then you need some cover. Or ask to see the clubs cover - which is not very likely to be shown to you.

protect yourself, then you dont have to worry.

[stevefromNewcastle]

If you are in the uk the cheapest way to get public liablity insurance is to join bectu The Broadcast, Entertainment , Cinematograph and Theatre Union.
The have a section for visual artiest, it gives you 2m pounds worth of cover for ?70 a year plus you have other benefits frm the union.
I did try to get them to bring a trade stand to AVit but they had no promotional material. I would recomend all UK VJs to join and hopefully they might develope some services for us

[wellREDman]

as far as insurance goes we found that we fell down a gap between 2 different types of insurance
musician insurance who normally cover club stuff froze at the mention of video projectors
photographers/filmaker insurers ran screaming at the word nightclub

we ended up going to a broker who sorted us ut a custom policy
if anyone wants it the company is called Griffiths McCallister
phone 01444 245777 ask for bruce Millington and say APT recommended u.weve passed on a couple of other vj's so at least they will know what yr talking about when you say VJ!

weve since got an even better deal elsewhere but thats tied up with one of the big concert insurers thru one of the bands we work with so sadly we cant offer that out to others.

[Rovastar]

It would be nice be people quoted rough prices here if possibel.

I understand ppl do not want to publicly dispaly how much they get for each gig but there is no harm in insurance stuff.

FTR I have no insurance. :)....:(

[spark]

ok numbers are about ?200 a year for about ?4500 worth of laptop, camcorder and external hd.

policy states i need proof of forcible theft in exhibition type scenarios, so i need to show a mangled kensington...

its through a broker called richard weston, www.sisa.co.uk

toby.

[labmeta]

a package of approx 600 squids gives me 8000 cover at a gig, 4000 for edit station, 10(i think, cant remember at the mo) mil public liability and 2 mil indemnity.