Liability insurance - anyone with experience setting this up

[TomInME]

I've got an informal group (not LLC, no dues, no income to speak of) and hearing that venues are requiring liability insurance more and more. Does anyone have experience setting this up? Looking for expertise/experience here.

[Doug Elliott]

Erie is very reasonable.

[Conn100HGuy]

What Doug said. For us (single-member LLC) last year's premium was $300. Next closest was $850.

[JLivi]

I have a $1M liability policy that I had to get to teach in the school district I'm currently in.

As far as gigs are concerned, I've never had to get my own policy for any events we've played. We've been asked before to get either a $1 or 2M policy for the day, which isn't hard to get, but it always falls through and is never truly enforced.

I would wait to get your insurance until the venue or client asks you to provide something. If you start playing more gigs where they require the insurance then you can look into coverage to last the whole year instead of just one day.

And of course, as you're quoting the group, make sure you bake in that insurance cost into the price.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

Another vote for Erie Insurance here. Very reasonable rate for a $1M liability policy. I am not required to carry liability insurance for my college teaching position, but I have chosen to do it anyway. I have heard too many horror stories of lesson teachers dealing with lawsuits.

[Aznguyy]

I've used Thimble Insurance for short term insurance. Prices are very reasonable for the one or two times I need it a year. I was recommend this by a local school district where I was contracted to play for their High School musical. Signup was easy and all online. You have several options of coverage you can choose from whether it was a single person or group insurance.

Not sure on the specifics but there was one gig where I was able to get coverage through the Event Planners(friends of mine) who was working the same gig. Again, not sure on the details but my group was good for that one.

[TomInME]

Thimble is ... interesting. The rates are low but the fees are high, and the long-term rate was lower than the one-off rate.

Might be ok if you only need insurance for yourself, but for a group it seems questionable.