Music Production

DJ insurance may seem like an unnecessary overhead, but Imagine this scenario. You are blasting out the tunes while going through your collection to pick out the next few tracks, when suddenly a clumsy dance floor devotee looses their footing and trips over your cabling bringing the whole speaker cabinet crashing into the crowd injuring several people. Not only are people hurt, but the speaker also knocks over a candlelit table and sets the carpet on fire. Spilled alcohol turns what would be a small carpet burn into a ranging inferno, the curtain catches alight, the ceiling, everyone runs, your gear is destroyed, the club is a goner, lots of people are hurt during the whole thing and you dont get paid. This isn’t a made up story. This happened.

So is that scenario your fault? Possibly, because you may not have secured the speaker cabling properly. Without DJ insurance you would be screwed. An insurance policy would protect you from litigious guests or clients. So it’s a good idea to make sure you are covered for these types of problems, large or small, you would be able to keep your business and you’d be covered.

DJ insurance will protect your equipment and yourself from real scenarios like this one and especially more common events like someone throwing drinks on your mixer, laptop etc.

What should you look for in an insurance policy?

General or public liability

A part from DJing at nightclubs,  you should get this for private events. It will cover damages to the venue and guests. You can usually get $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 in coverage.

Inland marine coverage

The replacement cost of your damaged or stolen gear will be covered. If your stuff is taken from within the club or your car, you would be covered. You’d need to have proof if your car is broken into, such as signs of forced entry while the car was locked.

Commercial crime coverage

This covers you if your client, club or employer decides not to pay you for whatever reason (bastards!) or they steal your gear(!).

Read your policy fineprint

Know the real replacement value of all your equipment including cables, sheets, lights, tables, computers, speakers, stands, mixer, vinyl, CDs, everything. You need to make sure to claim the right number of DJ setups. If you under estimate, you will only be covered up to the amount you applied for.

There are plenty of DJ associations that can get you a discount on your DJ insurance coverage. But be aware that the associations may have a membership fee, whereas the discount is not at much. So only join if you get other benefits.

While DJ insurance is absolutely essential if this is your fulltime work, it is also a good idea for club DJs too. Dont let you gear get ruined in nightclub environments from stray drinks or fighting patrons slamming into the DJ booth. Generally, the club will not cover your losses! It is your responsibility. Anything you bring into the club, is not covered by club policies. So it makes sense to spend $300 a year on a policy that protects your investment.

Who is insured?

If you want DJ insurance but need quick loans, search online. You will also find RVNA Liability Plus Insurance covers any DJ, KJ or VJ operating single or multiple setups. It also extends to employees operating those setups.

What is insured?

RVNA Liability Plus provides Commercial General Liability insurance protection. This is for scenarios where you are legally obligated to pay due to damaged premises or business operations of the venue. Generally this covers:

Bodily Injury Liability
Damage to Premises
Host Liquor Liability
Medical Payments (subject to a $5,000 limit)
Non-Owned and Hired Auto Liability
Personal Injury Liability
Products Liability
Property Damage Liability

What is NOT insured?

Here a small list, but definitely does not cover everything. There is no coverage for:

Owned Automobile Liability
Owned Watercraft Liability
Owned/Non-Owned Aircraft Liability
Professional Liability
Property Damage Liability.
Workers Compensation insurance policy.
Any activities such as games or types of mechanical entertainment devices.
Any event considered to be a Rave or a Rave-like event.

You need to tell your insurance company about any equipment claims you may have already made within the last few years. Generally, this will not affect your cover and you shouldnt have to pay a higher premium.
The minimum age most companies provide DJ insurance is 16. But if the policy is arranged in the parent or guardian’s name, they may provide cover for children under this age.