Does Public Liability Insurance Cover the Actions of My Employees During An Event?

Insurance is vital for every event —a music festival, community fair, private party, or corporate function. Among the most often used forms of event cover is public liability insurance, which shields you in case a guest, supplier, or public member gets hurt or suffers property damage due to your event activities. But what if your staff member or event crew causes the accident? Does public liability insurance still cover the situation?

The short answer is Yes — but only for damage or injury caused to others by your employee. Public liability insurance does not cover your staff member getting hurt. That’s why comparing different polices at QuoteRadar and getting the right one for your business is so crucial.

Public Liability Insurance For Events: Overview 

Public liability insurance protects you if someone files a claim against you for injury or damage sustained during your event. It aids in covering:

• Costs associated with legal matters
• Payments for compensation
• Medical costs (should they arise)

Some instances could be:

• A lighting technician stumbles a visitor with a loose cable, and the visitor fractures his wrist.
• A member of the security crew accidentally knocks over a stallholder’s display.
• A catering assistant accidentally dumps hot tea on a guest’s phone.

In all these instances, the incident occurred due to someone working in the event—and public liability insurance would usually cover this since your company is accountable for the actions of your workers while they are at work.

Injuries To Your Personnel:

Public liability insurance won’t cover situations when your employees themselves are hurt. This is a frequent misinterpretation.

• Setting up speakers, a crew member tumbles from the stage.
• A volunteer carries chairs and hurts her hand.
• During a summer event, a technician suffers heat exhaustion.

Your personnel were harmed in every one of these cases; public liability insurance will not assist. This is where employers' liability insurance—instead—comes into play.

Insurance For Events Involving Employees:

You must have employers' liability insurance if you engage anyone—volunteers, casual workers, or temporary crew—to assist with your event. This guard you should one of your staff claim they became ill or wounded due to working for you. Most event insurance plans cover both:

• Cover for public, guests, and vendors under public liability insurance.
• Cover for your crew and team under employers’ liability insurance.

Both are vital. A minor mishap can become a legal and financial disaster without them. Getting cheap one-off event insurance is not always a good idea, that’s why look thoroughly before selecting one.

Why It Matters for Event Organizers?

Events have several moving elements, including food, crowd control, wires, temporary structures, equipment, etc. In many typical office settings, the odds of anything going wrong are lower than here. As the organizer, you are liable if your staff or crew causes damage. If they get hurt, though, you’re still accountable. Without the appropriate coverage, you might encounter:

• Claims for thousands of either medical or repair expenses
• Legal action and court costs
• Penalties for not having legally mandated employers’ liability coverage

Insurance safeguards your peace of mind, corporate reputation, and money.

Independent Contractors and Volunteers:

Event planners sometimes collaborate with freelancers or self-employed experts—such as sound engineers or performers. These are not your direct employees; hence, you might question who covers them.

• Self-employed contractors ought to have their public liability insurance.
• Most of the time, though, volunteers are treated like staff; thus, you must also have employers' liability insurance to cover them.
• Always review contracts and obligations before the event. Asking every outside vendor for evidence of their insurance coverage is an excellent policy.

Final Thoughts: 

Public liability insurance protects your business from claims if the actions of your employees at an event cause damage to others during the event. However, you will need employers' liability insurance if your staff member or volunteer sustains an injury. Event organizers should always have both kinds of cover for complete protection. It's often a legal need as well as a wise decision.

Speak with a reliable insurer or broker before your next event. Ensure you are adequately covered so that you can concentrate on running a safe and successful event without concern over "what if something goes wrong?"