[Dixielandjazz] Public Liability

[tom wood]

>Hello Ross,
>
>In reply to your email, it is true that two of our band do pay their own
>(individual) public liability insurance.  The reason they chose to do this
>is basically twofold. One, they play in other groups and two; they have
>also decided to insure their instruments with the same broker securing a
>more reasonable combined premium for themselves.
>
>Other band members do not pay anything for public liability cover because
>any payments will normally come via our band fund from CD sales etc.
>
>I am sorry that you have had bad experiences with festivals (presumably in
>the Melbourne area) as we certainly don’t “play for nothing”, or near
>nothing for that matter, in the Sydney area.  Like me, the band is not
>amused with this hike in public liability cover requirements in the
>entertainment industry and was happy that I had basically beaten the
system
>here with the Kiama gig example.  This was the main thrust of my email as
I
>was simply looking for any recent similar experiences of others on the
list
>with this form of cover.
>
>I have read my email again (see below) and can see no mention of me
>“getting the band members to pay out of their pockets for public liability
>insurance.”  I am somewhat confused by the point of your email.
>
>Cheers,
>Tom (Am I in trouble again?) Wood
>SZJB   
>
>
>
>
>>G`day To you all !!
>>Dear Tom ,
>>WHY does any band member have to PAY anything??????
>>No wonder "FESTIVALS" expect the "BANDS" to play for bloody nothing when
>YOU
>>offer to get your band members to pay out of their pockets PI insurance
!!
>>HELLO ??
>>I would love to know how much they are getting per head !!
>>Ross Anderson, New Melbourne Jazz Band,
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "tom wood" <zenith at ans.com.au>
>>To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>>Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 9:32 AM
>>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Public Liability
>>
>>
>>
>>Public Liability
>>
>>Hi All,
>>
>>I think I may have been the one to originally start this thread some 10
>>years ago.  However since the more recent lawyers litigation and 'class
>>action' millionaire cases insurance premium for most of us have almost
>>reached resistance level.  In fact from Australia obtaining worldwide PI
>>insurance cover normally requires excluding visits to USA.  Where brokers
>>include USA I have been quoted a five figure premium.  A local broker
>>advised me that for well known groups and rock stars to visit USA the
>>insurance premiums are sometimes 6 & 7 figures!
>>
>>We are playing at a jazz festival in the open this Sunday at Kiama (about
>>100 kms. south of Sydney) and I had to renew our Public Liability Policy.
>>The figure quoted was $1500 plus 10% Goods & Services Tax (i.e. $1650)
for
>>the 12 month period i.e. double what we had been paying previously.  The
>>band was not very happy and although legally bound under contract to play
>>with a certificate of currency for Public Liability so I approached the
>>organisers with our dilemma.  The organisers solved the problem
>immediately
>>supplying the band with 24 hour cover for the Sunday event.  Their cost
to
>>our band was $110 including GST.  The boys were delighted with the
reduced
>>cost.  This underwriting covered for $5 million property damage plus
>Public
>>Liability for the whole band (which could include guest players) with an
>>excess of $250 on any claim.
>>
>>I think the efficient and smart way to keep everyone happy, organisers
and
>>musicians alike with full cover is for organisers to obtain blanket cover
>>for their event period and if they have to, charge each band a portion of
>>the premium.  This will normally be far cheaper but one has to weigh up
>the
>>cost of gigs per annum requiring PI cover as to whether cover per insured
>>event is cheaper.  I would be interested to have any comments from others
>>on this matter.
>>
>>The Sydney Zenith will have played overseas 13 times after our visit
later
>>this year to the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival.  We have never
>once
>>been asked to produce any proof of PI cover and only had the cheaper
local
>>Australian cover because the worldwide cover was too expensive.  We have
>>had to have tax clearance saying our expenses equated to our gig money
but
>>never any PI requirements.
>>
>>Maybe we can visit USA again in 2007 on the East Coast this time and soak
>>up some of Barbone Street's  New York area gigs if we can get exemption
>>from PI insurance.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Tom (cannot publish litigatious SZ Tales of Taverns book) Wood
>>Sydney Zenith Band Manager/Pianist
>>www.sydneyzenith.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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>>
>>
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>