Live Band Business Insurance
Getting insurance for your live band is essential.
Live bands need to be protected against things like noise complaints and claims of copyright infringement, property damage, and breach of contract.
For example, noise complaints could be filed against your band by venue owners or neighbors, or a weather event could cause water damage to your music equipment.
We’ll help you find the most personalized and affordable coverage for your unique business.
Recommended: Next Insurance is dedicated to matching small businesses with the right policy at the best price.
Best Insurance for a Live Band
General liability insurance is — generally speaking — one of the most important insurance policies for live bands.
Some of the risks general liability insurance covers are:
- Bodily injury
- Property damage
- Medical payments
- Legal defense and judgment
- Personal and advertising injury
In addition to general liability, there are numerous supplementary insurance policies that could prove valuable to your live band, such as:
- Inland marine insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Workers’ compensation insurance
- Crime insurance
Generally speaking, there are two distinct types of insurance providers for you to decide between when looking for insurance:
- Traditional brick-and-mortar insurers: Refers to providers that use a physical store and insurance agent to provide quotes. Includes well-established providers – such as The Hartford and CNA – with a solid track record for offering trustworthy coverage.
- Online insurers: A type of provider that is known for offering personalized online coverage through the use of AI. This allows them to offer similarly reliable insurance to their traditional counterparts, but far more affordable.
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Cost of General Liability Insurance
On average, live bands in America spend between $300 - $600 per year for $1 million in general liability coverage.
Compare the average cost of general liability insurance for a live band to other professional industries using the graph below.
Several factors will determine the price of your policy. These include your:
- Location
- Deductible
- Number of employees
- Per-occurrence limit
- General aggregate limit
You may be able to acquire general liability insurance at a discounted rate by purchasing it as part of a business owner’s policy (BOP) rather than as a standalone policy.
A BOP is a more comprehensive solution that includes multiple forms of coverage, such as business interruption and property insurance.
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Common Situations That General Liability Insurance May Cover for a Live Band
Example 1: While setting up for a show, your sound person damages some of the venue’s equipment. General liability insurance should cover the cost to repair or replace the damaged property.
Example 2: During band practice, a friend trips over a cord and breaks his wrist. Your general liability policy should cover his medical bills.
Example 3: Your band is hoping to play at a local outdoor festival. The festival owners require evidence of liability insurance from each band. General liability insurance should help fulfill the festival’s terms.
Other Types of Coverage Live Bands Need
While general liability is the most important type of insurance to have, there are several other forms of coverage you should be aware of. Below are some of the most common types of coverage:
Inland Marine Insurance
Bands often invest in equipment that travels with them to each show. If the equipment gets damaged while on the road, commercial property insurance will not cover your losses. An inland marine policy covers business-owned property while off-premises, either on a customer’s property or in transit.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If you use a business vehicle on public roadways, state law requires that a commercial auto policy be in place. This coverage pays the cost to repair or replace third-party property, the company’s damaged auto, and lost/damaged equipment. State-mandated minimums leave many entrepreneurs under-insured, so you should discuss policy coverage with an insurance professional.
Commercial auto insurance is generally purchased as a standalone policy.
Workers Compensation Insurance
State law mandates coverage for employees under a worker's compensation policy. This coverage pays medical bills stemming from an on-the-job injury and/or illness and a percentage of the employee’s lost wages when they are unable to work. For injuries that result in lawsuits, it also ensures the business owner defense in court and pays awarded damages.
Workers compensation is often purchased as a standalone policy.
Crime Insurance
Standard business owner's policies exclude employee dishonesty, fraud, and forgery losses. Crime insurance provides coverage for such a loss occur, reducing the chances of a gap in coverage.
Additional Steps To Protect Your Business
Although it’s easy (and essential) to invest in business insurance, it shouldn’t be your only defense.
Here are several things you can do to better protect your live band:
- Use legally robust contracts and other business documents. (We offer free templates for some of the most common legal forms.)
- Set up an LLC or corporation to protect your personal assets. (Visit our step-by-step guides to learn how to form an LLC or corporation in your state.)
- Stay up to date with business licensing.
- Maintain your corporate veil.
Live Band Business Insurance FAQ
Yes, absolutely. You will need to first get a quote from an online business insurance provider like Next Insurance. Next allows you to then purchase a policy immediately and your coverage will be active within 48 hours.
A typical business owner’s policy includes general liability, business interruption, and commercial property insurance. However, BOPs are often customizable, so your agent may recommend adding professional liability, commercial auto, or other types of coverage to your package depending on your company’s needs.
"Business insurance" is a generic term used to describe many different types of coverage a business may need. General liability insurance, on the other hand, is a specific type of coverage that business owners need to protect their assets.
Due to the number of potential risks that your live band can face, it is paramount that they protect themselves with the right business insurance before allowing their operations to begin.
Note that it is common for certain forms of insurance to be a mandatory prerequisite to starting (such as workers’ compensation and commercial auto insurance). Some event spaces may also require your band to carry insurance before using their premises.
Not necessarily. Certain exceptions may be written directly into your live band insurance policy, and some perils may be entirely uninsurable.
Yes, an LLC is meant to create a legal barrier between your business and your personal assets and credit. If you haven’t formed an LLC yet, use our Form an LLC guide to get started.
An LLC doesn’t protect your business assets from lawsuits and liability– that’s where business insurance comes in. Business insurance helps protect your business from liability and risk.