EVENT INSURANCE
If running events is your business, buying cover one event at a time means a new proposal, a new certificate and a new wait for every booking. An annual policy can cover the business and the events it declares through the year.
Premiums and outcomes described are specific to this client and indicative only. Your own terms will depend on your circumstances and the insurer.
THE SHORT ANSWER
What insurance does an event management or event planning business need?
An event business usually needs an annual policy with public liability, typically at $20 million, that covers both the office and the events it runs through the year. Planners and consultants who give advice or manage budgets often consider professional indemnity, because public liability does not cover a client's financial loss. In our events specialist's experience, many insurers will not quote a single event more than about 90 days out, so an annual policy is also another way to secure cover early, and it can price competitively against single-event cover, depending on the calendar. Event cancellation is usually arranged per event or for the calendar.
Premiums vary widely from event to event. Your quote will itemise premium, fees, GST and stamp duty. Annual pricing depends on your turnover, your event calendar and what you actually do on site.
Our events specialist
Shaneel Gounden
Account Executive
In our events specialist's experience, many insurers will not quote a single event more than about 90 days ahead. For organisers who need certainty earlier, an annual policy is another option, and whether it prices well against single-event cover depends on the calendar, and the business picks up office cover for the rest of the year.
Previously in the Entertainment and Sports team at Marsh, placing event liability, cancellation and prize cover, then in events at Aon.
General information only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the relevant PDS and TMD before deciding, and cover is subject to the policy terms.
| Single-event policy | Annual event business policy | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | A one-off organiser, or a business with an unusual single event | Event managers, planners, promoters and associations running events through the year |
| When terms are available | Many insurers will not quote more than about 90 days before the event | Set up at any time, and the policy picks up events in its period |
| What else it covers | The event only | The office or business risk for the rest of the year as well |
| Paperwork | A proposal and certificate for each event | One renewal, with events declared to the insurer as the policy requires |
| Price | Priced per event | Can price competitively against single-event cover, depending on the calendar |
The annual route matters most when a venue, council or client wants proof of cover months before the event. A single-event policy often cannot be quoted that early. An annual policy that already includes the event can produce the certificate as soon as it is in place.
It can also close a gap. If a business liability policy was written around an office, the events themselves, the staging, the bar or the crowd, may not be described to the insurer. The policy has to name what you actually do.
The core cover. Venues and councils usually ask for $20 million, and an annual policy lets you issue a certificate of currency for each booking without starting again. Make sure the policy describes every activity you run, not just the office.
Planners and event consultants who design programs, recommend suppliers or manage budgets can be sued for the advice itself, which public liability does not cover. We have placed professional indemnity for an events consultancy.
Cancellation is usually arranged per event or for an event calendar, on a costs and expenses basis or on gross revenue. It needs to be bound and paid well before the event, often weeks ahead.
If you are the organiser and want some or all stallholders covered, where the underwriter agrees, they can be bundled into the event policy we place. Otherwise each stallholder needs their own cover.
Public liability does not cover injuries to your own people. Employees fall under workers compensation, and volunteers need voluntary workers personal accident.
An annual program can include the contents, portable equipment and business interruption cover that a single-event policy never touches.
Event staging and pack-up crew. An existing Tank client in NSW assembling and packing down event staging, with eight staff and one prior claim, under $10,000 paid and closed, had nine insurers decline to quote at renewal on the occupation. We placed the renewal at approximately $4,700, against a next option of approximately $8,700. See the staging crew case study.
Event activation and temporary build. A business designing and building pop-ups and brand activations needed design and construct professional indemnity with $20 million public liability and glass. Three insurers declined the occupation, and it was placed at approximately $10,800 a year. See the event build case study.
Events consultancy. We have placed professional indemnity for an events consultancy, where the exposure is the advice and planning rather than the crowd.
Suppliers you hire. Underwriters prefer security, staging and structures to be provided by contractors with their own insurance. If you supply equipment or food to events yourself, see dry hire insurance and caterers insurance.
Historical placements. Current appetite, premium and terms depend on the full risk at the time of application.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
RELATED GUIDES
QUOTE REQUEST
Tell us what your business does, your turnover, the events you run in a typical year and the largest one coming up. If a venue needs a certificate by a set date, include it.
Send us your event calendar and what you do on site. We look at annual cover, professional indemnity and cancellation together, and approach specialist markets that write event businesses.
Last updated: 01/10/2026
