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My artwork will be exhibited in a festival for 5 days in April and I am having a hard time getting insu just for the event. The main insu I need is to cover the piece if it's broken or damaged. My homeowners insu won't cover it once it leaves my house. I do this as a hobby and don't carry any business license. I would appreciate it if any had any advise for me.

I'm afraid I don't have an easy answer. Recently I was organizing a Passover seder with 75 people and host supplied alcohol. The venue has an insurance requirement. We went online and found a company what would sell us a one day policy for around $100. A year long policy was $750. I did look at many quotes for more than the $100. I was told that a host of a private party, might get it covered under their homeowners policy, but nobody in my organization considered that a prudent path.

My guess is that taking the risk of losing your piece is far less expensive than purchasing insurance. Liability is another issue though. Manufacturers and Contractors liability insurance does cover your work at shows and in transit, but is too expensive for a hobby.

Thanks for your help. I am hearing from other artists that they carry no insu coverage either b/c it's too expensive. I will just hope that nothing gets damaged.

If you get a business rider to your homeowners policy it'll usually cover off-premises losses. However, an affordable policy will mean a serious deductible, which is why so many of us don't bother.

Marty wrote:If you get a business rider to your homeowners policy it'll usually cover off-premises losses. However, an affordable policy will mean a serious deductible, which is why so many of us don't bother.

When I was doing shows, I had a manufacturers and contractors policy in place. At the end of the show, the routine was to pack up your booth and then go to a lot, get your truck, wait in line, and then drive in and load up. When I got to my stuff, I found out that a 7' glass sculpture, wrapped in blankets had been run over by a truck. No notes. I notified the show organizers who were quick to tell me that they were not libel, I was. When I got home I notified my insurance company that a $1200 piece of glass had been broken at the show. They informed me that my deductible was $1000. I was pretty pissed. The good news for me was that my out of pocket expense to make the sculpture, was less than the $200 I got paid back.

I'd check it against the value of your inventory. If the cost of the policy (with a reasonable deductible) is less than your costs for, say, 20% of your inventory, it might be worth it. Otherwise, it wouldn't make much sense.

My homeowners won't do a rider. If I use another company they want to appraise it etc. To me, it is not worth the hassle or expense.

If I get enough votes or indiv contributions from the event, I will just make another one I guess. My cousin is helping with the installation so, hopefully, there will be no problems.

I do appreciate your input though. This has been a real pain to deal with at the moment.

Sometimes the venue carries insurance (gallries, museums).

They probably don't, but it doesn't hurt to ask...

Dana W.

When I was doing shows as a potter........4 am on my way to a Sausalito show I was in the middle of the Richmond Bridge when I was in an accident. My entire winters work was in my truck and was all destroyed....displays too......truck burned to the ground! Not having business insurance and transporting for sale of course my car insurance would not cover any merchandise although they did pay for the car. Shortly after they cancelled my policy. Since then I have always carried business insurance and of course never needed it once. Such is life.......