Food Vs Indemnification: Entertainment Insurance
I always find it interesting that when I read band riders often the band has paragraph upon paragraph for food they want or do not want and sometimes nothing about indemnification or insurance.
I can surely understand them asking for their favorite beer (I do not drink beer) or vodka (my favorite is Tito’s) or asking not to have brown M&M’s (is that her clothes or is she really naked??) or having the cheese in slices or cubes (depends if you are snacking or putting it on a sandwich). But no insurance or indemnification?
If something goes wrong, the beer, vodka or cheese is not going to protect the band if they get sued for something that is not their responsibility. While the food is “used” every night (or is it), the indemnification by the promoter may not be used but it is surely needed.
Some bands think that if the promoter has insurance then they are protected. Not true. Some bands think it will never happen to us. It does. Some bands think what can they get from us? Seriously? How about your brand, your equipment or your income. Some bands think, “Why would our fans that love us, sue us”. Think of the attorney who says “they have money, they are rock stars, they are rich, and it will not hurt them” …and now that fan thinks they may have hit the lottery.
Not too long ago a band got sued by fan that got a scratch when her arm got pinched in the barricade. The band sent her off to the hospital, took care of her medical bills and she got to hang with band for the rest of that night and the next two days (yes multiple shows same venue). Boom! A few months later the lawsuit came in. Yes she won money. I am sure she still loves the band and I am sure the money helps. By the way, they were my client, and I had them covered with their own insurance but you guessed it no indemnification from the promoter. So the cost of the claim went on their policy. By the way they like sliced Gouda and all M&M colors are welcome.
So the next time you are thinking about food or drink and how much fun they can have with the rider, spend a little time on insurance and indemnification. It may mean the difference between picking your cheese or having to rely on government cheese or worse giving up the dream.