Professional DJs invest thousands of dollars into buying the right equipment for shows and events.
From the expense of a high-quality controller to the cost you pay for a monthly subscription to certain software, there’s many financial issues to consider.
That’s why it’s crucial to ensure that you’re protecting your tools, and your livelihood correctly.
DJ insurance offers an extra layer of defense to DJs who can’t afford to risk their investments. However, it’s important to note that there isn’t a single one-size-fits-all insurance option for today’s professionals.
Finding the right kind of DJ insurance coverage is the same as finding a suitable life insurance or car policy. You need to tailor your protection to suit you.
Here’s your guide on how you can insure your equipment and protect your career.
Why is DJ Insurance Important?
DJ insurance is a broad term used to describe the various policies available to support professional DJs, music, and video jockeys. Most creative professionals will opt for something called a “Business Owner’s Policy”, or BOP, which combines all commercial property insurance, and general liability issues in one package.
It’s also possible to build your own DJ insurance package using the components most important to you. For instance, you may get extra travel insurance if you’re regularly driving around with expensive DJ equipment in your car.
DJ insurance is important because it protects:
- Your equipment
- Your reputation
- Your business
Your DJ insurance can prevent you from facing a serious problem if your controller suddenly breaks in the middle of a tour, or your car gets stolen with all your essential equipment inside it.
The most common forms ofDJ insurance available right now include:
- General Liability: Covers third-party claims of property damage, bodily injury, or advertising injury.
- Commercial property insurance: Covers the value of your property (controllers and tools), when it is lost, damaged, or stolen.
- Commercial auto insurance: Covers the value of your business vehicle when it’s damaged, stolen, or involved in accidents.
- Inline marine Insurance: Covers the value of property that is damaged, lost, or stolen when in transit between gigs.
While the policies above represent some of the most common options for DJs, you may need to consider additional coverage based on further risks.
Let’s look at most common DJ insurance coverage options in greater detail.
What is DJ Liability Insurance?
General liability insurance for DJs covers any interactions you have with people who you don’t employ, such as venue owners, clients, or audience members.
If someone accuses you of causing damage to them or their property, you’ll be protected by general liability. General liability DJ insurance also covers lawsuits regarding defamation and copyright infringement.
Imagine your sound system suddenly blew a circuit when you were in the middle of a show, and an audience member gets injured because they trip over something in the dark.
If the audience member decided to sue you, the general liability insurance would cover their medical or legal bills.
You can also use general liability DJ insurance to protect yourself if an artist claims that you used their music without permission. This extra layer of protection makes General Liability a powerful and fundamental insurance policy.
Coverage for copyright infringement may be particularly attractive to DJs who post remixes and samples regularly online.
Commercial Property Insurance for DJs
Commercial property insurance is the coverage that protects any workspaces you own as a DJ, as well as the items included within that property.
If you had a recording studio where you kept your DJ equipment when it wasn’t in use, any items that were stolen or damaged from this location would be covered by commercial property insurance.
VJs, DJs, and KJs responsible for their own equipment often spend thousands on the right tools. These professionals can’t always afford to replace their products immediately on their own.
Commercial property insurance ensures that you can get back to work quicker if your property goes missing.
The only reason you wouldn’t necessarily need commercial property insurance, is if you rent your equipment, rather than owning it outright.
The same goes for renting a business space, rather than owning the property. If you work out of your home, a standalone commercial property policy might also be too much for your DJ business.
DJ Inland Marine Insurance
Inland marine Insurance is a form of property DJ insurance that covers your equipment as it moves from one location to another.
This is a crucial additional form of protection for DJs beyond commercial property insurance.
That’s because commercial property policies only cover your belongings when they stay in a specific location.
DJs who own expensive equipment for their art and transport it to venues all across the country will need inland marine insurance.
This kind of DJ insurance coverage may also be necessary if you tend to borrow equipment from other DJs.
You may be able to avoid paying for DJ inland marine Insurance if you have a contract with venues that are responsible for their own equipment. You may also be able to skip coverage if you often rent trucks, as most rental truck companies sell their own coverage.
Commercial DJ Auto Insurance
Commercial auto insurance is a must-have when you’re travelling with your equipment. If your business owns any cars, vans, or similar automobiles, then you’ll need at least liability coverage.
This will ensure that you can pay any damages required if you’re found responsible for an accident.
Similar to personal auto insurance, most companies will allow you to add further coverage if you don’t mind spending a little more.
For instance, you could get collision insurance for damage to your car, and medical payment insurance too.
As a DJ, if you register your car or vehicle to your business, you’ll be required to have some manner of commercial auto cover.
You may also need commercial Insurance if you drive your own car for work. Personal auto insurance typically excludes business trips, so accidents as you move between gigs may not be covered.
Again, if you typically rent cars or trucks between gigs, you can usually skip commercial car insurance.
Other Types of DJ Insurance to Be Aware of
Most DJs will be able to create the perfect coverage policy for their needs using the solutions above. However, if you have employees that work with you as part of a team, then you may need further protection.
Employers are required to carry worker’s compensation in most states around the US. This will pay for your employees’ injuries, illnesses, and other issues associated with their career.
You can also look into commercial crime insurance, which covers employees stealing from your company or your clients.
If you’re not sure what kind of coverage you need, it might be a good idea to speak to an insurance professional who specializes in DJ protection.
Top Tips for Equipment DJ Insurance
The amount you pay each year or month on your DJ insurance should definitely be worth the extra peace of mind you get from the deal. However, it’s important to ensure that you’re getting the right policy for your needs. To improve your chances of getting successful coverage:
- Plan ahead: Make sure that you know what kind of gigs you’re going to need coverage for, and how your coverage needs might change over time. If you’re booking a job with a new venue, you might even need to provide a contract or information that shows you have a certain level of protection already.
- Don’t underestimate: Don’t try to cut corners and reduce costs for your DJ insurance by getting less than you need. Even if you’re a part-time DJ only playing a handful of events, you still need some manner of DJ insurance. You can, however, look into getting short-term event insurance, rather than paying for a monthly premium.
- Know what you’re worth: Before applying forDJ insurance, make sure you know how much your equipment is actually worth. It may be tempting to claim that your tools are worth less than they are, so you can pay a smaller premium. However, this also means that if you do need to claim, you won’t be able to afford to replace your kit.
- Compare DJ Insurance terms carefully: Remember there are a lot of DJ insurance options available. Don’t just look for the cheapest product on the market. Make sure that you’re comparing policies like for like and getting the same amount of coverage from each provider.
- Check the small print: Whenever you’re signing a contract for DJ insurance or anything else, make sure you know what you’re agreeing to. The insurance agent might tell you the kind of coverage you’re going to be getting, but it’s best to double-check the DJ insurance paperwork, just in case. Take your time to check all the details and ask questions if you’re not sure.
- Join a DJ Association: There are various DJ associations out there that offer discounts on the kind of DJ insurance coverage you may need. Although it costs a little extra money to join a DJ association, you might find that it’s worth it for the long-term protection and benefits you can access.
Protect Your Livelihood with DJ Insurance
A DJ insurance policy is a must-have tool for any creative innovator who wants to protect themselves and their career.
A DJ insurance policy defends your equipment and keeps your business running no matter what happens.
You don’t have to panic as much about someone spilling their drink on your laptop when you’re in the middle of a gig – as you can always claim and buy the new technology you need.
No matter how careful you are in your career and with your equipment, DJ insurance is still essential. You face a number of liability insurance as a DJ because of all the people you interact with on a regular basis. You’re also at risk of losing valuable equipment because of accidents, theft, and other issues.
If you’re still uncertain about getting DJ insurance coverage, here are some quick questions and answers.
FAQs
If you’re a DJ who plays music at parties, events, gigs, and venues, then you need DJ insurance. Don’t think that just because you don’t call yourself a professional yet doesn’t mean you don’t need coverage. If you’re not sure whether you should be investing in DJ insurance, speak to a professional, or your accountant for more information.
You’ll need DJ insurance coverage regardless of whether you’re working regularly at venues, or you’re only booking a few jobs per year. You can sometimes get temporary Insurance for just a day, or a week, depending on your short-term needs. Don’t take the risk of having to pay your insurance damages out of pocket if something goes wrong.
Not necessarily. Even if you run your business out of your home, you may still need Insurance. That’s because homeowners’ policies can exclude any business activities going on in your home. A BOP policy is usually a common solution, or you can add a business rider to the home insurance policy you already have. You can also look into getting standalone general liability and business commercial property insurance.
The amount you spend on your DJ insurance will depend on the kind of coverage you need. The more specialist protection you need to add to your policy, the more you can generally expect to pay.
The good news is that most DJ insurance policies are quite affordable. You can pay anywhere between $100 and $400 per year for general DJ insurance liability insurance covering between $1 billion and $2 billion.
Inland marine coverage will usually cost between $150 and $300 per year for coverage of around $15,000 and up. Often, you can save money on your DJ insurance if you’re willing to bundle different kinds of coverage together into a single package.
For instance, you might apply to get your personal indemnity, general liability, and auto coverage from the same provider for a discount. Paying annually is also a good way to reduce costs.
