Liability insurance for friends to play during reception

Well, my H2B has a DJ and he has public liability insurance. He renewed it towards the end of last year before DJing for a friend's wedding, for which he didn't get paid. So I guess it is, yeah.

Who is stating that they require the insurance, your venue?

I think the key issue is whether they are using amplifiers/speakers that are plugged in.

The PL & PI insurance does not depend on whether the supplier is paid. If they are "free standing" and just being there with their instruments they should not require insurance. If they are plugging equipment in to hotel sockets then they will require PL, PI and PAT testing for the equipment too probably.

It's always best to ask suppliers about their insurance. A photographer friend of mine has just been booked for a wedding where the couple have had to cancel their original photographer because he was not insured and the venue asked to see his certificate.

Do you know if either is a member of the Musician's Union? They get public liability insurance cover included: http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/join-the-mu/benefits/

My wedding insurance includes an element of public liability, as I recall, although I haven't read the small print recently so don't know if this would include something like your duo.

Failing either of those options and not wanting to advertise, but I believe in his performing days OH and his choir were covered by Allianz, who seem pretty good but I'm sure you could shop around for a cheap deal.

Allianz would be your best bet for this. OH does some DJing (literally 4-5 jobs a year) and he has cover for his equipment as well as PL insurance - only costs £4 per month.

Needing liability insurance has nothing to do with amateur status/pay/registrations etc.

I'm afraid they are performing a service whether paid or free and have to have insurance, madness I know but that's the way it is.

I like it when a venue asks me to have my gear PAT tested? I don't need to use there electricity, I don't need to charge my batteries? I carry enough backup equipment to make your eyes water and have no need for it but I have heard so many horror stories about other photographers running out of battery and having to charge them at the venue so I suppose the venue is trying to cover them self's.?

Crikey your venue must be sticklers then! just think how many people use friends for photography/videography/musical performances etc. i've sung and played at friends weddings and i am not even close to pro, and my best friend did the video for his sisters wedding on a camcorder. if those venues had been as bad there would have been tears all around i'm sure.

have you tried explaining to your venue that they're FRIENDS and therefore don't have PL just to see what they say? genuinely shocked at how strict they are. i mean i can kinda understand it from a protection pov, but still fairly shocked nonetheless.

our venue was so lax it was untrue! although we had a harpist, i wanted to walk back down the aisle to mr winters former band, so we needed a docking station and mp3 player. mr winter can pat test at work and we offered to pat test the speakers and the venue co-ordinator said not to worry, it didn't matter! :/