We are always thinking about what could possibly go wrong at your event. As much as we don’t want to think negatively, this is the reality and it is very important to assess all of the risks while planning the stages of an event.
We all wish for everything to run smoothly as our event, things may never happen exactly as we imagined and accidents can happen.
Having insurance to cover your event may end up saving you money and time in the long wrong.
Types of Insurance
Types of Insurance | Description |
Liability | It is protection to cover expenses for injury or damage to a person or their property. |
Cross Liability | It is a policy that protects insured parties from claims made by other covered parties under the same policy. It permits the policy to apply to insure parties independently as if they were each covered by their own insurance. |
Commercial General Liability/Public Liability | Protects people attending from property damages or bodily injury that can occur during the event. |
On-site Office | Items such as mobile devices, walkie-talkies and computers may be damaged or lost during the event. |
Property Damage | During the event, it is possible that an item can be damaged due to something out of our control. |
Event Cancellation | If the event gets cancelled due to measures out of our control then we would be compensated as long as the insurer signs off on it. |
Liquor Liability Coverage | This protects you from any injuries and car accidents caused by the guests that the bartenders/servers are liable for. |
Rental Coverage | This protects all costs from any damage to items that are rented for your event. This is different from liability as Rental is from a third party |
Hired/Non-Owned Auto Coverage | If you hire any vehicles for your event, this protects all costs from any risks of auto-related injuries and property damage to the company |
BUT WAIT, when planning your event you will need to assess any possible risks for that particular event. How will your staff be prepared for any of these risks during an event? All staff need to be prepared and trained for any type of risk.
Some risks you may need to look out for:
1. Crowd Management
Crowd Management contains a risk due to the large number of people that may attend the venue. Due to this reason, there may be a risk of overcapacity from people not invited showing up, or misinformation being spread, resulting in more people coming than expected.
2. Aggressive Behaviour
If aggressive behaviour occurs, we will respond quickly and try to protect the person(s) who are attacked and others in the vicinity. We will also remove/lead the aggressive person off the premises. Additionally, It is crucial to have trained staff that know how to de-escalate the situation. We would have effective communication between all staff members if this were to happen. Walkies/earpieces should be provided for the security staff to help control and prevent situations from escalating.
3. Lack of Accessibility
There are many challenges and hardships that many people encounter. People with disabilities can experience difficulties frequently. It is important that all staff are trained on assessing and identifying disabilities and then properly know how to deal with them. However, we need to keep in mind the many barriers, so the events need to be inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities.
4. Lack of Security
We need to ensure the safety of our guests. So for major events, we need to consider event security. There may be many parts in the event that may involve security, so it is important to know the factors that pose the greatest risk for your event and how hiring security can mitigate those risks.
5. Technical Malfunctions
Event tech can make a huge impact on your attendees, your client, and your entire event. Nothing is more embarrassing than when your mic or your sound system stops working. It is very important to have your equipment tested before the event to ensure all of your equipment is working properly. As well as, having backup equipment just in case something happens during the event.
6. Theft
There are a lot of things that go on during an event. There may be many unique challenges, involving large spaces and a great number of attendees, staff, volunteers and third-party vendors. Theft is one of the most important things to keep in mind, especially when clients don’t agree to some insurance. Always have a proactive theft prevention plan for any type of event.
7. COVID-19 Exposure
Since the COVID-19 pandemic came onto the scene, many events were put on hold due to the fear of people contracting the virus. An outbreak can occur at any time. An example of this would be a person getting the virus and spreading it to multiple people during or before the event. COVID-19 still spreads rapidly due to person-to-person contact. Therefore, there is a risk that the event can be cancelled due to an outbreak.
8. Equipment Damage
The goal of operating your event safely is to protect your property, especially rented equipment. Any damage to any equipment can be frequent and costly. Always be careful of your surroundings and create barriers between guests and the equipment to avoid conflict.
9. Inclement Weather
Inclement weather or weather, in general, is something unpredictable. While we have the technology and sources to let us know the weather, it may not always be accurate. Thus, there may be weather-related issues when it comes to parking outside. For example, it may be raining and cause people to get soaked with water into the venue.
10. Streaming Issues (Virtual)
With the rise of various digital platforms and virtual events, streaming has become more prominent during the pandemic. Video streaming during events, meetings, etc has become a major part of the events industry and a source of entertainment. There may be issues you will come across when hosting an event online. Some methods to consider are checking the internet connectivity, switching to a different streaming platform, reducing video quality, clear browser cache and cookies.
11. Staff and Attendees Safety
Staff and Attendees' safety is the number one priority in events. We should implement safety measures in place during the event and ensure that attendees feel comfortable during the event. Always have extra staff on hand scheduled for your event in case of any emergency. You do not want to lose a staff member and not have enough for the remainder of the event.
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