In the contractual arrangements, the roles of the different parties must be clearly defined. And oftentimes they are not. When professional performers are involved in a special event, liability exposures can increase significantly, says the Marsh executive. If a company employs a singer, a high-wire act or an athlete to perform some sort of stunt, the liability increases. Because the performer is a professional, if there is an injury, there is also the potential of a lawsuit, which could produce a payout of a much greater amount than if a person were not a professional.
Many insurers exclude performers from their coverage.
Moore points out that, while the RIMS conference attracts representatives of larger corporations, the issues to be addressed during the special events session also are of importance to independent agents in small communities. And by that I mean the entire contract, not just the portion that pertains to insurance. In the first couple of pages, there will be the cast of characters, which will define who is who and who is responsible for what. And, extremely important, look at the indemnity clause. There will be others, and he promises that attendees will walk away with a much greater understanding of all the issues.