Money
Do you need insurance to perform?
Sooner or later a venue emails: "please send your certificate of insurance." If that sentence makes you nervous, this is for you. Insurance for performers is more normal, and more useful, than most people expect.
The coverage that matters most
General liability is the big one. It covers you if someone is hurt or something is damaged in connection with your performance — a guest trips over a prop, a routine goes wrong. Many venues, schools and corporate clients simply won't book an act that can't show it.
Equipment coverage protects the gear your act depends on — sound, props, instruments — against theft or damage. If replacing your kit would end your season, it's worth considering.
The certificate of insurance (COI)
When a venue asks for a COI, they want proof you're covered, often naming them as "additional insured" for your date. It sounds official because it is, but it's routine: your insurer issues it, usually quickly, sometimes instantly online. Being able to produce one without drama makes you look like the professional you are — and quietly beats the acts who can't.
Is it worth it?
For a hobbyist doing the occasional favor, maybe not. For anyone performing for money at venues, schools, or corporate events, liability coverage is usually inexpensive relative to a single gig, and it unlocks bookings you'd otherwise be shut out of. Performer-specific policies exist through entertainment associations and specialty insurers; shop a couple and read what's actually covered.
Think of it less as a cost and more as a credential: it's the difference between "we'd love to but we need insurance" and "here's my certificate, what date?"
US general information for working performers — not financial, tax, or legal advice. The rules change and everyone’s situation is different; talk to a professional about yours.
Practical gig-business notes, occasionally.
The Working Act — short emails on getting and running gigs, from 40 years of booking our own. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.