Car insurance for musicians

[PTB]

I joined a tribute band a couple of years ago. We do about 40 gigs a year all over the country - Scotland to Cornwall - and we get decent pay per gig. 

 

I’m the sort who likes to be open and honest so I called my car insurer to tell them I had taken a part-time role as a musician and needed to amend my policy for business miles. I had heard of a friend’s friend who had difficulty claiming when his car was smashed up on the way home from a gig as he hadn’t mentioned his gigging so I wanted to avoid any such hassle and was prepared to pay a bit extra to avoid it. 

 

My insurer’s reaction to my call was to establish whether this was really work or a  hobby. Their cut-off seemed to be no more than two gigs a month and little or no overall profit would be a hobby. I confirmed it was a bit more than that but I wouldn’t be getting rich. They then asked when my next gig was and told me they would cancel my policy from the day before as they didn’t insure musicians or entertainers! 

 

It was very difficult to get new insurance at short notice.  All the household names refused to insure me as a musician but eventually, through a specialist broker, I got some at twice the price of the previous policy. The broker specializes in entertainment clients but could only find one obscure company willing to insure me. This policy is now coming up for renewal in a few months and I am considering my options. 

 

Clearly, many people will be within the hobby definition and that’s fine. Some others may be making a profit but not telling their insurance company. You guys and gals don’t need to reply to this. 

 

My question is to those of you who are making a living/profit of some sorts from gigging, especially other tribute band members, and have declared this to your car insurers:  Who insures you? 

 

If you are feeling especially helpful, a DM with some idea of the cost of your policy plus the car you have, annual & business mileage would be appreciated. I’ll happily share my details with you. I understand not everyone will want to make this public and I will keep all such data confidential. 

 

I’m guessing there must be more than one company out there insuring working musicians so I’m hoping you can help me find them. 

 

Thanks in advance!

[mybass]

Aviva, both cars registered for business, the second car only cost an approx extra £12 for business…..actual cost will depend on what car, your age, normal use for etc…I recently read of someone who was given a fine for driving without insurance cover for use as business, best to cover all possible types of car usage insurance.

[Owen]

Back in the days I actually made money playing, I got insurance through the MU.

[casapete]

I’ve been insuring my cars for business use (as a musician) for around 40 years.

When I first started out doing this it was a lot harder to find cover than it is now,

for me anyway. I used the AA for a few years and then they stopped covering 

me, and later whilst a member I used the MU insurance. 

More recently I’ve tended to go with the best price from companies I’ve heard 

of, via comparison websites. They want to know all the details like what type

of music you play and where etc, along with the usual stuff like mileage and 

ratio of business / personal use. I stick with the same company until their 

renewal price starts taking the p*ss and then look around for a better deal.

[silverfoxnik]

15 hours ago, PTB said:

I joined a tribute band a couple of years ago. We do about 40 gigs a year all over the country - Scotland to Cornwall - and we get decent pay per gig. 

 

I’m the sort who likes to be open and honest so I called my car insurer to tell them I had taken a part-time role as a musician and needed to amend my policy for business miles. I had heard of a friend’s friend who had difficulty claiming when his car was smashed up on the way home from a gig as he hadn’t mentioned his gigging so I wanted to avoid any such hassle and was prepared to pay a bit extra to avoid it. 

 

My insurer’s reaction to my call was to establish whether this was really work or a  hobby. Their cut-off seemed to be no more than two gigs a month and little or no overall profit would be a hobby. I confirmed it was a bit more than that but I wouldn’t be getting rich. They then asked when my next gig was and told me they would cancel my policy from the day before as they didn’t insure musicians or entertainers! 

 

It was very difficult to get new insurance at short notice.  All the household names refused to insure me as a musician but eventually, through a specialist broker, I got some at twice the price of the previous policy. The broker specializes in entertainment clients but could only find one obscure company willing to insure me. This policy is now coming up for renewal in a few months and I am considering my options. 

 

Clearly, many people will be within the hobby definition and that’s fine. Some others may be making a profit but not telling their insurance company. You guys and gals don’t need to reply to this. 

 

My question is to those of you who are making a living/profit of some sorts from gigging, especially other tribute band members, and have declared this to your car insurers:  Who insures you? 

 

If you are feeling especially helpful, a DM with some idea of the cost of your policy plus the car you have, annual & business mileage would be appreciated. I’ll happily share my details with you. I understand not everyone will want to make this public and I will keep all such data confidential. 

 

I’m guessing there must be more than one company out there insuring working musicians so I’m hoping you can help me find them. 

 

Thanks in advance!

This stigmatising of musicians has been going on for years...

 

I remember back in the late 1980s, when I was a professional musician, being refused car insurance by all the then main well known insurance companies. 

 

When trying to challenge it at the time, I clearly remember some jobsworth at Direct Line telling me they wouldn't insure me in case I had someone famous in my car like (and I quote) "Mick Jagger", because if I had an accident with him in the car, it'd cost them millions... 🤦

 

Naturally, I said that Mick always came along to my gigs at the Dog and Duck in Deptford, and other such salubrious pubs in London (where you had to pay to play) because he had nothing better to do with his time! 

 

As it happened, I was on the Musicians Union's North London Committee, so I raised the issue there and then the it was taken up at the MUs Head Office in Central London. Eventually, the MU struck a deal with General Accident for a bespoke car insurance policy for working musicians which was a massive win and a huge relief at the time. 

 

I've no idea if GA and the MU still do this because I changed careers almost 25 years ago.. 

 

But this post has reminded me just how difficult it was back then as a musician to enjoy the same basic rights as others, and sadly, how it still seems to be the case. 

 

It's also made me think that I need to double check the situation with my car insurance cover for the 50 or so gigs and rehearsals I do each year for my 'hobby'...

 

[casapete]

8 minutes ago, silverfoxnik said:

When trying to challenge it at the time, I clearly remember some jobsworth at Direct Line telling me they wouldn't insure me in case I had someone famous in my car like (and I quote) "Mick Jagger", because if I had an accident with him in the car, it'd cost them millions... 🤦

I was told exactly the same thing! It must have been the stock reason given by insurance companies

around that time for refusing cover for musos. 

[PTB]

1 hour ago, casapete said:

I was told exactly the same thing! It must have been the stock reason given by insurance companies

around that time for refusing cover for musos. 

Thanks Pete, hope you don’t mind if I PM you some questions. 

[casapete]

3 minutes ago, PTB said:

Thanks Pete, hope you don’t mind if I PM you some questions. 

Sure, no probs. 

[PTB]

12 hours ago, mybass said:

Aviva, both cars registered for business, the second car only cost an approx extra £12 for business…..

Thanks for this. I don’t think I have tried them before so will try and get a quote from them. 

[mybass]

…….to add to my previous post.

1: I’ve also had the reply “ we won’t insure you as you might be driving Boy George home and have an accident etc etc!

2: The company used by me via the Musicians Union many years ago was a broker in North London. I discovered they weren’t getting the best price, costing me well over £100 more per year. My wife was a teacher and Aviva had links with her Teachers Union so we moved to Aviva putting her car as the main one but I’m thinking it may have been easier to insure with them as a musician because I was the second car on the policy. As I now use her car for ULEZ zone gigs, I’ve updated our Aviva policy to include her car for business.

[casapete]

Slightly OT, but we’ve found putting each other on both of our cars resulted in the price being

slightly reduced, despite my doubtful profession. 😆