CheapDisco

Public Liability Insurance (PLI)

Professional DJ trying to justify his fee on the basis of PLI?

Consider this scenario: One of your wedding guests has a car accident on the way to your party with an uninsured driver. Is this your fault? Do you feel responsible? - Probably not!

So why feel responsible if the DJ's lighting stand at your wedding party collapses and hits someone around the head? If the DJ isn't insured, why is this any concern of yours? Surely it's between the DJ and the guest, isn't it?

Another scenario: When packing away, the DJ accidentally breaks a window at the venue with a piece of equipment. Surely that's none of your concern, is it? (Well actually, you might want to check the venue hire Ts & Cs).

What IS PLI?

PL insurance covers any awards of damages given to a member of the public because of an injury or damage to their property caused by the disco operator or the DJs equipment. It also covers any related legal fees, costs and expenses as well as costs of hospital treatment (including ambulance costs) that the NHS may claim from the DJ operator.

Beware The Jobsworth!

More and more venues - especially local government owned premises and hotel chains - are insisting that visiting contractors carry sufficient PLI cover prior to granting access to the premises. Sometimes "sufficient" might mean big numbers like £10m.

If your venue insists on a certain level of PLI and your DJ doesn't have it, they could in theory be refused access. If you don't mind hunting down a Yellow Pages and ringing round all the local DJs on your big day, then perhaps you won't need an operator with PLI.