insurance problem

[william williams]

Please here’s a question that should be answered

Q 1 poets breakfasts on the blackboard walk up

should they have insurance as they are performers

YES or NO

Q 2 in performance competition should competitors have insurance

YES or NO


Bill Williams

[Zondrae]

G'day Bill,

As I understand it - walk up performers at a Poets Breakfast are considered as non-programmed performers. Therefore require their own insurance. The peace of mind is well worth the $100 fee. I am not sure about competition performers.

I know most festivals insist on it now and I have had my cover for about 6 years. Even if it were not compulsory, I would have it.... just to be sure.

This raises the question of volunteers. Are they covered by the Festival (or organising body)? Then could contestants be classed as volunteers? Perhaps our Fearless Leader or his Faithful Side Kick can find out and inform us in the Magazine.

[william williams]

Thank you Zondrae for your prompt answer

Well on the strength of that I would hope that every Poets Breakfast and walk up blackboard event FAILS because financially one would have to be an idiot to perform

If one does their sums look at it this way

$100.00 your cost you say four time a year = $25 per time just to entertain a group of people who may clap. No reward to you well maybe a mental reward which gives you a buzz. You do all the work to present it for what, 5 or ten minutes your esteem is elated and then we have to pay Insurance charges. And then on comes the next and so it goes

Now let us look at venues where performers, like your self for instance who are paid to go and entertain people yes paid performers.
Often when you go to places you are often an acting MC at that time and while you are at that venue you have no gate entrance fees to pay which are often quite heavy and transport costs that are involved and often accommodation cost is paid as well via your fee for attending to the venue. So fair enough that they need insurance which spread out over a time is very small but please remember us small time performers are the backbone of your show we do not want this added cost and feel very much against it


BILL WILLIAMS The old Battler

[Heather]

I'm just guessing here but I'd have thought that event organisers would have public liability insurance that would cover volunteers, visitors and walk up poets (who are really a visitors anyway). I know that our historical society has insurance so that if we run a cemetery or street tour we are covered. You still have to be negligent to be sued though. I can't see how a walk up poet could cause any problems that would make them negligent enough to be sued.

Heather

[keats]

Certain festivals insist on paid artists having PL Insurance. Walk-up artists have never been asked (therefore I presume, not expected) to have Insurance. The main reason is if the artist, say me as an MC, sets up the sound system, or arranges the product table in an obstructive manner, etc. then any damage which may result (and I have never yet heard of anybody ever having a problem) then the onus comes back on me as MC. Therefore I carry PL Insurance. So do all Soundmen, Lighting crews, etc.

As a walk up artist, you are covered because any resultant injury caused to a person would be directed at me. If you start running Poet's Breakfasts yourself, then I would recommend you take out PL Insurance through the ABPA.

[Zondrae]

morning all
I have posted this in two places as it refers to the opening of each topic.

Don't hang me Bill,
(and by the way, I am not in the big league of professional poets! ) I only know that I really enjoy performing. I may get a free ticket but no cash changes hands. I suppose you can call that getting paid. If the Law says I have to be insured, then I will carry insurance. I look on poetry as my hobby.
I will have a quess at what it costs a hobby golfer to pursue his hobby of choice! I have heard that club membership is pricy and there is the cost of the clubs and bag and shoes. I have seen noticeboards near golf courses advertising twilight golf for $35 a round, and we don't all live beside a golf course, so there is transport. Now if I make an estimate, it is certainly over $100, and that is even before you put one foot on the green. Also this is an estimate for one game not a whole year. Any true lover of the sport will say it is well worth the cost. ( I forgot the balls - and we all know golfers have to have balls)

So I guess it amounts to how much I love sharing the spoken word. In MHO the cost of the insurance is inconsequential. I attend about six or seven festivals a year so that's roughly $16.50 per festival. Now I don't drink so let us say it is equal to 4 or 5 beers over the weekend. (again a guess as I don't really know what beer costs)

I won't even go to the cost of keepng a horse.

I quess I am trying to say, like written poetry competitions and many other things in life, if you wish to play you must play by the rules.
PS if a particular festival demands insurance, don't go to that one and let the organisers know your reason.

[keats]

But as in Golf, Zondrae, if you are only going to play once or twice a year, then borrow someone else's clubs, no need to buy your own set. PL Insurance at most festivals is not asked for. I do roughly 15 festivals a year and only have to produce my certificate for one. That is not to say that I would ever drop the insurance, as I carry it for the purpose it was designed to cover. But walk-up artists, as I say, are covered under my insurance, as I have set up the stage etc. which is about the only way that repercussions would normally occur.

So basically it is up to the walk-up artist to decide if he wants or can afford PL. I do know that some festivals offer what is known as 'Umbrella Cover' as a communal pool whereby artists without their own insurance pay a nominal fee towards covering them all. Again, last time I looked it was about $30, so if you are attending a lot of festivals who demand cover, then it is much cheaper to take out a yearly policy through the ABPA. And it is very good value, if you google the cost that others offer PL for.

[william williams]

In answer to Zondrae from Bill I apologize for that statement in the forum but under the info that you gave my answer was as such
AND I QUITE WILLINGLY RETRACT THAT STATEMENT
Keats had given a far more definitive answer to the question which changes the light on the subject. As for your statement that you are not in the big league of professional poets never once did I state what you are
You write of other interests that your husband has EG Golf, it is not cheap is it.

I live on the old age pension in a rented house I suffer from ill physical health that cost me all my finances, but life goes on from hand to hand and all that is left is what little pleasures that come along that I may get from writing and I do not mean financially.
A helping hand is what I give to everybody if possible in my own simple way I mean no and I repeat no disrespect to you or others in the forum my English has no decorum as you may gather

Insurance for poetry festivals and access to festivals are one of many things that I can ill afford so they are out of the question. Good luck to you if you can afford these things that you love but alas there are others that cannot and I am one of them.

BW

[Zondrae]

Afternoon Bill,

About this insurance business. I can only go from my own experience, which seems to be different from Neils. I could be totally wrong, I usually am.

If I have offended you in any way, I apologise. There was never any intention to cause ill feelings or stir up trouble.

[william williams]

Please except my appologies should I have caused you any discomfort as it is not my aim at all once again please except my appologies

William G Williams