Event organisers’ insurance and Martyn’s Law: the cover stack

How the new duties treat events

The Act’s premises tiers — standard from 200 people, enhanced from 800 — are joined by a separate category of qualifying events, defined by the same 800-person expectation applied to any point during the event. A one-day festival on farmland, a large outdoor show, a temporary arena: none of these is a “premises” in the everyday sense, and the qualifying-event route is how the regime reaches them. Responsibility follows control — broadly, the person or organisation in control of the event — and where an event takes place inside a venue that is itself in scope, organiser and venue will need to be clear between themselves about who is doing what. That allocation belongs in the hire contract, not in assumptions.

The duties for qualifying events sit on the enhanced model: procedures for protecting life during an attack, measures to reduce vulnerability and harm, and documentation for the regulator. The Act is not yet in force, and this page is not compliance advice; before planning against any date, check the current commencement position. Our subject is the insurance stack the duties will press against.

The organiser’s liability stack

Public liability

The foundation. An organiser owes a duty of care to attendees, and injury claims — crowd incidents, structures, vehicles, the ordinary physics of large gatherings — land here. Two points matter under the new regime. Limits should be set against the realistic worst day, not the average one; a multi-casualty incident at a large event is exactly the scenario the new duties contemplate. And once the duty is in force, an organiser’s documented protect-duty planning will be central evidence of reasonable care if a claim ever asks whether the organiser did enough.

Employers’ liability for crew

Events run on short-term labour: riggers, stewards, bar staff, contractors’ people, volunteers. Employers’ liability insurance is compulsory for employees, and tribunal-tested reality is that many “casual” and volunteer arrangements count. The organiser’s EL should be arranged on the basis of everyone the organiser directs and controls, with contractors evidencing their own EL and PL for their teams. An injured steward is an EL claim; an injured attendee is a PL claim; an event that confuses the two finds out at claim time.

Cancellation and abandonment

Cancellation cover protects the money: irrecoverable costs and, where bought, lost revenue or profit if the event cannot proceed. Standard perils centre on things like adverse weather for outdoor events, venue damage and non-appearance of key performers — each with its own conditions. The critical small print for this era: terrorism, and often the threat of terrorism or the resulting denial of access, are commonly excluded unless specifically bought back. An event stopped by a police cordon three streets away may have suffered no damage and no attack on site — whether the loss is insured turns entirely on those extensions.

Terrorism extensions

Alongside the cancellation buy-back, organisers with significant physical assets on site — staging, structures, equipment — should know that property covers exclude terrorism as standard, with cover available via the government-backstopped scheme through participating insurers or the standalone market. See our terrorism insurance page for the routes.

A practical cover checklist

Before the next event, an organiser should be able to answer yes, or explain why not, to each of these:

Public liability at a limit sized for the realistic worst incident, with the event’s activities fully declared. Employers’ liability covering everyone you direct, including casuals and volunteers. Contractor checks: EL and PL certificates collected, and security subcontractors’ arrangements understood. Cancellation cover matched to the real budget at risk, with the terrorism and threat extensions consciously bought or consciously declined. Property and hired-in equipment cover for kit on site. Contract clarity with the venue on who holds which duty and which insurance. If the event is large enough to qualify under the new regime, the same planning that satisfies the duty — capacity expectations, procedures, documentation — is the backbone of a well-presented insurance submission.

Where a broker earns their keep

Event insurance is bought under time pressure, and the wordings are unforgiving of vagueness: attendance figures, activities, pyrotechnics, water, vehicles and security arrangements all shape what is covered. Describe the event as it will actually run. The new duties will, if anything, make that discipline easier — organisers in scope will already hold the documents. Bring them to the placement; they are worth money.

Frequently asked questions

Does Martyn's Law apply to small events?

The qualifying-event category is aimed at large events — 800 or more people, including staff, reasonably expected at some point during the event. A smaller event is not a qualifying event in its own right, though a venue hosting it may itself be in scope as premises. Thresholds and guidance should be checked against the current commencement position before you rely on them.

Who is the responsible person — venue or organiser?

Responsibility under the Act follows control of the premises or event. Where an organiser hires a venue that is itself in scope, both sides need contractual clarity on who holds which duties — and the same clarity should extend to who insures what. Settle it in the hire agreement, in writing, before tickets go on sale.

Does event cancellation insurance cover terrorism?

Frequently not as standard. Terrorism, threats of terrorism and denial of access by the authorities are commonly excluded from cancellation wordings unless bought back by extension. Given that a cordon or credible threat can stop an event without any damage on site, this is the single most important small-print check an organiser can make.

Do we need employers' liability for volunteers?

Treat volunteers and casual crew as if EL applies, because in many arrangements it does — the label matters less than the reality of direction and control. EL is compulsory for employees, and insuring on the cautious basis costs little compared with discovering a gap after a steward is injured. Declare the full crew picture to your insurer.

Will complying with the new duties satisfy our insurers?

Compliance and insurance are separate systems — one discharges a legal duty, the other pays defined losses. But they feed each other: the capacity assessments, procedures and documentation the duty requires are strong evidence of reasonable care in a liability claim and excellent material for the placement. Neither replaces the other.

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 724952). This page is general information, not advice on a specific policy.