Most Common Insurance Claims At Craft Fairs
There’s a lot to focus on when preparing for and vending at an event. The last thing you want to do is be dealing with an accident and not having the insurance coverage to pay for it.
Event insurance helps to give you peace of mind while attending craft shows, farmers markets, and more. When an accident occurs, you can be rest assured you have the safety net of ACT Insurance to help you through the claims process.
The best way to avoid a claim in the first place is to be aware of common accidents so you can more safely attend events. Let’s take a look at some of the three most common insurance claims we see at ACT each year.
1. Slips, Trips, & Falls
One of the most frequent claims we receive are for slips, trips, and falls during an event. This can be someone tripping over part of your display, falling over a table leg or signage you set up, or a sample damaging someone’s property (like clothes or a handbag).
It could also be someone tripping over a chord the event manager set up, or slipping in water another person spilled. You can still be held responsible for an incident if it happens in or around your booth.
Sometimes these accidents can also cause damage to the area they take place in—causing scratches to flooring, marks on walls, and broken windows or mirrors. An injured customer may also need immediate medical attention.
To better avoid these types of accidents, make sure your booth has enough room for someone to walk around. Keep the walking space free from obstructions by tucking in table clothes, taping down wires, and . It’s also important to have good lighting. If something spills in your booth, you want to have a way to clean it up quickly to prevent slipping.
2. Stolen Inventory
We commonly hear about vendors having items stolen while setting up or taking down their booth. With so many people trying to get in and out, it’s easy for someone to slip by and take products, tents, money, or parts of your display. Even during an event, someone can break into your vehicle to steal extra inventory or supplies you may have brought along.
To help keep your stuff safe, it can be helpful to have another person with you so nothing is ever unattended. You can put items in collapsible wagons and large tote bins so you can move more items at once to avoid leaving anything behind. If you’re storing anything in your car, don’t leave anything in plain sight. Toss blankets over the top of boxes or bags, or use a security screen to cover items in the trunk. Some vendors even temporarily tape paper or cloth over their windows so no one can see what’s inside during an event (only do this in a parked vehicle and take it down before driving).
Keep any spare inventory in containers hidden away under tables during an event. If you need to step away from your booth, have someone to step in and keep an eye on things. When leaving your booth overnight, you can bike lock your tent to tables or display items to keep them together. You also don’t want to leave anything valuable in your booth, like cash boxes or inventory, outside of event hours.
There are insurance protections for theft and damage done to your property. We refer to this as Tools, Supplies, & Inventory Coverage (also known as Inland Marine Insurance). This type of coverage is offered as an add-on to the ACT Annual Policy. You cannot add it to our event policy. Tools, Supplies, & Inventory coverage can also protect items you use for your business, such as computers or ipads, that are stolen from your home or studio.
3. Unexpected Weather
It can be frustrating to encounter unexpected weather when setting up or attending an event. In a matter of minutes a gust of wind or sudden downpour can cause immense damage. Tents can break, damage your booth, be blown into cars, injure people, and lead to serious accidents.
Depending on the type of accident, you may be responsible for covering the cost of damages and injuries done by your tent—even the weather was responsible and not you.
One way to help you prepare for unexpected weather is to weigh down your tent so it isn’t as easily moved by wind. You can also tie down table clothes and reinforce any stands or displays to keep them sturdy. Some vendors velcro their display items to tables to prevent them from being blown or knocked over easily.
Insure Yourself Against Accidents
Without insurance, you are expected to pay for any damages done to the customer’s property, other booths, or the event space, plus any medical bills. These costs can add up quickly and put a financial burden on both you and your small business.
ACT Insurance is here to help you when you have a claim from an event-related incident, taking the stress and pressure off of you. Our annual plan combines general and product liability insurance to make it easy to stay safe at events all year long.
Add getting a policy with ACT to your next event prep checklist and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with being insured against common craft fair accidents.