Event liability cover: what to have ready before you ask

An event liability request usually asks what kind of event it is, how many guests are expected, where it is held, whether alcohol is served and whether temporary structures are used. Have the date, the venue contract and a simple plan for safety and crowd control to hand, and ask as soon as the date and venue are fixed.

What does an event liability request ask?

The hub for event liability cover says insurers price on five things, and the request form asks about them:

1. The type of event. A wedding, a corporate function, a market, a concert or a festival carries different risks.
2. The number of guests. More people raises the likelihood of an incident.
3. The venue. Whether it is a hired hall, a farm, a park or a street, and who owns it.
4. Alcohol. Whether it is served, and how.
5. Temporary structures. Marquees, stages, rides or any structure put up for the event.

The licensed provider who calls will ask more, because they must assess the event in front of them. Have the answers ready and be honest about anything that is still undecided.

Why does each answer matter?

Each answer tells the provider something about how an injury or damage claim might arise.

• A larger crowd means more people who could be hurt and more property that could be damaged.
• A venue with water, steps, open ground or a road nearby carries different risks from a hall with controlled entry.
• Alcohol affects behaviour. The hub notes that it raises the risk and the price, and that some insurers require a licensed bar service.
• Temporary structures add their own risks, from a collapse to a fire. Ask the provider what they need to know about who builds and inspects them.

That is why the form asks. Your answers decide which providers receive your request and what they are able to offer.

What does the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act list for a safety plan?

For an event categorised as low-risk, section 4(9) of the Act requires the organiser to appoint a safety officer, prepare a written safety plan, put the measures in place and inform the local police station before the event. Section 4(10) lists what the plan must include:

• the event risk assessment;
• event details including duration;
• venue design, safe capacity and compliance with other safety certification;
• the spectator profile and expected attendance;
• control of event service providers;
• ablution facilities, refuse removal, water and lighting;
• control of liquor;
• proactive and reactive fire measures;
• emergency medical measures;
• access and egress control;
• safety information announcements; and
• emergency evacuation procedures detailing action to be taken by designated persons in the event of a major incident.

Whether your event is within the Act is covered in when an event needs liability insurance. Even where it is not, the list is a sensible checklist of what to plan, and the answers will help when the provider asks you questions.

What documents should I gather?

Having these to hand makes the call quicker.

• The date, start and finish times, including set-up and pack-down.
• The venue's name, address and hire agreement, with the insurance clause marked.
• The expected number of guests, and the maximum the venue allows.
• A short description of the programme: speeches, music, catering, entertainment, any activities with a physical element.
• Who supplies the bar, and whether they hold the required licence.
• A list of suppliers, such as caterers, decor, sound and security.
• Details of any marquee, stage or other structure, and who puts it up.
• Any permit or municipal requirement that applies.

How far ahead should I ask?

The hub says to arrange cover as soon as the date and venue are fixed. Cover is arranged per event and insurers need a few working days; a request made the week before a large event may be declined. If your venue needs proof by a certain date, work back from that date and add time.

What if the details change after I have asked?

Events change. The guest list grows, the venue moves, a marquee is added or the bar is dropped. Tell the licensed provider in writing as soon as you know, and ask them to confirm in writing whether the change affects the cover. Do not wait for the day. A policy is issued on what you told the provider, so a plan that has moved away from what you described is the kind of gap you want to close early. What insurers ask a small business explains why accurate answers matter.

What should I expect on the provider's call?

The provider will confirm the details you gave and ask follow-up questions. Good questions to ask in return:

• What dates and times does the cover run for, and does it include set-up and pack-down?
• What is the limit, and what is the excess?
• What does the wording exclude for an event like mine, such as alcohol, structures or particular activities?
• When does cover start, and what will you send me to show it?
• How and to whom do I report an incident?

Ask for the answers in writing, and keep them with your venue contract. If you receive a quotation, check it against your notes before you accept.

What if I am running the event for a business?

An event run by a business, such as a launch, a staff function or a market stall, may also touch the business's own policy. A standing public liability section may or may not reach an event away from your premises, and the wording decides. Ask the provider who holds your business policy, and tell the event provider what the business already holds. What public liability cover pays for explains the standing section.

What do the Rules say about what I am told?

The Policyholder Protection Rules (Short-term Insurance), 2017 set out what the insurer must disclose. Rule 11.3.1 requires communications about a policy to be in plain language and not misleading. Rule 11.1 treats a limit on the amount of cover as a significant limitation, and Rule 11.3.2 requires the insurer to take reasonable steps to give you appropriate information in good time to make an informed decision. If something is unclear, ask the provider to answer in writing before you pay.

Rule 4.2 gives a 14-day cooling-off right only for a policy with a term longer than 31 days, so a policy for a single event will usually fall outside it. Decide before you accept.

How does Olvian fit in?

Olvian is a lead-referral service. You ask once, and the request goes to licensed providers who pay Olvian a fee and call you back. Olvian is not an insurer, broker or adviser. It does not recommend what or how much cover to buy for your event.

Sources

Checked on 31 October 2026. This guide is information, not advice.

• Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2 of 2010, section 4: Responsibility for safety and security at events
• Policyholder Protection Rules (Short-term Insurance), 2017, Rule 4: Cooling-off rights
• Rule 11: Disclosure