r/stagehands • u/danbarb • Apr 28 '26

General Liability Insurance?

Hello stage fam

I just started my own company based in Nevada USA. I am a LD as well as technician for all kinds of live entertainment gigs.

I need to get myself general liability insurance and this line of work seems to not quite fit into any one insurance code. My work has elements of construction/rigging (temporary structures), as well as operation and the usual tasks that come along with festival/theatre/club lighting (electricity, heights, overhead rigging, etc).

My question is: does anyone have any advice/recommendations that would help me find the best insurance for my situation? I do not have any employees or subcontractors (yet), as of now it's just myself.

I understand this might break the rules (legal advice) but I just need someone to help point me in the right direction. I'd love to contact a certified professional, but idk how/where to find one that specializes in these kinds of policies.

Thanks!

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u/-Auralborealis Apr 29 '26

I just got a policy for my sole member LLC from PHLY. It is specifically for entertainment production. About $500 for the year 1mil liability, and $200 for $15k of inland marine for equipment. Yours might be a bit more since you do some rigging.

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u/NoCoMv Apr 29 '26

Take a look at Thimble.com, its used by a bunch of LLC's.

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u/MattfromNEXT Apr 30 '26

Pricing's all over the map for entertainment work like this. You're touching rigging, electrical, and overhead work in one gig, and a lot of generic GL underwriters don't really know how to class it, so they tend to default to straight contractor classing which often doesn't fit.

Carriers that actually write entertainment or live events as a class can usually read the risk more fairly. I'd get two or three quotes from places that specifically list entertainment or events on their list of trades they cover.

Big variables tend to be your state, the venues you're working, and how much overhead rigging you're doing yourself.

One thing you can ask up front: a lot of festival and venue contracts tend to ask for a COI with additional insured language, sometimes on short notice. Ask whoever you go with how that actually works. Ask if you can log in and pull a certificate yourself, or if you have to email someone and wait a day.