Where do you get the $185 liablity insurance? Mine is $450:(

Geeze, now I know I'm tired, I replied twice to the same message with the same nfo...d'oh. Off to bed... he he he, that sounds so close to OFF WITH HIS HEAD!! But that is a whole new thread...

Heather,

I am eager to know about this as well as I have Specialty. Let us know!

-Metina

Ok so here's what I said to Stephanie and what she replied back...

", someone on a face paint forum told us that the $200 coverage that we buy from Specialty does NOT cover us if we have a booth at a fair doing face painting for money. Is this indeed correct? The person said “If you're caught vending (face painting is considered vending) and not performing, then they will drop you.”

Can you clarify or verify the info please? This concerns me as I bought my insurance specifically for my booth at the NY State Fair last summer."

Her reply

"
Hi Heather,
Not true! Our commercial general liability policy covers you in the home doing a party, in a park, at a fair or festival, anywhere in the U.S., Canada or the U.S. owned islands.

Thank you for questioning!
Stephanie Weiss
Specialty Insurance Agency
Performers of the U.S. & Vendors of the U.S."

So is the insurance $185 or $200? I'm planning on buying it next month, so I want to make sure I get the correct one.

Glad you got a quick response. It is possible that their vendor policy costs more because it covers booth workers, plus there is a greater risk for vendors at fairs in terms of products they are selling being damaged or stolen.

The policy I have is not a vendor policy, it is a public liability policy that covers me while painting, etc. so it sounds like I am fine also. Thanks for getting Stephanie to clear up the misunderstanding.

Thanks for clarifying!
As far as the rates, this is how it was posted for 2009:

The 2009 – 2010 policy limits of coverage are as follows:
Each Occurrence $3,000,000 (bodily injury & property damage to others)
Damage to Rented Premises $100,000 (to rented premises)
Personal & Advertising Injury $3,000,000 (hurting someone's feelings)
General Aggregate $4,000,000 (the most the policy will pay out during the policy year)
Products – Completed Op. Agg. $4,000,000 (the most the policy will pay out during the policy year)
Medical Expenses $5,000 (emergency medical)
Carrier Coverage underwritten by Lexington Insurance Company; a carrier rated A (excellent)
Deductible: Zero
Premium Coverage is for an annual term from April 25 to April 25 for $200.00 per person.

I just got off the phone with Stephanie and she's pretty shocked that the $185 quote is even being discussed. She said that the last time they had that quote was in 2005 and that what used to be Clowns of the U.S. was changed to Performers of the U.S. to cater to all forms of entertainers.

The premium for the 2010 policy with be $210. That's up $10 from last year because they have increased the General Aggregate from $4,000,000 to $5,000,000 (I guess a lot of businesses are requesting a higher aggregate coverage from the painters they hire?

She said that the Vendor's policy would be for painters who had employees (i.e., the kind that you mention on your tax forms), but I didn't ask about selling items. She did say that it doesn't matter if you are in a booth, a tent or a bathroom, your Performer's insurance will cover you.

BTW, renewal notices will be mailed out Saturday or Monday, so keep your eyes peeled for them!!

Stephanie said that she will talk to anyone who has concerns about their policy and that you can give her a call: 1-715-246-8908

I hope that this helps clear up some of the confusion.

Performers of the U.S.:

The Performers of the US insurance program is designed for the individual who is entertaining the public. The policy provides protection against bodily injury or property damage to a spectator during your performance.

Eligible Performers:
Clowns and Santas
Face Painters
Balloon Twisters
Jugglers
Magicians
Fire Dancers
Stage Hypnotists
Caricature Artists
Street Performers
Comedy Acts
Aerialists
Storytellers
Minstrels
Children Entertainers


We Do Not Cover:
Fireworks
Pyrotechnic Operations
Animals (including: mammals, and fowl.)
Athletic Participation
Your business employees/subcontractors
Trackless Trains
Moonwalks
Jump houses (or other amusement rides and attractions)
Instruction

Vendors of the U.S.
The Vendors of the US insurance program is designed for the merchant selling their wares or services at the fairs, festivals, expos trade show, etc.
The policy provides protection against bodily injury to a customer while in or around your booth and/or property damage that may occur to others.

Things To Know:

* Coverage is under the association's Master Policy.
* Certificates of Insurance are sent out from the Master Policy.
* There is no charge for certificates naming the venue where you are working as an additional insured.
* Your "employees" or "volunteer workers" ARE COVERED while performing duties related to the conduct of your business. Note: A sub-contractor is not considered an employee.
* The policy renews every September 1st.
* Policy provides coverage throughout the United States.
* Product Liability is required by some of the fairs in CA, ID, KS, NY, PA, TX, & WA More fairs & states will probably adopt this requirement. The product coverage covers the resulting damage for the Vendor's products.

Example 1: customer purchase a rug; the rug is not skid proof and someone slips and falls. The resulting bodily injury would be covered (less the deductible).
Example 2: customer buys a piece of pottery, places the pottery in the oven or microwave to warm or bake something and the pottery breaks. The broken pottery is not covered. If the pottery caused damage to the oven or microwave, that resulting damage would be covered


Eligible Vendors:
Anyone setting up booth space and selling a product or service

Ineligible Vendors:

Anyone selling liquor
Anyone with live animals
Body piercing or permanent tattooing
Corn or hay mazes
Haunted attractions

Okay... so it still means that my tent or supplies, should they burn down at an event or something, would not be covered and replaced by the insurance. This is liability only and covers any damage/injury/hurt feelings of the customer.

Am I understanding it right?

Yup...unless you find someone to underwrite for a plan that included kit replacement...I think Shannon has that for her kit.

You know - I would suggest that wanting comprehensive coverage - i.e. JBax's mention of kit being covered - is counterproductive. The premium you would pay for this would be heaps, and then how often would you ever claim? Just put that extra premium you would have paid each year, in the bank, and then if and when your kit ever gets damaged, you'll have more than enough to replace it.

Just get the minimum public liability that you will need to cover yourself with other people's claims.

That's my humble opinion, anyway, and my opinion of insurance in general.

Kat

My one toolbox containing my glamour kit would probably cost over $10,000 to replace ... just that one box. Trust me, insurance is worth it.

I have three bobbin cases of 25 lipsticks each, that's 75 individiual MAC and other lipsticks, PLUS several stacks containing another 30 or so... that's over 100 lipsticks... at an average of say $18 each = $1,800 replacement cost FOR JUST THE LIPSTICKS.

Then there is the eyeshadows, the palettes, the foundations, the liners, the powders, etc. etc.

If my FP kit was stolen - which is also one toolbox - that would cost about $5,000-8,000 to replace completely. You add up the cost of approx 200 sponges, the toolbox, the palettes, the paints, the brushes (about 40), the accessories, the supplies, the towels... well, that is a lot of cash.

And putting away $100 a year isn't going to cover any of that. If I'd been putting the $100 I pay for "kit replacement" since I started doing make-up professionally I would only have $1200 plus minimal interest accrued... that wouldn't even replace my lipsticks.

This coverage is for LOSS and THEFT... so if my car is in a wreck and my kit destroyed, or it is stolen, it is all covered.

I am only paying for $10,000 of kit replacement - that would get me started at least to a level of professional. I would still need to rebuild the rest of it over time.

There is a deductible of course... and most cases of "missing" individual items are not going to be claimed. Insurance is for the worst case scenario.

It is sort of like saying insure your house but not the contents IMHO.

My policy allows the option to add kit replacement in increments of $5000.

Well - I think we're both right, and I agree with you, Shannon, as well as still holding with what I said, for my situation, and perhaps others as well. Here you are, Shannon, at the top of your field, and probably at the peak of your career. One of the best - count 'em on one hand - face painters in the world. You've won lots of awards, right?

And, you're a makeup artist as well - which probably most of us are not. The kit for that sounds formidably expensive. So, naturally you have the kit that befits your standing - to win awards you can't be using a $20 Snazaroo beginner's kit. I'm not at all implying that expensive kit = awards - just saying that, natch, anyone that gets to the top is also going to love getting lots of good kit. I know I do, too.

As a beginner face painter (but I still do take it seriously), I have maybe $300 to $400 (NZD) invested in my kit, so I don't think I'd bother insuring for it, because, honestly, the premiums would be high, and there is the deductible, don't forget.

If I was in Shannon's position (I wish) then yes, I would certainly insure my kit.

So I guess it all boils down to - we all have to do our own maths for our own situation.

Kat

However, now that Shannon has given some figures and scenarios, it's made me more aware of this issue. I will be keeping tabs on my kit, and when/if the time comes that the value of my kit becomes worth insuring, then I will do it.

Kat

Koolkat,

I would have to agree with you that it is important to know what your kit is worth. My total working kit is only about $300(I work small) so probably not worth insuring.

-Metina