Travel insurance and your band: A match made on the stairway to heaven

Travel insurance for musicians probably isn't the very first thing you think of when you’re planning an out-of-country gig or tour- but it should be. It doesn’t matter what particular artistic niche you occupy, one thing is for certain- this isn’t a normal holiday. When you’re working abroad there’s bound to be snags, hassles, and issues, but some smart insurance can help you keep the peace of mind you need to focus on putting on the best performance possible. Performing Arts Travel Insurance, a division of Hencilla Canworth, takes a look at the unique needs of the travelling musician, and how travel insurance can help smooth your way.

Travel is rarely smooth

Much though airlines do their best, the sheer amount of travellers and logistics of moving planes between continents means that missing luggage and mishaps on connecting flights are going to happen. Add in human fallibility, and it’s almost inevitable that ‘these things happen’. On holiday it’s annoying- on a business trip it can be fatal. It’s not a planning lapse, you or your agent’s fault, or an oops on the client end- sometimes it’s just random bad luck, no matter how well you plan. That’s why travel insurance for musicians exists in the first place.

It’s easy to think, ‘It won’t happen to me.’ And maybe it won’t- it’s a numbers game, after all. The question when you travel for work is, however, is not ‘could it happen’, but rather ‘am I willing to stake my career on it never happening?’ It’s more than possible to play the odds and save the money, but if the risks catch up with you it’s your career on the line, not just a sour vacation. The travel industry is in a very strange place at the moment. International borders could slam shut again at any moment, or the crisis could disappear. Airlines are working on limited staff, with billions of revenue lost, and may not be functioning at their peak abilities. To be stranded in a foreign place, short on cash and perhaps facing quarantine or undefeatable logistic issues, is a lesson no one wants to learn. Travel insurance gives you peace of mind that you can get help when you need it.

Why would a musician need special travel coverage, though?

The answer is simple- a package tailored to your needs will make sure you’re covered where it really counts. Travel insurance experts typically warn people to evaluate three cornerstones of their policy:

• What does the policy offer if your personal items go missing, are stolen, or get lost (both by yourself and the airlines)
• How are you covered for cancellation, delay or interruption?
• Is there medical/repatriation coverage?

In the end, no matter the specific area of maximum concern, the priority is avoiding a damaging reputation as a disorganised mess. Not only can upsets affect your earnings- it can affect the way employers and fans see you going forward. No one wants to be trying to find help in a foreign city or waste practice time you should be impressing your employers by trying to get an airline to find your socks or costume!

When you travel for business, you aren’t a tourist. Being in an artistic profession doesn’t change that. All the stuff that you could shrug off because you’re on holiday can be career-wrecking when you’re trying to impress. Not to mention impacting your ability to make back costs on the travel, and keep income flooding in. Travel insurance is one of the tools you can use to ensure you always have reliable help when you need it, turning even mishaps into a chance to demonstrate organization and professionalism.

Why specialised performing artist travel insurance is the right choice

That doesn’t mean that all travel policies for musicians are made to be equal. Most general policies you find won’t even cover you at all- they are aimed for holiday, not business, travel. If they find out you were working while covered by the policy, the coverage may even be withdrawn! Even if you would be insured, chances are it doesn’t actually give you much protection where you need it, or cover your needs. As a working professional, you need something more than cookie-cutter coverage...you need an in-depth policy tailored around the life of a musician on the road and in the air. Of course, you want to pay for coverage where it matters, not useless extras!

With our unique performing Arts Travel Insurance for musicians, you’re covered while earning a living and can tailor your policy to meet your unique needs. From as little as £19.92 for a single 10 day trip to Europe, you can have the peace of mind that lets you focus on your music, not the worries of travel. We’re able to offer medical coverage (including some pre-existing conditions, subject to terms), and can create policies to cover multiple trips as well as offer annual policies if you travel a lot. In short, Hencilla Canworth has your back where you need it most.