Equity insurance guide 2024

What is insurance?

Insurance is a method by which you can protect yourself from facing a financial loss associated with an insurable risk. The purchase of an insurance policy, means that an insurance company takes over this risk by offering insurance cover in return for the payment of a premium. 

 As a member of Equity, this insurance is arranged on your behalf by the Union as part of your membership. Equity is not regulated to sell financial products including insurance. Insurance for organisations must be purchased through a broker.  

Insurance covers provided

The insurance package has been arranged for all members from the first day of their membership and is designed to provide protection for members’ work from training to performance.

The Public Liability insurance provides up to £10 million of legal liability claims and includes cover for working with fire and all of circus performance. 

Personal Accident insurance provides cover for accidents not only in the workplace or while you have a contract but also whilst commuting, auditioning, practicing, rehearsing and training. Members are also able to claim for costs relating to medically referred MRI/RIB scans.

Backstage personal property insurance provides cover for members not just at work but in all professional activity relating to performing work. 

Who is Aviva Insurance Ltd?

Aviva is your new insurance provider – the insurance company which is covering the Public Liability, Personal Accident and Backstage policies which you are benefitting from as part of your Equity membership.

"We are one of the UK’s leading Insurance, Wealth and Retirement businesses, with major businesses in Canada and Ireland. We help our 19.5 million customers make the most out of life, plan for the future, and have the confidence that if things go wrong we’ll be there to put it right. We have been taking care of people for more than 325 years, in line with our purpose of being ‘with you today, for a better tomorrow. In 2023, we paid £25.6 billion in claims and benefits to our customers." - Aviva

Registered in Scotland, No. 2116. Registered Office: Pitheavlis, Perth PH2 0NH. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Reference Number 202153. Member of the Association of British Insurers.

Who is Verlingue Ltd? 

Verlingue is the insurance broker who is placing the insurance policies on behalf of Equity and the Equity members. 

Verlingue will be able to help with insurance questions and if there are problems with your claims. 

Verlingue is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 306088). Members of the British Insurance Brokers Association.

Member Public Liability Cover

Public Liability (PL) provides cover for injury or damage you may inadvertently cause to other people or to their property. The policy provides legal defence cover and also damages that you may be required to pay if found legally liable for injury or damage to another person or their property. 

You are covered by the member PL insurance when you are a member in benefit (according to Equity’s rule book) whilst you are undertaking any activity or work which relates to performing arts profession This includes for example, commuting as well as when auditioning, rehearsing, practicing or training.

Policy Limit 

All members are covered on the same basis, on the policy which provides £10,000,000 limit of indemnity plus defence costs for each claim occurrence.

Territorial limits

Anywhere in the world in connection with the membership provided the member's usual residence is in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar. Members who reside overseas are also covered whilst visiting and working in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.

What is NOT covered by the Public Liability insurance

Member Public Liability Cover - How to make a claim 

Please report any incident of injury to others or damage you may have caused to someone else’s property as well as letters you may receive making a claim against you as soon as possible. Please do not wait for documentation to report any incident, but report the circumstances, which could result in a claim, or claims made against you as soon as possible to insurers to ensure the best possible outcome. 

You should report this straight to the insurer Aviva either by phone or email. Please quote the Policy Number 100802922CCI and your Equity Membership Number.

Member Personal Accident Cover 

Personal Accident insurance (PA) provides cover for Death and Disablement following bodily injury as a result of an accident for all members, and includes a weekly monetary benefit where members are temporarily unable to carry out their occupation as a result of accidental injury sustained from working, commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with the member’s profession.

Table of Benefits   

MRI/RIB/X-Ray Endorsement 

The policy includes cover for any member to have MIB/RIB scans and X-rays as long as this has been referred by your GP or a hospital medical practitioner. The maximum cover per member per claim is £1,000.

Stunt Performer cover 

Cover specifically for stunt performers where an accident has occurred involving stunt work: 

Territorial Limits

The policy cover is provided whilst you are working anywhere in the world on a temporary basis, you must maintain your main residence in the UK, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or Gibraltar. 

The policy also covers Equity members who normally reside overseas but are visiting and working in the United Kingdom and become an Equity member. 

Upper Age Limit 

85 years of age 

What is NOT covered by the Personal Accident Insurance

• Injury, death or disablement sustained from activities not related to Equity connected work.
• Sickness or disease.
• Any naturally occurring condition or degenerative process.
• Permanent Total Disablement if an Insured Person is retired from gainful employment and receiving a pension of any kind.
• War in the Country of Residence.
• Any kind of flying other than as a passenger.
• Being a full time member of the armed forces on active duty.
• Suicide or self harm.
• Criminal acts.
• Temporary Total Disablement is only payable to an Insured Person in gainful employment.
• Temporary Partial Disablement.

Personal Accident - Stunt Performers

The cover is provided during the following operative time:

Occupational Accidents including commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with the members profession

Stunt Performers

Insurers understand that Stunt performers carry out hazardous activities and train for these as well in their spare time. 

There are no restrictions on work or practice or training activities. 

There is no height restriction on the policy. 

The main policy benefits are:

If these benefits are insufficient to meet your needs you can personally buy an additional policy. As it is a benefit policy, you can have more than one. 

The weekly benefit insurers will pay out is based on your average weekly earnings over the past 52 weeks. 

Verifying Claims

Personal Accident claims need to be supported by a completed claims form – download the Aviva claim forms here. Note that this is a generic Aviva claim form and it references employees – please be aware that if you have your own employees they are NOT covered by your Equity insurance. 

The form will ask for information on the circumstances leading to the accident and how this is related to your profession. 

This can be substantiated via: 
•    Medical reports. 
•    Witnesses statements. 
•    Copy of an accident book reporting. 
•    Possible CCTV or mobile phone footage.
•    An explanation how the activity relates to your profession.
•    Any other information you may have.

It is up to you to evidence that you have suffered an accident and that the activity you were doing was related to your profession. 

For loss of Personal Property please provide details of the circumstance which lead to the theft or loss. Make sure you report it to the police if your property has been stolen and get a crime reference number.

Insurers may ask for:
•    You to complete a property loss claim form.
•    Receipts for the items lost (if you have them). 

Public Liability claims need to be notified to insurers as soon as possible. When notifying insurers of an incident that has happened or a claim that has been made against you, please supply: 

•    A written explanation of the incident that has occurred. 
•    Any written documentation holding you responsible for an incident

Any supporting documentation available such as:

• A risk assessment for the event/performance that took place where the incident occurred if you are responsible for completing this.
• Copy of an accident book/RIDDOR where the incident was documented.
• Copy of medical report if available yet.
• Any witness statements or contact details for witnesses.
• Any other evidence. 

Please be prepared that insurers may ask more detailed questions. They are only trying to make sure they have all the facts so that the claim can be substantiated and covered. 

How to make a claim  

You should report any accidents that you may have sustained which has caused you bodily injury directly to Aviva insurance as soon as possible. Please do not wait for all relevant documentation to be issued as this can cause a delay to your claim. 

You should also report any need for scans or x-rays not done through the NHS as soon as possible and submit the medical referral and proposed cost or invoice.  

You should report this straight to the insurer Aviva by either phone or email. Please quote your Equity Membership Number and the Policy Number: 

• Stunt Performer - 100802601GPA
• Standard Member - 100802601GPA

Backstage Personal Property Insurance

This cover is provided for all Equity members as standard and covers loss, damage or theft of personal items whilst practicing, performing or commuting to/from such activities. 

Territorial Limit

The policy cover is provided whilst you are working anywhere in the world on a temporary basis, you must maintain your main residence in the UK, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or Gibraltar. 

Policy cover

The maximum you can claim is £500 subject to a single article limit of £100. Valuables are limited to a maximum of £250. The policy excludes the first £10 of a claim and £100 in respect of valuables.

What is not covered

Loss or damage to the following are excluded:

• Money.
• Contact lenses and spectacles.
• Mobile phones.
• Any portable electronic equipment unless used directly in connection with a professional performance.
• Electrical mechanical breakdown.
• Wear and tear or any gradually deteriorating/operating cause.
• Theft from an unattended vehicle unless the item is out of sight in a locked compartment and entry is gained by forcible means.
• Cleaning or maintenance.
• Any item which is more specifically insured elsewhere.

How to make a claim 

You should report this straight to the insurer Aviva either by phone or email and supply proof of ownership and value of the lost item as well as explain circumstances of the loss. Please quote the Policy Number: 100802601GPA and your Equity Membership Number.

General Pre-Contract Disclosure

Aviva Insurance Ltd. is the sole insurer for Personal Accident and Backstage insurance and for Public Liability up to £5,000,000 limit of indemnity. Lloyd’s insurer Axis Insurance Company is providing cover for the remaining £5,000,000 Public Liability limit to provide the full £10,000,000 limit of liability. indemnity. 

Verlingue Ltd is your insurance broker and receives a fee for services to place these insurance policies, which are paid for by Equity. Verlingue will act as broker on behalf of Equity Members at all times in sourcing and placing cover, as well as assisting on claims. 

Complaints

You should receive a high standard of service from Verlingue. If there is an occasion where you feel you do not, please contact Verlingue by writing, email or phone:  

Verlingue complaints address
Head of Compliance
First Floor, Forum House 
41 – 45 Brighton Road 
Redhill 
Surrey 
RH1 6YS 

Email: peter.stansfield@verlingue.com 

Phone: 0208 290 6900 

If you cannot settle your complaint with us you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). You can find out more about this by visiting the FOS website at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk 

If you cannot settle your complaint with us and have no entitlement to refer it to the FOS, you can escalate the matter to our Executive Chairman, Neil Campling.

For your policy insured in the Lloyd’s market, you are entitled to refer your complaint to Lloyd’s who will conduct a full investigation and provide you with a written final response, if you are not satisfied with our response or if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks. You should contact:

Lloyd’s complaints address
Fidentia House
Walter Burke Way
Chatham Maritime
Chatham
Kent
ME4 4RN

E-mail: complaints@lloyds.com

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7327 5693 
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7327 5225 

www.lloyds.com/complaints

If you are not happy with the response you get from Lloyd’s, you may be entitled to refer the matter to the FOS. Lloyd’s will send you a FOS leaflet with further information at the appropriate time.

Do's and Don'ts

•    Always ensure that a risk assessment is carried out. 
•    If there is an incident which can or gives rise to a liability claim do not admit liability 
•    Act as if uninsured to contain damage or injury to others or to yourself.
•    Report any incidents as soon as possible to insurers, do not wait till you have accumulated all documents and supporting information. 
•    Obtain witness statement if you are able.
•    Make sure the location owners note the incident in their accident book.
•    If you are rehearsing alone for an audition or keeping fit for your work and you injure yourself, please ensure you seek medical attention as medical documentation/evidence may be required if you make a claim.
•    If you suffer a theft of your personal belongings you must report it to the police and obtain a crime reference number.
•    Claims must be reported within 60 days, but our best practice guideline is that you do this as soon as practically possible.

Where you can work

You are covered to work anywhere in the world but you must maintain a residence in the UK and predominantly work in the UK. If you are contracted to do a job outside the UK for more than six months let Verlingue know, particularly if you will not have an address in the UK for the duration. 

Performers who are not UK nationals who come to the UK to perform and join Equity for the duration of their stay will be covered whilst working in the UK only.