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General questions
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 Equity Union as part of your membership.
All members are provided with Public Liability, Personal Accident and Backstage covers. You can find more information in our insurance guide and in the policy documents:
Public Liability (PL) insurance
Public liability insurance, also know as PL insurance, refers to insurance that covers claims made against you by a member of the public for medical expenses and other costs resulting from injuries, death, and or property damage caused your activities as a member.
This policy will cover the cost of legal liability claims against you for bodily injury and/or property damage to any third party person, arising from your activities.
The policy runs annually from the 1 October on a continuous cover basis.
Yes. The policy covers your Limited company in the event that legal liability arise from your activities as a member of Equity provided that you are the only employee and director.
This is set at £10 million for each and every claims arising from any one occurrence, during the period of insurance.
There is no deduction in the event of a third party injury claim but there is a deduction of £500 in the form of a policy excess on any third party property damage claim.
There is no need to purchase additional Public Liability cover if you are organising a production, show or the like as these are all covered as standard under your membership. If you are employing anyone in the production or show you will need to purchase Employer’s Liability insurance.
Yes, you are covered when your are temporarily working outside of the UK as standard under your membership.
Yes, if you live abroad but work in the UK, you will be covered as standard under your membership, for work completed in the UK.
Yes this is covered as standard under your membership.
Yes this is covered as standard under your membership. However, Insurers will not provide cover for the manufacture, storage, handling or use of explosives other than the use of flash cotton, flash tape and flash paper.
Yes, insurers will not provide cover for personal injury to people participating in performances which involve: weapons, animals, pyrotechnics or fire, wrestling.
Yes you are covered in accordance with Equity's rules.
Yes, the standard cover under the membership gives you a £10 million limit for each and every claim within the policy year.
For PL Injury claims please contact glasnew@aviva.com or call 0345 300 7586. For PL Third Party Property Damage claims please contact liaprop@aviva.com or call 0345 301 6042.
You can also find the claim forms at the bottom of our insurance page and find more information in our former insurance guide.
For injury claims against a member the claimant has up to 3 years to make a claim from the date of the incident.
For property damage claims against a member the claimant has up to 6 years to make a claim from the date the damage is discovered.
We encourage members to notify circumstances which could give rise to a claim but these may not always be known to the member. If a claim materialises then the member can evidence cover by confirming membership number as live on the date when the alleged incident occurred.
The length of time a claim will take to be settled is dependent on the exact nature of the circmstances that have given rise to the claim. Claims settlement can vary significantly in duration depending on the complexity of the claim. The burden of proof that injury or loss has been sustained is on the third party making the claim and it can sometimes take a long time for medical records to be released, compared to replacement costs or repairs to damage to be provided.
Simple damage claims can take 6-8 weeks whereas more complicated claims like fire can take much longer.
Significant injury claims can take a very long time, sometimes years as the longer term injury needs to be ascertained and the consequences hereof quantified.
Complaints should be made directly to Verlingue by email peter.stansfield@verlingue.com; phone 020 8290 6900 or in writing to Head of Compliance, First Floor, Forum House, 41-45 Brighton Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 6YS.
As your Public Liability insurance is arranged by Equity on your behalf as part of your membership, there is no further action that you need to take.
Cover for all activities related to your profession is included: You will continue to be covered when on a job, under contract, and going to work and from work – but you’ll now also be covered for any activities related to your profession. Whether it be an injury from the gym, at a class, at an audition or showcase, you will now be covered by Equity’s accident and injury insurance, all included in your Equity subscription.
Documentation
You can download your PL insurance document in the My Account area of the website.
You can download your PL document through the members’ area of the website.
The venue will require a copy of your confirmation of insurance document. This can be downloaded in the My Account area of the website.
If you are unable to access your document online Equity will provide a paper copy. This can be requested by emailing membership@equity.org.uk
The document provided gives the venue all the information required. Equity has been advised by the broker and underwriter that the document provided is as equally valid as a certificate.
As the PL document confirms you are covered for 13 weeks after your membership expiry date. If the booking is after that date please provide the current document and explain you will provide an updated version before the event.
Yes this is acceptable under your insurance cover.
Personal Accident and Backstage cover
Personal Accident provides cover for Death and Disablement following bodily injury as a result of an accident, and includes a weekly monetary benefit where members are temporarily unable to carry out their occupation as a result of accidental injury.
Backstage covers damage or theft of personal property whilst members are working, commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with the members profession.
No, such medical emergencies are not covered.
You are covered by this insurance for occupational accidents including commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with your profession.
All Equity members are covered as standard in line with Equity's membership rules.
You can check the Policy and Summary of Cover here:
You can check the Policy and Summary of Cover here:
The policy runs annually from the 1 October on a continuous cover basis.
Yes.
You can check the Policy and Summary of Cover here:
Yes you are covered for weekly benefits if you break a bone which results in you temporarily unable to carry out your occupation as an Equity member.
Yes this is covered as standard up to a limit of £500.
No, theft, loss or damage of such items are not covered under the backstage section.
Yes there is a £10 excess in respect of standard personal items and a £100 excess for valuable items.
Yes, you are covered when your are temporarily working outside of the UK as standard under your membership.
Yes, you will still need travel insurance unless this is provided by your employer.
Yes, if you live abroad but work in the UK, you will be covered as standard under your membership, for work completed in the UK.
The upper age limit is 85 years of age.
You are covered by this insurance for occupational accidents including commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with your profession.
This is not a private medical / healthcare insurance policy. If this is required cover will need to be arranged separately.
A copy of the medical Certificate issued by a qualified clinician confirming the nature and the extent of the injury(s) sustained.
Depending upon the severity and circumstances of the accident, a list of documents may be required, if possible, such as an Accident Report Book Entry or witness statements.
Yes you are covered by this insurance for commuting to an activity in line with your profession as an Equity member.
Yes, this is covered following an accidental bodily injury from working, commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with your profession, provided you have been referred by your medical practitioner.
Yes.
Yes you are covered in accordance with Equity's rules.
Our Personal Accident, Backstage Cover, and Public Liability Insurance would only cover you as an Equity Member. It does not cover animals. If you are working with animals in any form, please contact the insurance broker Verlingue to ensure you are correctly covered (020 8290 6900, mediateam@verlingue.com).
Personal Accident and Backstage - how to claim
Claims are reported directly as per the contact details contained in our Claims Reporting Document (coming soon). For Personal Accident claims please contact gpaclaims@aviva.com or call 08000 516 583.
You have 60 days to make a claim for personal accident or backstage property.
You can also find the claim forms at the bottom of our insurance page and find more information in our former insurance guide.
No, if the injury sustained following an accident prevents you from doing some work but not all, this is identified as a Temporary Partial Disability, which is not covered. The weekly benefit is only paid out if you have a Temporary Total disability and you are completely unable to work for a period of time.
You can check the Policy and Summary of Cover here:
The cover acknowledges that those members who work as stunt artists or co-ordinators face higher risk in their work and higher benefits are provided exclusively to this group to keep the overall premium affordable.
The standard cover provides cover for all activities related to your Equity work whether you are currently employed, engaged in a contract or not. Our previous cover provided a 24 hour option at members’ own expense.
As the standard product now provides cover including commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with your profession
Complaints should be made directly to Verlingue by email peter.stansfield@verlingue.com; phone 020 8290 6900 or in writing to Head of Compliance, First Floor, Forum House, 41-45 Brighton Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 6YS
The length of time a claim will take to be settled is dependent on the exact nature of the circumstances that have given rise to the claim. We will however endeavour to settle all claims as quickly and fairly as possible.
Personal Accident claims are to be reported within the first 60 days of occurrence.
Additional questions
Unfortunately, Equity is unable to provide this insurance cover to hypnotists with our broker Verlingue.
We are unable to give advice or recommend any other insurance products, however, there are providers on the market that offers insurance cover for hypnotists.
Teaching of performing arts and within your profession as an Equity member is included within the cover. The policy does not provide cover for additional activities that falls outside of the Equity membership, for example teaching yoga. Separate insurance policies should be arranged for these activities.
Public Liability Insurance will cover the cost of legal liability claims against you for bodily injury and/or property damage to any third-party person, arising from your activities. Backstage cover covers damage or theft of personal property whilst members are working, commuting, rehearsing, practicing, auditioning, or training in connection with the members profession.
Please contact the insurance broker Verlingue if you have specific questions around the insurance coverage.
Unfortunately, Equity does not offer Public Indemnity Insurance. For any other insurance products, please contact our insurance broker, Verlingue, or any other broker.
Equity doesn’t have a specific offer on car insurance for members. However the new insurance provider we are partnered with, Verlingue, does offer other insurances direct with them. Visit Verlingue's website.
We would suggest getting in contact with the previous insurance broker, First Act/Hencilla, to see if you are still in your cooling off period and can cancel the insurance. If they are unable to cancel, or you have any other issues, please get back in contact with us to let us know.
First Act’s contact details are below: