Insurance is the line in an event budget that nobody wants to think about until a guest slips on a wet floor, a speaker stack falls over, or heavy rain forces you to cancel the night before. A little planning here protects your company, your guests and your suppliers. This guide explains the main types of cover and the questions to ask. It is general guidance, not insurance or legal advice.
- Public liability cover is the starting point for most events with guests or the public.
- Check what your company’s existing policies already cover before buying anything new.
- Ask venues and key suppliers for proof of their own insurance.
- Use a broker or insurer licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority, and read the exclusions.
Why event insurance matters
An event brings together people, equipment, temporary structures, vehicles, food and often alcohol, for a short time, in a place that is not your usual premises. That is a lot of risk in one evening. Most things go fine. When they do not, the question is who pays.
Typical problems we plan for include:
- A guest injured on site: a fall, a trip over a cable, a collapsed chair.
- Damage to the venue: a stained carpet, broken fittings, a scorched lawn.
- Loss or damage to hired equipment: sound, lighting, screens, generators.
- Cancellation or postponement because of weather, a power failure or circumstances beyond your control.
- Injury to staff or crew while setting up or taking down.
The main types of cover
Names and terms differ between insurers, so treat this as a map for the conversation with your broker.
| Type of cover | What it is for | When it matters most |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability | Claims from third parties, such as guests or the public, for injury or damage to their property | Almost every event with guests, and essential for public and outdoor events |
| Event cancellation or abandonment | Costs already spent if the event cannot go ahead or has to stop, for reasons the policy covers | Large events with big non-refundable deposits, outdoor events in the rainy seasons |
| Equipment or all-risks cover | Loss of or damage to owned or hired equipment | Events with expensive AV, staging, screens and generators |
| Work injury cover for employees | Injury to your own staff while working | Required for employers in Kenya under the Work Injury Benefits Act. Check it extends to event work |
| Motor cover | Vehicles used to transport guests, crew and equipment | Roadshows, out-of-town events, guest shuttles |
Cancellation cover in particular comes with conditions. Many policies exclude some causes, or require that you bought the cover well before the event. Read the exclusions closely.
Start with what you already have. Your company may already hold public liability and work injury cover. Ask your finance or admin team for the schedules, and check with the insurer whether they extend to an off-site event. It may only need a short extension.
Who should insure what
A well-run event spreads responsibility sensibly. Each party covers the risks it controls.
The venue
Established venues usually hold their own public liability cover for their premises. Ask for confirmation, and ask what they expect you to cover, especially for structures, décor and activities you bring in.
Suppliers
Sound, lighting, staging and generator suppliers should insure their own equipment and crew. Caterers should have cover appropriate to food service. For anything rigged overhead or built on site, ask how the supplier manages safety and what cover they hold.
You, the organiser
You are usually responsible for the event as a whole: the guests you invite, the programme you run and the activities you choose. That is where public liability and, for larger events, cancellation cover sit.
Your planner or production company
If you hire an event management company to deliver the whole event, ask what insurance they carry and what it covers. Our guide to comparing event management companies in Kenya lists this among the questions to ask.
Contracts, indemnities and paperwork
Insurance and contracts work together. Many venue and supplier contracts include clauses about who is responsible if something goes wrong.
- Read the indemnity clause in the venue contract. It may make you responsible for damage or claims arising from your event.
- Ask for certificates of insurance from key suppliers, and check the dates cover your event.
- Keep records of safety checks, incident reports and supplier documents. If a claim comes, evidence matters.
- Report incidents quickly. Most policies require prompt notice. Write down what happened, who was involved and any witnesses, on the day.
Good planning also reduces claims. Cover cables, light paths, keep a first-aid point staffed, and agree a rain plan early. Our event planning checklist for Kenya includes these steps, and our notes on garden venues in Nairobi cover outdoor risks in more detail.
What to ask a broker
Use an insurer or broker licensed by the Insurance Regulatory Authority. Then ask:
- What types of cover do you recommend for this event, and why?
- What is excluded? Weather, communicable disease, alcohol-related incidents, certain activities?
- What is the limit of cover, and is it per incident or in total?
- What is the excess we would pay on a claim?
- Does the cover include set-up and take-down days, not just the event day?
- What do you need from us to make a claim, and how quickly?
- Can our existing company policies be extended instead of buying new cover?
Give the broker a clear picture: date, location, guest numbers, activities, structures, alcohol, transport and the total budget at risk. Vague information gets vague cover.
Planning a large or outdoor event?
We plan events with safety, suppliers’ paperwork and contingency built in from the start. Send us your brief and we will tell you what to prepare.
Quick answers
Is event insurance required by law in Kenya?
We are not aware of a general law that requires event insurance as such, but employers must cover their staff for work injuries, and venues, counties or partners may require public liability cover as a condition. Ask each of them early.
Do I need public liability cover for a private party?
For a small private event at a licensed venue, the venue’s own cover may be enough. For larger events, public spaces or activities you bring in, your own cover is wise.
Can I insure against rain?
Some cancellation or abandonment policies include adverse weather, usually with conditions and if bought well in advance. Ask your broker exactly what counts.
Should our suppliers have their own insurance?
Yes. Equipment, staging and catering suppliers should insure their own kit and staff. Ask for proof that covers your event dates.
