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Obtaining Insurance Coverage as a Composer or Musician For the working
professional musician, obtaining insurance can be somewhat more difficult than
for those employed at other companies and businesses. People who work at even small companies |
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usually receive inexpensive health insurance as part of
the employment, but a musician is left without a company, needing to purchase
pricey individual insurance or find some alternative plan. Musicians also face particular risks such
as stolen goods, public liability, and a sometimes small artist’s income in
the face of major health problems.
Thus finding quality insurance is especially important for the
professional composer or musician. Reasons for Musicians to Have Good Insurance Some 50% of musicians do
not have any health insurance. Many plans
available for individuals may appear not to be worth the cost. If a musician is not always making a large
amount of money, just having the money may seem more important than
protecting against unknown risks. However, musicians face
particular risks that could make the cost of insurance far less than paying
for the cost of the damage that could occur.
For example, musicians could have
their instruments stolen. Any night
club or party poses a scenario where someone could steal or damage the
musician’s equipment. Likewise, if the
musician’s equipment falls on or harms someone in the audience, the musician could
also be liable for their injuries. But maybe most
importantly, a musician needs insurance coverage in the event of a major health
problem. A musician may get by for
years without having any large health issues.
But what happens when he or she faces a sudden medical crisis? A composer could have a car accident and
sustain major injuries. A musician
could need a major medical procedure. Circumstances
could lead to the musician needing to have an extended hospital stay. Any of these situations could arise with no
warning, instantly leaving the musician with thousands of dollars of costs,
just to sustain his own health, or even in some instances to keep living. A hospital stay or car accident could cost
$30,000, $80,000, or more, compared to the cost of insurance which could be
$50 a month. How to Find Good Musician’s Insurance Musicians could first look
to any organizations they belong to for insurance. Being a member of performer’s rights
organizations such as ASCAP or BMI can help obtain insurance benefits. Likewise, contracts with record labels often
provide clauses for insurance. Do not
forget to also look to state programs for artists or groups of residents, as
well as insurance programs through day jobs. After looking into the
programs sponsored by groups one belongs to, a musician could then look to
individual insurance plans geared towards musicians. Oftentimes more general health plans do not
sufficiently cover musical instruments or account for concerns specific to
musicians. So it may be better to
check with specialized music insurance companies such as Music Pro or Clarion
Insurance. They offer policies for
particular instruments, studio and tour liability, health and life coverage, and
for different types of musicians, from amateurs to pros to classical
musicians to even those who own antiques or special types of instruments. Finally, if a musician is
in the unfortunate situation of not having insurance and needing coverage
right away for a major health issue, he or she could turn to some of the
programs built to serve musicians in crisis.
For example, the Grammy’s help sponsor the MusicCares
program, which provides emergency financial assistance in times of need for
musicians. After the Katrina hurricane
disaster, MusicCares helped provide replacement
instruments to musicians in the region.
Other programs have been founded by songwriters and others interested
in protecting musicians in emergency situations, such as the Jazz Foundation,
Sweet Relief, and many other clinics. --- Disclaimer: The
information in this article does not constitute legal advice and is in no way
a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a licensed attorney. |
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All articles (c) 1999-2006 by LIFTOFF! |