Visitors and neighbours
- Tripping over cable ramps
- A fence or piece of set falling over
- Damage to parked cars
- Defence against unfounded claims
Visitors · volunteers · hired venue
Liability at events
If you organise an event, you are responsible for everyone on site and for everything that is put up there. Liability cover is therefore a condition of many permits.
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- 9.5 customer rating for a new policy
- AFM licence 12016589
- Personal 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 9–17
Deze pagina in het Nederlands: Aansprakelijkheid bij evenementen.
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert.nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
Work out your own premium with the calculator.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
- We compare the offerings of several insurers
- An adviser checks whether the cover suits your activities
- We arrange the switch, including cancellation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
The organiser of an event is liable when a visitor, member of staff or neighbour suffers loss through something the organiser should have prevented. The basis is usually Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code, wrongful act. If there is a grandstand, a stage or a marquee, a further provision applies: Article 6:174 of the Dutch Civil Code: the owner of a structure is liable if it does not meet the standards that may reasonably be expected of it. If animals are present, then Article 6:179 of the Dutch Civil Code applies to the keeper of the animal.
A liability insurance for events covers injury and damage to property of third parties during the build, the event itself and the take-down. Often volunteers and contractors brought in are also insured, provided they are described on the policy. That matters, because the duty of care under Article 7:658(4) of the Dutch Civil Code also applies to people who are not employed by you but who do work for you.
Do not confuse this policy with the broader events insurance, which can also cover cancellation, hired equipment, accidents and sometimes bad weather. Liability cover only pays out when you are liable for someone else's loss. See also events insurance.
What does event liability cover?
The cover follows the three groups that can suffer loss during an event.
Volunteers and crew
Liability towards people who work for you without being employed by you.
- A duty of care even without an employment contract
- Naming volunteers separately
- Recording instructions and supervision
- Separate personal accident cover available
Hired premises and equipment
Damage to the hall, the site or the items you hire.
- Only with care, custody and control cover
- Often a lower sub-limit
- Excess per event
- The hire contract determines liability
What is covered
| Situation | Basic | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| Injury to a visitor from a fence falling over | Yes | Yes |
| Damage to the hired hall or marquee | Provided that | Yes |
| Injury to a volunteer during the build | Provided that | Yes |
| Damage caused by fireworks or pyrotechnics | No | Provided that |
| Cancellation because of bad weather | No | No |
| Damage caused by a motor vehicle | No | No |
The policy schedule states which activities, attractions and visitor numbers are insured; if the programme differs from that, cover for that element lapses.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that determine whether a claim around your event is covered.
The programme you declare is the cover
Insurers assess an event on type, visitor numbers, location and activities. If a bouncy castle, a climbing wall, a stunt show or a fire show is added that has not been notified, damage arising from that element is not covered. The same applies if visitor numbers are considerably higher than declared. So report changes to the programme before the event; this goes directly to the duty of disclosure under Article 7:928 of the Dutch Civil Code and its consequences in Article 7:930 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Hired property is not insured as standard
Liability insurance excludes damage to property that you have in your care: the hired hall, the borrowed stage, the hired sound system. Only with a care, custody and control cover is such damage insured to a limited extent, usually with a lower limit and an excess. Read the hire contract as well: many venues place all damage contractually on the hirer, and such a contractual extension of liability goes further than the policy covers.
What is not included
The following, among others, are outside the cover: cancellation, postponement or disappointing takings (that is cancellation cover, not liability), damage caused with or by a motor vehicle, damage caused by fireworks and pyrotechnics without separate cover and without a certified operator, fines and administrative sanctions, and pure financial loss without injury or physical damage. Intent and recklessness fall under Article 7:952 of the Dutch Civil Code. Serving alcohol contrary to the rules or ignoring permit conditions will also lead to a claim being declined.
The permit and the safety plan count
For an event permit, the council sets requirements for capacity, escape routes, traffic measures and security. If these are not met and something happens, your position is weak both in administrative law and in civil law, and the insurer will rely on the failure to comply with the conditions. Record the safety plan, the instructions to volunteers and the inspection certificates for grandstands and attractions. Report a claim as soon as reasonably possible (Article 7:941 of the Dutch Civil Code) and do not admit liability at the scene.
What does your premium depend on?
- Type of event — a conference or a festival makes a big difference
- Number of visitors — the usual basis for calculation
- Duration and number of days — including the build and take-down
- Activities and attractions — climbing wall, fire or animals
- Location — indoors, outdoors or on the public road
- Sum insured and care, custody and control — a higher limit means a higher premium
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is why comparing pays off.
How we arrange it
- You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, risk and wishes.
- We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
- You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
- We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
9.5New policy
9.8Claims handling
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often about this.
Is liability insurance compulsory for my event?
Not by law, but many councils set it as a condition of the event permit, and those who let out halls and sites often do so too. Ask for the requirements early, because the sum insured required and the wording of the cover required determine which policy you need.
Are volunteers covered?
Only if they are named as insured. The duty of care under Article 7:658(4) of the Dutch Civil Code also applies to people who work for you without an employment contract, so you can be liable without having cover. Name volunteers explicitly on the application and also consider group personal accident cover for the crew.
What is the difference from events insurance?
Liability cover only pays out when you are liable for someone else's loss. Events insurance is broader and can also include cancellation, hired equipment, accidents to participants and sometimes the weather. If your main concern is cancellation, a liability policy is of no use to you.
Am I liable for the mistakes of a contractor I bring in?
Towards the public, often yes. As the organiser you are the one who brings the event into being and who has to keep the whole thing under control. So make sure caterers, security firms, stage builders and attraction operators have their own liability insurance, ask for proof of insurance and check the inspection documents for their equipment.
Does the cover also apply during the build and take-down?
Under most policies it does, but the insured period is stated on the policy schedule and does not automatically start days in advance. Many accidents happen precisely during the build and take-down, with heavy equipment and under time pressure. Give the actual start and end dates including those days when you apply.
Read more
Within Evenementenverzekering
Similar pages
Is your event properly covered?
Request a quotation without obligation; we check the programme, visitor numbers and permit requirements with each insurer.
Prefer to call? 072 - 509 24 56, weekdays 09:00–17:00.
Claim on the road? Emergency line 06 - 55 20 40 72.
About our service
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
This page was written and checked by an adviser at Finass Verzekert. Last updated on .
The information on this page is general in nature and is not personal advice.
