Public Liability Insurance (PLI), as I understand it, is insurance cover for an organisation or individual in case a member of the public decides to take legal action due to an injury caused during some activity they are involved in. Traditionally one would pay an annual premium and supply a description of the activity (for circus, this might be the activities during a workshop or details of an act). Many local councils and other bodies require PLI cover of up to £2,000,000 or even £5,000,000 and may require a copy of your insurance certificate before confirming a booking.

There have recently been some changes in the insurance market, some due to the September 11th terrorist attack. There have apparently also been some claims made due to injuries sustained at circus workshops; one suspects that the UK's burgeoning 'litigation culture', and the many adverts selling easy ways to claim compensation have contributed as well. This has caused one of the major players in the UK circus insurance market, Torribles of Bristol, to write to many previously insured circus performers and groups saying that they can no longer offer cover. For many years my own company Grip Circus Theatre and the local Cambridge Community Circus have insured through Torribles at an annual fee of around £150.

When this happened I contacted as many of the insurance companies as I could to try and find alternative arrangements. I also contacted BIBA (British Insurance Brokers Association) and the ABI (Association of British Insurers, a trade organisation) The picture is not good; either insurance premiums have risen drastically or cover is being restricted to only the 'safest' of activities. It is very likely that circus performers and workshop leaders will find it extremely difficult to obtain adequate insurance. What this might mean for larger organisations (and even next year's British Juggling Convention) I don't know; I have heard rumours that larger organisations are being treated rather better

The following is a list of the insurers I have contacted and what they offered me. I contacted them regarding both my own company (Grip Circus Theatre) and the local juggling club (Cambridge Community Circus); both organisations perform and teach circus skills including juggling, unicycling, stiltwalking and aerial skills such as trapeze. Perhaps the only thing we won't teach or perform is fire-blowing, as we regard it as too dangerous to both the performer and audience. We do however perform fire juggling and we have an excellent safety record for all our activities.

It is important that when you contact insurance companies you give them full details of everything you perform or teach. Not all companies will be familiar with (for example) the difference between fire juggling and fire breathing. Some policies will exclude particular activities specifically, some are more vague. If you don't tell them about something you do - and then attempt to claim - you may get in trouble.

Currently I have cover under Wrightsure's scheme as an individual performer and teacher when I am working as Grip Circus Theatre. Cambridge Community Circus is currently still looking for appropriate insurance to replace our Torrible's policy when it comes up for renewal in a few months.

Equity (London Office)
Guild House
Upper St Martins Lane
London
WC2H 9EG
Tel: 020 7379 6000
Fax: 020 7379 7001
Web: www.equity.org.uk

Performers who join Equity get free PLI up to £5 million, provided through First Act Insurance (tel. 0208 686 5050). To join Equity "as an artist who usually undertakes paid short term engagements or gigs, you need to have evidence of four of these within the last 12 months, plus one forthcoming engagement" according to the website. Evidence would probably be a contract or booking letter. To join it costs £25 plus £62 per year if your gross income (from circus) is under £6200 per annum, and 1% of your gross income if it is greater than £6200 per annum. Fire is excluded but there are no more exclusions mentioned.

Torribles Insurance Brokers Ltd.
21 Prince St
Bristol
BS1 4PH
Tel: 0117 921 1806
Fax: 0117 925 6080
Email: enquiries@torribles.co.uk
Web: www.torribles.co.uk

Although Torribles originally wrote to say that they couldn't provide cover, as the Leisure Consortium at Lloyds (their underwriters) had 'exceeded capacity', they have recently written to say they can provide PLI for individual performers, but at a cost of £500 (the old cost was around £150 per annum). This would also exclude any audience participation, workshops or work with fire.

Wrightsure Services Ltd.
Wrightsure House
799 London Road West Thurrock
Essex. RM20 3LH
Tel: 01708 865533
Fax: 01708 865100
Email: www.wrightsure.co.uk

Recommended by Torribles in their original letter. However they can't insure circus at the moment, they are more for theatrical groups. They are talking to their insurance backers though and will contact the Circus Arts Forum the moment something comes up, as they are getting a huge amount of calls referred from Torribles.

Baileys Insurance Services
Tel: 01943 609900

Recommended by Torribles in their original letter. They can't offer PLI for circus and have no plans for the future, although they did have a 'showman's policy' in the past.

Dixon Chalmers Ltd.
Huntvita House,
32 Haygate Road,
Wellington,
Telford, TF1 1QT
Tel: 01952 641321, 01952 253 120

Dixon Chalmers offer two PLI policies up to £2,000,000 and £5,000,000. The former is available at a cost of £75, and runs to September (i.e. if you paid £75 in August, you would need to renew a month later) . They don't cover trapeze or tightrope. The also cover magicians,facepainters, puppeteers and clowns. Teaching workshops is covered and includes cover for two assistants. They recommended Park Insurance for groups.

This is probably the best alternative at the moment for individual performers/teachers who aren't a member of Equity.

Park Insurance Services
Tel: 0117 955 6835
Email: www.abi.org.uk

A trade organisation, they have told me they cannot recommend particular companies but did find Park Insurance for me.

Circus Arts Forum
Tel: 020 7729 7944
Web: www.circusarts.org.uk
Email: info@circusarts.org.uk

The Circus Arts Forum is currently looking at ways of getting appropriate insurance for circus performers and teachers. As far as I know they don't have any information apart from the above, but it may be worth contacting them to ask.

If you have any comments on this article, especially any alternative suggestions, please add a comment or contact me via www.gripcircus.com.

Charlie Hull