Event Cancellation Insurance
Specialist cancellation cover for events organisers from only £65.72*
- Public liability for events
- Single and multi-day events covered
- Join over 150,000 customers**
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From only £65.72* one-day event
What does event cancellation insurance cover?
Event cancellation insurance is designed to cover your net loss incurred as the direct and sole result of the unavoidable cancellation, abandonment or postponement of your entire event. You will be able to choose from covering yourself for loss of gross revenue or expenses put down for your event. Event cancellation cover for adverse weather can also be included within your policy.
Our cancellation cover is available under our one-off event insurance policy which also provides public liability and employers’ liability plus cover for your event equipment and money. You can get an instant event cancellation insurance quote online for most event types, providing the event is not taking place in the next 14 days.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your event and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Event Cancellation
Event Equipment
Event Money
Employers' Liability
Public Liability
- Up to £10 million of cover.
- Protection from claims filed by a third-party who sustain injuries during the event or have their property damaged.
Event Equipment
- £2,500 worth of equipment cover included.
- Add up to £50,000 of equipment cover.
- Protecting simple or specialist equipment whether it be tables and chairs at a fair or more specialist audio equipment for concerts.
- Protection from theft, provided reasonable precautions are taken.
- Cover for equipment in transit, to and from the event.
- Replacements or repairs reimbursed to the value of cover selected.
Event Money
- £2,500 worth of event money cover included.
- Add up to £50,000 of event money cover.
- Cover provided for the physical loss of money at an event venue or whilst in direct transit between the venue and a bank.
Event Cancellation
- Cancellation, postponement or interruption of the event for various unforeseen circumstances beyond your control.
- Protection from significant losses such as the non-recoverable expenses associated with organising and promoting the event, but also from potential revenue loss from ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandising, and more.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million of cover.
- Protection from claims against employee incidents if someone suffers a work-related injury and brings a claim against you.
- Subcontractors for the event, they should have their own liability cover.
- Cancellation, abandonment and postponement is not available when the event is taking place within the next 14 days.
- Money left unattended unless in a locked safe.
- Financial failure and lack of support for the event.
- Loss or damage caused by the defective erection, use or dismantlement of any staging, marquees or temporary structures.
- Damage to the event venue caused by the application of tools.
- Damage to the ground and or underground services at the event venue.
- Injury or Damage caused by the sale or supply of goods.
For further information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why do you need event cancellation cover?
Event cancellation insurance is designed to protect event organisers from potential financial losses that might arise from the unexpected cancellation, postponement, or interruption of an event due to unforeseen circumstances. An essential addition to your policy for both small and large-scale events; festivals, fairs, parties and more.
Cancellation can result in expensive losses not just from the non-recoverable expenses associated with organising and promoting the event, but also from potential revenue loss from ticket sales, sponsorships, merchandising. Here are a few scenarios to help explain why you need event cancellation insurance:
You are forced to cancel, abandon or postpone your event.
Organising an event carries the possibility of cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances. Cancellation insurance could protect you against financial losses associated with non-refundable deposits, venue fees, and other expenses that may arise when events cannot proceed as planned.
You pay a non-refundable deposit to a venue & other suppliers.
Suppliers and venues are likely to require a deposit to protect themselves from cancellations and loss of income. In the instance of an event cancellation, you can protect yourself from this financial loss and make a claim for these costs.
Our experts explain why...
“Securing event insurance is crucial in safeguarding your investment and mitigating unforeseen risks. Whether organising a wedding, concert, or corporate function, unexpected incidents can jeopardise your financial well-being. Event insurance provides a safety net, covering liabilities, cancellations, or property damage, offering peace of mind and allowing you to focus on creating memorable experiences rather than worrying about potential setbacks. It’s a wise investment that ensures your special occasion remains a joyous and stress-free affair.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does event cancellation insurance cost?
Investing in event cancellation insurance takes the weight off managing your risk and responsibilities at an event.
Several factors can influence the cost of event cancellation insurance including scale, capacity and duration. Our event organiser policy starts from £65.72*, including event cancellation.
Prices from
£65.72*
Explainer quote
Policy cost
£65.72*
Policy type
Event Organiser
Duration
1 Day
Number of Attendees
Up to 50
Public Liability
£1,000,000
Event Cancellation
Yes
Money cover
£2,500
Event equipment
£2,500
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 01/01/2025. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. The quote you receive will reflect the information you share about your event. The quoted price may vary from those displayed here.
What type of events are covered?
At Protectivity we are experts in specialist events insurance and are experienced at handling an extensive range of niche events. Here’s a selection of types of events we can cover, request a quote to see the full list.
Have a question?
For further information on your policy, renewals, making a claim and contacting us, you’ll find an extensive list of FAQs on our Help & Support page.
Why choose Protectivity for your event cancellation insurance policy?
Let the reviews of over 3,500 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 150,000 customers.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
Over 3,500 highly rated reviews.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
Our UK sales team are here to help.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Can you cover my event outside of the UK?
We are only able to provide cover for events taking place within the United Kingdom.
I am not a UK resident, can you still cover my event?
Our policy is designed to cover events organised by UK based individuals and organisations. Therefore, if you are not based in the UK, we are unable to offer cover.
What level of Public Liability do I need for my event?
We cannot recommend which level of cover you need for your event, but if you are hiring a space from a Local Authority or another third party we advise you to check with them whether they require a minimum level of Public Liability.
How close to my event should I purchase my insurance?
You should take out your One Off Event Insurance policy as early as you can. By purchasing your cover at the earliest opportunity, you are giving yourself the maximum protection against cancellation. If you require cancellation cover, you need to give at least 14 days notice to purchase this cover, you will be unable to buy cancellation cover within 14 days before the start of the event.
Do I need to take out Employers’ Liability for volunteers?
If you have anyone working for you, whether they are paid or otherwise, you legally must take out Employers’ Liability. The only exception is if those staff are bona fide sub-contractors with their own Public Liability of at least £2 million.
What constitutes ‘Adverse Weather’?
For your policy’s Cancellation cover to come into effect under the Adverse Weather clause we require either a health and safety official or appropriate emergency authority to certify that it is dangerous or reckless to hold the event. We may require you to provide photographic evidence and Met Office records in the event of a claim under this benefit.
My event takes place next week, can you still cover it?
Yes we can offer cover for an event even in the week it is happening. Please note that for any events taking place within fourteen days, there will be no Cancellation Cover.
Can you cover an event that has a fireworks display?
Yes, if you’re planning to have a firework display we can consider providing you cover for this event. There are two event types available, these are fireworks and bonfire displays provided by yourselves (the insured) and those displays provided by professional third party pyrotechnical companies, whom have their own insurance to provide fireworks and/or bonfire displays. Please make sure to apply for the correct one depending on which on applies to your event.
Can you protect against adverse weather?
Yes, we can consider cover for non appearance of key person(s). This may need to be considered by ourselves prior to giving a definitive answer and a quotation but you can opt to enquire about this during the quote process by selecting Cancellation Cover and then the Non-Appearance extension within this cover.
Does the policy cover those with stalls or exhibiting at my event?
Any independent stallholder, exhibitor or tradesman that works, sells or exhibits at your event should hold their own Public Liability Insurance. Our Multi Event Insurance policy is designed to cover you as the event organiser for your Liability.
If you have your own stall at events, then take a look at our Stallholder Insurance policy.
Can you protect against non-appearance?
Yes, we can consider cover for non appearance of key person(s). Opt to enquire about this during the quote process by selecting Cancellation Cover and then the Non-Appearance extension. Cover will be considered on a case by case basis.
Are there any activity types that you are not able to cover?
Yes, we have a list of ‘Hazardous Activities‘ that we are unable to cover on this policy.
If there will be any third parties exhibiting or trading at your event who will be engaging in any of these events, they must have their own Public Liability insurance in place.
What is included under ‘Event Equipment Cover’?
We can cover equipment you use for your event excluding motor vehicles, money, perishable goods and paintings, whilst they are in use at the event and in transit to and from the event only.
What is the maximum length of time my event can last?
If you are the event organiser then we can provide cover for events lasting up to 30 days in duration. If you will be attending as a stallholder, we can provide protection for a single event that lasts up to 14 days.
Will I need Employers’ Liability Insurance?
If you have any volunteers or paid staff at your event then you will need Employers’ Liability as a legal requirement. We would expect all sub-contractors to have their own insurance.
Will One-Off Event Insurance cover me for hiring out a venue?
Yes, our One-Off Event Insurance is suitable if you have been asked to purchase public liability insurance by the owners of a venue or local authority. Public Liability considers claims for third party property damage, so the venue you have hired for your event, as long as it’s not your property, can be considered as third-party property.
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This page content has been created for general information and should not be taken as advice.
*Prices quoted refer to a quote raised from our website on 01/01/2025. Prices will differ depending on requirements. Make sure you have the correct level of cover for what you need. For the most accurate pricing, please get a quote and for full details on what is covered refer to our policy documentation with your quote.
** Based on Protectivity sales data from 2007 to Sep 2024
ˆ10% discount for policies bought online and applies only to the first-year of your policy premium. Protectivity reserves the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time. Available on selected policies and to UK residents only.
¹Based on live Feefo data