A trade show opens its doors to many people. This introduces an element of risk that would be detrimental to ignore. Specifically, there are risks of injury and other related damages that would be financially perilous and can potentially take a toll on businesses and their owners. This is why you need trade show insurance as an exhibitor or vendor to protect you against these risks.
With trade show insurance for exhibitors and vendors, you can keep your business open without worrying about possible damages or lawsuits. It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for expo insurance. This means that you need to combine several policies to address the trade show’s unique needs. Overall, shopping for insurance for trade shows as an exhibitionist or vendor ensures that you never have to worry about any mishaps during the trade show.
This guide delves into exhibition insurance coverage and provides all the information you need. It sheds light on the importance of investing in trade show exhibitor insurance, what it covers, its cost, and more.
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Being a vendor and selling your products at trade shows is significant for your business. You do not want a mishap to compromise this opportunity and potentially threaten the continuity of your business. And to secure yourself, get liability insurance
This is a specialized liability policy designed for exhibitors at trade shows and exhibitions. Trade show liability insurance provides protection when you're responsible for the loss or damage sustained by others. This can be classified as:
General liability insurance
Public liability insurance
Suppose an attendee trips and falls or displays fall over and injure people or assets. Further, what if someone trips in an aisle because an item fell off the counter? In this case, the trade show liability insurance that offers protection against all of these eventualities is general liability insurance. Also called exhibitor liability insurance as it’s designed to cover a trade show’s exhibitors, general liability covers:
Personal injury claims-If an attendee, visitor, or any other third party sustains injuries because of your business operations, general liability insurance will reimburse or pay their medical expenses
Property damage-The activities of your tradeshow or business in the tradeshow can damage the properties of others. General liability insurance can help in this situation as it provides the money you can use to refund the value of the damaged property
General liability insurance can be added with host liquor liability insurance, liquor liability insurance, or advertising injury coverage.
Liquor liability insurance-Liquor liability insurance will cover expenses if alcohol is sold in a trade show and a third party files a personal injury claim or property damage claim because he or she was over served or allegedly over served with alcohol
Host liquor liability insurance-The function of host liquor liability insurance isn’t different from liquor liability insurance. This is purchased if alcohol is served for free
Advertising injury coverage-Advertising injury coverage will cover expenses if a third party decides to sue for advertising or reputational harm such as slander, libel, copyright infringement, etc.
Trade shows will have lots of people coming by your booth to check out your products. Accidents are inevitable, with the cost of said accidents being highly dependent on the business you are doing. Given how the public is currently quite litigious, you want to be covered in the event said accidents happen.
Exhibition public liability insurance should help cover you in the event of lawsuits from members of the public. You no longer have to worry about raising the cash to pay as compensation or cover the arising legal fees.
Suppose someone gets hurt due to activities in the tradeshow. If they were to seek medical treatment, your exhibition public liability insurance should help fill any cost gaps that their health insurance wouldn't typically cover.
Note that the nature of activities in the trade show will determine whether or not you can get exhibition public liability insurance. Traditional businesses shouldn't struggle to get this type of vendor exhibitor insurance. Some other types of businesses, for instance, those including a fireworks display, might require special liability. Overall, this is a conversation you want to have with the different trade fair insurance providers to see how you can work out a policy that meets your business needs.
The products you’re selling in a trade show can be defective and they might cause injuries or property damage to the person buying them. By law, a person who sustains losses due to a defective product can file a claim. Product liability insurance protects you against this peril.
Product liability insurance will cover attorney fees, administrative costs, and other legal expenses if a customer sues you for selling a product that has:
Design defects
Labeling errors
Manufacturing errors
Product liability insurance is available as a stand-alone policy. However, it’s best availed as an inclusion to general liability insurance.
Rental equipment insurance is another helpful coverage for trade show exhibitors. Consider getting this one if you rent or hire equipment. This helps you minimize risks by covering event property owned, borrowed, or hired for the exhibition. The cover protects you from paying for equipment damage. Should a rented or hired equipment become lost or damaged due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils, rental equipment insurance will help you reimburse the losses of the owner.
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When you exhibit at a trade show, you don't really know the number of people that might turn up, the number of leads you'll get, or the ROI on your investment. Overall, you will basically be gambling even when you embark on thorough planning and comprehensive research.
All of the time and capital investment you've made is threatened when there is the possibility of trade show cancellation. Unfortunately, you do not have control over whether the organizers cancel the event or if unprecedented events like lousy weather mean the exhibition cannot occur.
Fortunately, you can take a proactive approach to protect yourself and your business. Trade show cancellation insurance offers protection in the event that the trade fair gets canceled, disrupted, or postponed. If the event is canceled for any reason included within the policy, you should be reimbursed for all the expenses and investments you have made toward the event. This could include reimbursement for registration fees, travel and accommodation costs, and transportation and drayage costs.
Note that there are some policies that might offer additional options, although you are going to pay higher premiums. A popular option has been to buy a policy that covers expenses that you will incur. However, such policies will have a set dollar limit set within the policy.
It is prudent to mention that event cancellation policies will cover profits and revenue lost due to cancellation. Granted, this is an optional extra. However, such extras will often be availed more to the event organizers in favor of vendors and exhibitors.
Further, note that event cancellation policies can cover either single events or extended periods. The amount you end up paying in premiums will depend on the coverage length you choose.
Other than the 3m by 3m booth you use to exhibit your wares, you might need to get commercial auto insurance for trade shows and exhibitions. This type of trade show vendor insurance comes in handy when you use a vehicle to transport your goods or conduct your business at the trade show.
Exhibition vehicle insurance covers any lawsuits that might be brought against your business due to damages or harm caused by a commercial vehicle you own. The cover extends to accidents caused by your employees or if your employees were to get into an accident and require medical care.
Commercial auto insurance isn’t an insurance policy on its own. This is actually composed of different coverages that provide protection, namely:
Auto liability coverage-Auto liability coverage enables commercial auto insurance to cover you in case the commercial vehicle causes an accident and injures people or destroys their property. Usually, what’s covered are medical expenses and remunerations for damaged properties
Physical damage coverage-This coverage in commercial auto insurance will cover the repair or replacement of your commercial vehicle’s parts. Physical damage coverage is available as a comprehensive policy or collision policy. Comprehensive physical damage coverage will pay for your commercial vehicle’s parts repair or replacement if it sustains damage due to fire, theft, vandalism, hail, snow, windstorm, and other covered perils. Collision physical damage coverage, as the name implies, covers vehicle parts repair or replacement costs if the damage is sustained due to a collision with an object or another vehicle
Hired/non-owned auto coverage-Add this to commercial auto insurance if employees lend their vehicles for your business or if you’re a trade show exhibitor who's constantly hiring a vehicle to haul goods. If the commercial vehicle causes an accident, hired/non-owned auto coverage will cover your liability for personal injuries or property damage
Personal injury protection/medical payments coverage- Personal injury protection and MedPay coverage protect the driver of the commercial vehicle. If an accident happens and the driver sustains injuries, MedPay and personal injury protection cover medical or funeral expenses. Note that personal injury protection does more because it will also pay for lost wages, after-hospital visits, rehabilitation, and other costs
As an exhibitor, you’ll be renting a booth in the trade show or else there won't be any place for you to display products. One of the requirements to rent a booth is to get trade show booth insurance.
Trade show booth insurance is sold as a rented premises liability coverage. This is an optional policy to general liability insurance. Rented premises liability coverage will help you reimburse the event hosts if the booth they rented out to you becomes damaged due to a fire.
If you want to protect yourself from losses whenever something happens to a rented booth, then get commercial property insurance from carriers providing tailored coverage for trade shows. Commercial property insurance can be added with stocks and contents coverage. Stocks and contents coverage will reimburse your losses if the rented booth burns and the products displayed on it become damaged.
Get pay-as-you-go workers' compensation insurance if you’re a trade show exhibitor working with part-time employees. A pay-as-you-go workers comp determines your premiums based on actual monthly payroll. This means that rates are more accurate and cheaper with this type of trade show exhibitors insurance policy. But that’s it, as for the function, pay-as-you-go workers' compensation isn’t very different from an annual workers' compensation insurance. You can cover the following costs on behalf of employees who sustained a work-related injury or disease by having this insurance:
Medical expenses-Pay as you go workers comp will pay for the ambulance fees, emergency room fees, surgeries, and other related medical expenses if an employee experiences a work-related injury or disease
Hospitalization-You can also use pay-as-you-go workers comp insurance to pay bills if an employee needs to stay in the hospital to receive intensive care for a work-related injury or disease
Medication-Pay-as-you-go workers compensation insurance sees to it that your employee can cover the cost of medicines the attending physician requires
Lost wages-Your employee has his or her lost wages covered by pay-as-you-go workers' compensation insurance. Coverage for lost wages is a weekly allowance equal to two-thirds or 67% of the average weekly wage
Death benefits-Pay-as-you-go workers comp will cover funeral expenses and provide financial assistance to dependents if your employee dies due to a work-related injury or disease
Temporary exhibition insurance is a broad term for different types of short-term or one-day business insurance coverages for trade show exhibitors or vendors. Examples are:
Short-term general liability insurance is an hourly, daily or weekly general liability coverage. It works the same way as a normal general liability insurance policy. You can add rented premises liability coverage, host liquor/liquor liability insurance, and advertising injury coverage.
Temporary car insurance is an hourly, daily, or weekly commercial or personal auto insurance coverage. Common inclusions are auto liability, physical damage coverage, MedPay, and personal injury protection. Note that temporary car insurance can’t be added with hired/non-owned auto coverage.
General liability insurance is a requirement for all trade show exhibitors. The amount can be a $1 million single limit or $1 million coverage with sub-limits for the optional policies included. This is just a generalized example, though. Trade show organizers might require a greater or lesser amount of coverage. That said, ask the management of the trade show so that you truly know how much general liability insurance to have.
Also, be sure to get insured by a carrier that provides an instant certificate of insurance the moment you get covered. It’s because trade show organizers will ask you to show proof of insurance. Saying that you bought an exhibition insurance coverage without any supporting papers won’t cut it.
Having highlighted the importance of purchasing trade show insurance for yourself as a vendor or exhibitionist at a trade fair, you are probably wondering how much trade show insurance costs.
On average, premiums will cost $63 per month and $756 per year for a $1 million general liability coverage for an indoor trade show with only 20 participants. On the other hand, the best-selling tailored trade show insurance cost between $57 and $66 per month or $684 and $793 per year, respectively. Overall, the location of the exhibition and the type of vendor you are will determine the exhibition insurance cost you will incur. Here's a breakdown of the trade show insurance cost from the best trade show insurance companies in the market today.
| Company | Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoverWallet | $57 | $684 | Trade show insurance quotes comparison online |
| Markel | $66 | $792 | Tailored trade show insurance |
| Thimble | $228 | $2,736 | Trade show insurance for trade shows with 250 attendees |
Comparing quotes is the best way to know your trade show insurance cost. Start here by clicking the “Get Quotes” button. By comparing quotes, you’ll see the rates and the features of trade show insurance of different carriers. Ultimately, you’ll avoid getting scammed and find the most comprehensive coverage at the lowest cost.
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These are the best trade show insurance companies. Read to know their pros, cons, and pricing for a $1 million general liability coverage.
You can find and compare the offers from the different carriers underwriting tailored trade show coverages
General liability insurance comes with products and completed operations coverage
Sells tailored trade show insurance offering with a total of four insurance options
CoverWallet is not an insurance company but an insurance broker
It is mandatory to call to complete your trade insurance quote process
CoverWallet's tailored trade show insurance encompasses general liability insurance, a business owner's policy with workers compensation insurance, rental space coverage, and a custom plan. You want to leverage the broker's online quote comparison tool to find carriers that underwrite tailored insurance for trade fairs. All you need to do is provide essential business information, and quotes should trickle in quite fast.
Note that CoverWallet does allow you to cancel the quote at any time. Further, you can leverage the online claims filing and insurance payment process for easier handling of the insurance policy. The latter will cost you $57 per month and $684 per year.
Best for: Trade show insurance quotes comparison online
Average cost: $57 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Comprehensive coverage for trade fairs
Excellent claims experience
Well-established carrier with 90 years' worth of experience in the insurance industry
Highly rated by A.M Best and Better Business Bureau
Poor customers claim handling and policy non-renewal
No trade show insurance reviews on the official website
Markel was founded in 1899 and has since become a Fortune 500 company. Other than the 50 states in the United States, Markel offers its insurance products to clients in over 20 countries. Markel's core business is specialized insurance and offers casualty, property, professional lines, and surety segment products as part of their offerings.
While Markel still focuses on providing multiple insurance products, it has a specific product for exhibitionists and vendors at a trade show.
This company's trade show insurance will be bought through independent agents for $66 per month and $792 per year. Some of the discounts you will get with Markel's trade show insurance include:
Multi-unit discount if you'll be taking multiple vehicles to the trade fair
Anti-theft discounts if you will maintain a booth for a couple of days at the trade fair
Renewal discount for customers that renew their insurance policy for touring fairs
Accident forgiveness program if you were to suffer an accident after four years with no accident claims
Best for: Tailored trade show insurance
Average cost: $66 per month
Our rating: 9/10
Flexible policy terms with monthly, weekly, daily, or even hourly coverage
You can extend, cancel or modify policies at any time via a phone call
You can pause your trade show insurance for 30 days
You get quotes in less than a minute
Trade show insurance is not available in all states
A third party underwrites trade show policies
Thimble is a newer insurance provider in the market located in New York City. Founded initially as Verify in 2015, Thimble offers on-demand insurance products, including trade show insurance policies. While the latter might be a bit expensive as compared to the rest of the providers on the list, the provider offers the most comprehensive coverage for vendors selling at trade shows with 200-300 attendees. For this, you will incur $228 per month and $2736 annually. This will trade show coverage liability limits begin at $1 million per occurrence with a $1 million aggregate. If the need arises, you can increase the liability limit to $2 million with a $2 million aggregate. Note that Thimble trade show insurance doesn't offer event cancellation, but the policy is fully refundable if the trade show is canceled before the start date or time.
Best for: Trade show insurance for trade shows with 200-300 attendees
Average cost: $228 per month
Our rating: 8/10
This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
It really can't get any better than this... wow
Not all those who wander are lost.
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