Insurance grief - long (Sorry!)

Has anyone had a problem with the reception hall needing insurance certificates from vendors?

My hall is being adamant about it and although I really can't argue the fact I was really looking forward to having the band and the photographer I wanted.

Now before everyone starts saying about how they're not professional and all the photographer is a friend of mine who recently started doing this full time and needs to work up some cash before getting insurance and the band (also people I know) plays all over LI and they've never had a problem.

They're both giving me great prices and I would rather pay to take out an insurance policy for them rather than go somewhere else. I'm thinking that the price of the policy will probably(hopefully) cost me the difference between what they're charging and what someone I don't know will charge.

Does anyone know what this kind of policy will cost? I would just need enough to satisfy the hall and afterwards if they wanted to keep it that would be up to them.

*****11/11 update*****
Well, it seems that insuring the photographer is not a big deal. About $500 was the quote I recieved so if my friend is cool with it we can split the cost of the policy or something. We'll have to work it out.

The band on the other hand is a completely different story. For minimum liability all my broker could find is about 5,000. YIKES! So I guess I have my photog, but now I need a band/DJ. I think I'll start a new thread for suggestions.

That's a tricky question.

What your hall is asking is to prove your vendors are insured for any damages they may cause to the hall and/or people at the hall.

Example your DJ may have wires hanging out and someone trips and falls and hurts themselves. Technically they can sue the hall themselves. Sometimes halls as for insurance certificates to say that the vendor will be the first line of defense. (hall still gets sued, trust me). Or if your DJ burns a hole through a wall who pays for it?

I am not so sure you can buy their insurance for them, but I may be wrong. Call your own insurance company and ask. It never hurts.

hey , it is not unheard of at all for the catering hall to require certificates of insurance. These prove that your vendor has insurance, which is important to the catering hall. The catering hall does not want to be responsible for any damages the vendor causes, or if the vendor somehow gets hurt. If the catering hall is smart, they will even ask the vendor to name them as a additional insured on the certificate - this will have them added under the vendors insurance policy. The catering hall will then not be responsible for any damages. Yor vendors (friends) really should get insurance to prevent themeselves from even being sued. And no, I am almost positive you can not buy them a policy, that doesnt make any sense.