I just wrote a check out for my performer's insurance. It was $315 through Puppeteers of America. In addition to that I pay about $45 (I think) to be a member, which one must be in order to get the insurance under their umbrella.

Does anyone have another source for less expensive insurance?

We recently switched out liability coverage from the Puppeteers of America policy to:
http://www.specialtyinsuranceagency.com/insurance.html

SP

Thanks! Looks good! Here are a few particulars:
There is no charge for certificates naming the venue where you are working as an additional insured.
The policy renews every April 25th.
Policy provides coverage throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Audience participation is NOT ALLOWED when performing with fire, knives or a bullwhip.

The P of A insurance was asking up to $75 for an additional insured. Ouch! This one is free. The annual cost is $200 and starts in April. They will prorate in October, so I think I'll plan on switching then!

You may want to look into either the International Brotherhood of Magicians,
or the Society of American Magicians. Go onto either web site to see the details and price of their insurance.

I agree Chris. Like many of us I too am an IBM member. The details of the insurance are available on our site.Ron

Keep all that great advice coming you guys have saved me a few times already and to say thank you would only be touching the tip of the iceberg so to avoid get frost bite I won't.

The specialty insurance company mentioned above states that one must have a United States mailing address, even though they do cover events in certain countries.

Tony, the International Brotherhood of Magicians certainly covers us north of the Boundary Lakes(learned that term in Louisiana). Ron

I should have capitalized the Specialty Insurance company mentioned above. It is a specific company. I have not priced it yet with I.B.M.

I used to have the SAM insurance, back when it was run through Lloyd's of London (who dropped the SAM, by the way). The IBM and SAM policies are cheap, but have what are considered by many venues to be inadequate protection. These policies are fine if you are going to just do living room parties, but most hotels and resorts in my neck of the woods (Florida) now insist on a $3 mil minimum of coverage. Specialty became my choice because their policy is for $4 mil. They are fast, reliable, and easy to work with....

Thanks Mark for telling what insurance I need when I get to the big time(please God no..right behind may I never, ever win the lottery).
In my experience living rooms are great venues and can there ever be a better place to play with musical friends than a kitchen? As Valdi sang,

"Well if I played you a rock 'n' roll song

How could it be fair 'cause my head isn't there

So I'll leave you with your rock 'n' roll songs

And make my way back to the country "

I've found the IBM insurance meets my needs up here in the sticks... actually, it's more than some venues require!

I think maybe you guys misunderstood me, or maybe the ones who commented just work small parties. I am NOT trying to brag about working "big time". I am talking about gigs for parties at local hotels and resorts here in Florida. I have checked with friends around the country who do these types of gigs, and they are having the same discovery as I did. The venues want better insurnace than the $1 million cap that IBM or SAM provides. I never meant to offend if any of you are hobbyists. Guess I just assumed I was talking to people who did this for a living. Not everyone does.

I work plenty of living room and kitchen gigs, too !

Not just those venues but some schools have asked for 3-4 million. Gosh lady, I'm a ventriloquist not a flaming knife thrower. Guess I better take the heading "Shards of Fun" off my advertising.

It is really sad that we live in a society that is so sue happy. I can not think of anything I do that would harm anyone. I even heard that some people want to cap malpractice insurance at $250,000. Wouldn't it be funny if that happened, yet some guy doing magic in peoples living rooms had to have 3 million dollars worth of coverage.

Steve, that was such a good line.Swing easy,Ron

If they cap malpractice at 250,000 and performer's aren't capped, I'll just add surgery as part of my show!

Tony Borders - ventriloquist
Libraries
School Assemblies
Birthday Parties

If you book today, my Axtell shark will perform a free appendectomy... anaesthesia extra.

My uncle went in for surgery but was having misgivings. They asked if he was ready to go. (Not a great thing to say to someone headed for surgery.) My uncle was known to be more than a social drinker. He said, "I'd love to have a bottle in front of me!" They misunderstood and gave him a frontal lobatomy (sp?). When he found out he said, "I've got half a mind to sue you!"

You know Tony the comic writing emphasis on creating the unpredictable punchline is getting to be easier. The problem is the ones that I know Jay Leno wants occur in heavy traffic or when I cannot write them down. Also interesting that we are highly DISCOURAGED from ever using another writer's jokes. In your case this is hard to do. You do good stuff.Ron

I have heard jokes all my life (such as the lobotomy joke). I tweaked it on the front and backside. I have heard MANY comedians or ventriloquists who use jokes I have known for years. Even Reader's Digets reruns jokes.

One GREAT source of jokes are the Prairie Home Companion annual joke tapes. The percentage of winners is extremely high.

And you have GOT to check out Tim Hawkins. He has several things on You Tube, but if you get Ion television he has a half hour comedy show there more than once a week. He bats 1000 in my book.

P.S. Feel free to use anything of mine that I write for others to read.

My family really enjoyed this video and the others that pop up along the bottom when this one is done. Thanks, Steve!

I seem to recall that the "bottle in front of me" joke is a line from a Red Skelton skit.

For those who do want to order from Specialty Insurance (see one of the first drafts in this list) please be sure to do so prior to October 4th. That is their cutoff for the rest of this year.