Entertainment & Arts Law · Insurance, Risk & Liability
Public liability insurance for productions and events.
Public liability insurance is the cover venues insist on and producers cannot run without. Here is what it does, and what it does not.
By Aaron Kernaghan · Brady & Associates Lawyers · 13 September 2026
This article is for informational purposes and general commentary only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create a solicitor-client relationship.
Public liability insurance covers a business against claims by third parties, such as audience members or members of the public, for personal injury or property damage caused by the business's activities. For a production, an event or a practitioner, it is the core cover, and venues almost always require it before they will let you in the door.
Insurance is not a substitute for meeting your legal duties, including work health and safety duties. It responds after something goes wrong, by funding the defence and any compensation for a covered claim. It does not remove the duty to run a safe production in the first place.
What it covers
A public liability policy generally responds where the insured is legally liable for injury to a third party or damage to their property arising from the insured's activities. Examples in live performance include an audience member injured by a fall in the venue, or damage to a hired space caused by the production. The policy usually funds legal costs as well as the compensation, up to the policy limit.
Why venues require it, and typical limits
Venues, councils and festivals require producers and stallholders to hold public liability cover so that a claim by an injured patron can be met without falling back on the venue alone. Required limits are commonly 10 million or 20 million dollars per claim, depending on the venue and the risk. Always check the limit the venue requires and confirm your policy meets it.
Certificates of currency
A certificate of currency is the one-page proof that your policy is current and states the limit. Venues ask for it as a condition of hire, and touring producers should keep an up-to-date certificate ready. Note the expiry date, because a lapsed policy during a season is a serious exposure.
Who needs it
Producers and companies need it. Independent performers and crew running their own business often need their own cover, because they cannot always rely on someone else's policy. Festivals typically require every participating act and stallholder to hold cover. Volunteers and community groups are not exempt from the risk, and community organisations should carry appropriate cover.
What it does not cover
Public liability insurance does not cover injury to your own employees, which is dealt with by workers compensation, and it does not replace your own lost income, which is personal accident or income protection cover. It also will not respond to claims excluded by the policy, so read the exclusions, particularly around high-risk effects such as pyrotechnics, stunts and working at height, which may need to be declared or specifically covered.
Frequently asked.
What does public liability insurance actually cover?
Claims by third parties, such as audience members, for personal injury or property damage caused by your activities, including the legal costs of defending the claim, up to the policy limit.
What limit of cover do venues require?
Commonly 10 million or 20 million dollars per claim, depending on the venue and the risk. Check the venue's requirement and confirm your policy meets it.
Do individual performers need their own cover?
Often yes. Independent performers and crew running their own business usually need their own public liability cover, as they cannot always rely on a venue's or producer's policy.
Does public liability cover my own injury or lost income?
No. Injury to your own employees is covered by workers compensation, and your own lost income needs personal accident or income protection cover.
Do I need to declare pyrotechnics or stunts?
Usually yes. High-risk activities such as pyrotechnics, stunts and working at height may be excluded unless declared and specifically covered. Read the exclusions.
If you are a performer, producer, venue, or independent practitioner and this raises a question about your own situation, Aaron Kernaghan and the team at Brady & Associates Lawyers can give you tailored guidance. Call 0421 717 019 or contact the firm.
This article is for informational purposes and general commentary only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create a solicitor-client relationship. It reflects the law in Australia as at 13 September 2026, with a focus on Commonwealth law and New South Wales and ACT practice. The law changes and applies differently to every set of facts. Written by Aaron Kernaghan, Brady & Associates Lawyers.