When ageing rocker Iggy Pop recently fronted a series of UK insurance ads, many other musicians quickly protested they couldn’t get cover from the company concerned. The ads were swiftly covered up!
What makes musicians such bad risks that many insurance companies refuse to cover them? Vehicle insurance can be a particularly tough call. Not only do they work late at night – and often throughout the night – but also, as anyone out for a good time can tell you, the best venues are often in the riskiest neighbourhoods to park.
"We specialise in finding cover for the uncoverable, so we developed a specific scheme for musicians," says Gerry Bucke, Commercial Director at Adrian Flux. "It’s perfectly possible to give affordable cover for almost any type of musician – even ageing rockers. And at the same price as that for bank managers, librarians and accountants," he argues.
"If the insurance turns out to be tricky, it shouldn’t be the musician’s occupation that’s the problem, but their ‘track record’, so to speak."
Bucke says that Flux gets its expertise by ensuring staff not only understand insurance, but wherever possible the occupation and lifestyles of the people they talk to. And he claims that with Flux’s special scheme, musicians can save up to 30% on a typical premium – with no loading simply for being a musician.
Any tips for finding the best musician’s insurance? "The simplest one is to tell the broker up front that you are a musician, and if that makes a difference before they’ve asked any more questions, move on to the next broker," Bucke says. "But whatever you do, don’t hide the fact."
Flux recommends all working musicians, even if they are only part-time, should check their vehicle insurance to ensure that they are properly covered when travelling to and from gigs. If they haven’t declared their full professional details, in an attempt to keep premiums down, then their policy might be invalid in the event of a claim.
Adrian Flux aims to offer cheaper car insurance and has a huge range of policies for the motoring enthusiast. For details contact the Adrian Flux quote line on 0800 505 3000, email the company at quotes@adrianflux.co.uk or see the Flux homepage on www.adrianflux.co.uk