Insurance FAQs

Insurance 2024

Your insurance provider is changing with effect from 1st January 2024 and will now be underwritten with Covea Insurance Plc. There are some important changes highlighted below.

The insurance is very similar to the previous scheme, however there is a difference in territorial limits.

  • The territorial limits of the new policy (i.e., the places that cover applies) are Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, any member country of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. If you require cover for activities outside these locations, please contact Finch Insurance who will help you with your requirements.

 

About the different packages

What do the Bronze, Silver and Gold insurance packages consist of?
What is the Making Music definition of an amateur/semi-professional/professional group and are they eligible for insurance under the Making Music insurance scheme?

The basic answer is that amateur groups do not pay their members anything at all to perform (apart from travel and sustenance expenses) whereas professional groups do. They are eligible for full membership and the lower insurance premiums. Semi-professional groups can of course also join Making Music, but as Associate members; and pay the appropriate Associate member insurance premium. Professional groups can join Making Music as Associate members but must contact Finch direct in order to obtain an insurance quote. 

We appreciate that there are some grey areas to this which include: 

Scenario 1: a group of amateurs, but which reimburses members' expenses, e.g. for travel and sandwich. Making Music will accept such a group into Full membership and so the group is eligible for insurance at the lower rate (provided that the group meets other Full membership criteria). 

Scenario 2: a group of amateurs, but rather than reimbursing on receipts, the group give their members a fixed amount for a gig which roughly corresponds to expenses, e.g. £50. Making Music will accept such a group into Full membership and so the group is eligible for insurance at the lower rate (provided that the group meets other Full membership criteria). 

Scenario 3: the musicians in the group have a day job and don't earn their living by carrying out the activities of the group, but members of the group get paid £100 each for each gig/performance. Making Music will only accept such a group into Associate membership and so the group is only eligible for insurance at the higher rate.

What if I need cover that exceeds the limits of ‘Gold’ or I require a custom policy that includes additional cover, such as buildings?

Simply call or send an email to Making Music’s insurance broker Finch (Tel: 0118 334 8868) makingmusic@finchinsurance.co.uk who will provide you with a quotation to include the additional cover you need. 

What if I require the Bronze cover but with a small amount for property – can I obtain a custom quote?

No – you will need to purchase 'Silver' cover if you require property cover.

When can I ask for a custom quote?

You should ask for a 'Custom' quote if: 

  • Your income exceeds £100,000 a year 
  • You need cover in excess of the 'Gold' level, e.g. £10M instead of £5M public liability; or a higher level of property or cancellation / abandonment cover 
  • You need different insurance, e.g., buildings insurance, instruments or equipment cover  
Can we increase our public liability cover?

Yes – just contact Finch on 0118 334 8868 (Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm) or at makingmusic@finchinsurance.co.uk

 

Are the insurance policies UK wide, Europe wide or Worldwide?

Some but not all sections of the policy include cover for outside of the UK. 

Public Liability: All Making Music insurance policies include public liability cover up to £5million; this section of the policy provides cover in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, any member country of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Employer’s Liability: All Making Music policies also includes Employer’s liability cover up to £10million; this section of the policy provides UK wide cover for the group’s activities. This includes cover in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Property cover: The ‘Silver’ and ‘Gold’ insurance packages include differing levels of group owned property cover. All property is covered in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, any member country of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

All sections of the policy are governed by the relevant law of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands depending upon your address as shown in the Schedule. If there is any dispute as to which law applies, then UK law will take precedent. 

 

About the policy - Property

What happens if my insured values increase past my cover limit?

The sum insured will be the most we will pay. Our ‘Silver’ cover option provides cover for musical property up to £20,000 in value. If the value of your musical property needs increasing above £20,000, then you should consider upgrading to ‘Gold’ cover. Or if your property value exceeds the ‘Gold’ cover limit of £50,000 you should approach Finch for a ‘Custom’ policy. 

Is property belonging to the society insured?

If you have ‘Silver’ or ‘Gold’ cover this includes cover for a group’s own property and any property hired or loaned to it. There is a single article limit of £5,000 for any single piece of equipment or instrument hired in and the overall amount of cover is subject to the ‘Silver’ and ‘Gold’ cover limits. Cover is provided on a new for old basis and as such the sum to be insured should represent the cost of replacing the item with a modern equivalent. 

Is property belonging to individuals covered within the policy?

The policy is intended to cover the member group for its liabilities and property owned by the group. Any property belonging to individuals should continue to be insured by the owner. 

Is property temporarily hired in covered?

If you have ‘Silver’ or ‘Gold’ cover then any property hired or loaned to you is automatically covered. There is a single article limit of £5,000 for any single piece of equipment or instrument hired in and the overall amount of cover is subject to the ‘Silver’ and ‘Gold’ cover limits. 

Our group owns musical property that is stored at the home of one of our members - is it covered?

Yes – as long it is stored safely and securely and there is evidence of forcible or violent entry to the building the musical property will be covered under the terms of the policy.  

Our group owns musical property but it is stored at the home of an individual who is not a member of our group - is it covered?

No – the insurance only covers property that is in the possession of the group or its members.  

Our group owns musical property that is stored in a shared community building (e.g. village hall). The building is secure but our musical property is not stored in a locked cupboard/room and is accessible to other users – is it covered?

If the building is secure and there is evidence of forcible or violent entry to the property then the property would be covered. If the property goes missing without evidence of forcible entry to the property, this would not be covered. 

You should take all reasonable precautions to prevent damage to and maintain the condition of the insured musical property.  

Is musical property covered when held in a storage unit?

Yes – provided the unit is leased to the musical group or one of its members. The building must be secure and there would need to be evidence of forcible or violent entry to the unit for the property to be covered in the event of a claim.  

Is our musical property covered whilst in transit?

Yes – as long as it is stored safely and securely it will be covered.  

Is our musical property covered in a parked vehicle?

Yes - as long as it is concealed out of sight and the vehicle is locked and secured. 

Our musical property is too big to be stored in the glove or luggage compartment or boot of the car. Is it covered if on the back seat?

If it can be stored in the glove or luggage compartment or boot of the car then it should be. If it is too big it will still be covered as long as it is concealed out of sight and the vehicle is locked and secured. 

What counts as a single item?

Anything you can buy individually would count as a single item. For example a violin and a bow would be separate single items. It does not include replacements parts for an instrument – for example a barrel for a clarinet would not be classed as a single item.   

What is the excess cost on my property cover?

The excess you will pay is as stated on your Schedule of Insurance within our membership portal. 

If my musical property is lost, stolen or damaged will I get the full value of the property?

Yes, assuming the full value is within the policy limits. If repair is possible, we will pay for the cost of repair. 

If repair is not possible then we replace on a new for old basis. This means the cover will provide for the cost of buying a new version of the musical property (up to your policy limits). If the model of the item being replaced is no longer in production, we will replace with an equivalent model or specification. 

 

About the policy - Directors and Officers Liability

Am I covered as the trustee of a Charity?

Yes, this is included up to £100,000.

Does the Trustees liability only apply to charities?

No the trustee liability applies to not for profit organisations as well as charities. So cover would be in place for directors of not for profit organisations. 

What does the cover do?

Cover is provided for Trustees, directors or an officer or member of the committee of management of an organisation for personal liability claims made against them whilst acting in the capacity of their role. This includes well-meaning, but poor decisions or actions that cause loss or damage to the organisation. It does not cover deliberately dishonest or malicious decisions or actions. 

 

About the policy – other

Does Employers’ liability cover our musical director?

Finch covers musical directors who are engaged on a freelance basis as employees for the purpose of liability insurance, since the definition of an employee within the policy includes ‘any person supplied to you or hired or borrowed by you’. 

Why do we need Cancellation and Abandonment cover?

Cancellation and Abandonment insurance is a useful cover to safeguard you against situations where you might have to cancel a concert and can’t recoup costs already paid out. Please check your policy documentation to be sure about what's covered, and what is excluded. 

Does abandonment insurance cover cases of extreme weather conditions?

Cancellation and Abandonment cover provides some protection against cancellation due to extreme weather conditions, but only in situations where it would be dangerous to proceed with the event. 

Can I cover a trailer owned by the Group?

Any trailers should be preferably kept in a locked garage/compound and valuables removed when not in use. However, providing they are secured with a wheel lock then they can be added to the insurance policy. Please note that no cover is provided whilst the trailer is being towed, as this should fall to the motor insurance of the vehicle towing the trailer. 

If dance is part of my musical activities, how much dance is acceptable to qualify for insurance cover?

Some Making Music members use dance as part of their musical activities and the question has recently been raised as to how much dance is acceptable to qualify for our insurance cover – since the charitable aims of the organisation are to support those who perform and promote music. Our Insurers have always accepted that dance is a part of some musical activities but what is the golden rule? The rule is that dance should be incidental or complementary to the musical activity and that the dancing element should not be the main focus of your activity. If it is then you would be better served by a policy designed for dance groups. 

Is there an age limit on your insurance?

There are no upper or lower age restrictions on our insurance except under the Cancellation and Abandonment and Money and Assault sections of the policy. 

Under Cancellation and Abandonment there is no cover if an event is abandoned, cancelled or postponed following the death, injury or illness of any party over the age of 75. 

The Money and Assault section of the policy covers any party between the age of 16 and 80.  

Are our members covered for carrying out first aid?

The policy provides cover for activities carried out by First Aiders and ‘Good Samaritan’ acts where an honest and reasonable attempt to help has been made. This includes the use of debrillilators. 

Is there cover under my liability insurance policy for claims arising from Covid-19?

There is no disease exclusion under the Liability sections but in the event of any claim a Policyholder must be legally liable for the injury or damage that is being alleged. The Policy includes a Reasonable Precautions clause and therefore an indemnity under the Policy would require a policyholder to follow all relevant Government guidelines and instructions. Please contact Finch to discuss your enquiry in more detail: 

Is there cover under my event cancellation insurance policy for claims arising from Covid-19?

There has always been an exclusion under the event cancellation section for ‘communicable diseases’. If you have to cancel an event due to COVID-19 (or any other communicable disease) you cannot make a claim for the event under the event cancellation cover. This includes if the event is cancelled due to a government-enforced lockdown. This is a common industry wide exclusion for event cancellation cover. Please contact Finch to discuss your enquiry in more detail: 

Does the Abandonment Insurance cover event cancellation if the country goes into National Mourning?

If the country goes into national mourning due to the death of a member of the royal family or head of state the cancellation of an event will not be covered by the Cancellation and Abandonment insurance.  

 

About your policy - admin

Where can I find my policy documents?

You can find your documents by logging in to your account and visiting your dashboard. If you have purchased custom cover, there may be a 24-hour delay before these are made available. 

Who are my insurance contacts?

All insurance enquiries are handled by Finch. You can call them on 0118 334 8868 or email makingmusic@finchinsurance.co.uk 

What is the Policy Summary?

A summary of cover provides the significant benefits, features and limitations of the cover. The full terms, conditions and exclusions of your policy can be found in your policy wording, so please take time to read it in conjunction with the policy schedule and make sure you understand the cover provided. 

What if I need to cancel my policy?

If this cover does not meet your requirements, please return all your documents to makingmusic@finchinsurance.co.uk. If cover has not yet started, you will receive a full refund of the premium. If cover has started, we will refund the premium for the exact number of days left on the policy. No refund will be given if a claim has been submitted or there have been any incidents likely to give rise to a claim during the current period of insurance. 
 

How do I make a complaint?

Our aim is to always provide a high standard of service to you. However, we recognise that things can go wrong occasionally and if this occurs, we are committed to ensuring matters are resolved promptly and fairly. If you wish to complain please contact Finch in any of the following ways using the contact details below: 

  • in writing (please mark your correspondence as ‘Complaint’);  
  • by e-mail (please mark your correspondence as ‘Complaint’); 
  • by telephone; or 
  • in person. 

You can call Finch on 0118 334 8868 or email makingmusic@finchinsurance.co.uk 

In all cases, please quote your insurance policy number or any other reference we have given you. 

Finch will promptly acknowledge complaints on our behalf. Their complaints procedure is available on request and will be provided to you when they acknowledge receipt of any complaint that you make to us. 

The Financial Ombudsman Service 

If you feel that we have not been able to resolve any matter to your satisfaction after our complaints process or if you are unhappy with our decision, or one provided by Lloyd’s (where applicable) or if we did not complete our investigation and issue our final response letter within eight weeks, you may be entitled to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (“FOS”) by post, phone or email.  

Post:
The Financial Ombudsman Service 
Exchange Tower 
London 
E14 9SR 

Phone:    
0800 0234 567 or 0300 123 9 123 

Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk 

How do I make a claim?

Should you be unfortunate enough to have to make a claim, Covéa Insurance Commercial Claims will manage all aspects of the claim for you from the time it is reported. 

Covéa Insurance Commercial Claims is a service operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

Covéa have asked that their email address is used in the first instance when making a claim as they do require the group's current insurance schedule as part of this process. When initially contacting Covéa do ensure that the groups insurance schedule is attached, this can be found on the Making Music website under the My Dashboard section of your account. 

You can notify Covea of a claim by calling: 0330 024 2266 or by email: newcommercialclaims@coveainsurance.co.uk, or by post: 
Covéa Insurance Commercial Claims, A&B Mills, Dean Clough, Halifax, HX3 5AX  

You must provide any information or help that Covea may reasonably ask for. You must not settle, reject, negotiate or agree to pay any claim. Full details of how to make a claim can be found in your policy document. 

 

About the insurer

Who is the insurer?

This Insurance is provided by Covea Insurance plc. Covea Insurance plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Registration Number 202277. Registered Office: A & B Mills, Dean Clough, Halifax, HX3 5AX. Registered in England and Wales Number 613259. 

You can check the regulatory status on the Financial Services Register by visiting the Financial Conduct Authority’s website: www.fca.org.uk/register

Who is Finch?

Finch has been appointed as the preferred insurance broker to arrange cover for members of The National Federation of Music Societies.

Finch is a trading style of Advisory Insurance Brokers Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference number 313250). Registered office: 2 Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7PDE. Registered in England and Wales No: 04043759.

What is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)?

The Financial Conduct Authority regulates financial services firms and financial markets in the UK. To find out further information please visit their website at www.fca.org.uk.

Whose products do you offer?

In relation to the sale of this policy we have only used a single insurer and in doing so we are not providing you with a personal recommendation based on a fair and personal analysis of the market. Before the insurance contract is concluded we will provide you with sufficient information, including a statement of demands and needs, to enable you to make an informed decision about the policy.

How do I assess the suitability of my insurance?

The National Federation of Music Societies or Finch will not offer any advice and you will need to make your own decision regarding the suitability of any policy of insurance purchased.

You should review the policy documents carefully to ensure they accurately reflect the cover, conditions, limits and other terms that you require. Particular attention should be paid to policy conditions and warranties as failure to comply with these could invalidate your policy. Claims can arise, under certain types of insurance contract, long after the expiry of the policy. It is therefore important that you retain and keep safely all documents associated with your policy.

Who regulates this insurance?

The regulator for the insurance products is the Financial Conduct Authority. You can check this on the FCA’s Register website https://register.fca.org.uk/ or by contacting the FCA on 0800 111 6768.

The National Federation of Music Societies is an appointed representative of Advisory Insurance Brokers Limited, which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Conduct Authority number 313250).  The National Federation of Music Societies is a registered company in England and Wales, under company number 308632, and its registered office is at 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL.

 

Are we covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)?

We are covered by the FSCS. You may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. Further information about compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCS website or by calling 0800 678 1100.

What is the relationship between Making Music and Finch?

Making Music is a trading name for The National Federation of Music Societies.

The National Federation of Music Societies is an appointed representative of Advisory Insurance Brokers Limited, which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Conduct Authority number 313250).  The National Federation of Music Societies is a registered company in England and Wales, under company number 308632, and its registered office is at 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL.

Finch is a trading style of Advisory Insurance Brokers Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reference number 313250). Registered office: 2 Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7PDE. Registered in England and Wales No: 04043759.

 

If you have any questions please contact us