Broker stresses importance of events coverage as Glastonbury changes headline act

The insurance broker responsible for the insurance coverage of US rock band The Foo Fighters, which cancelled as headline act for Glastonbury, has stressed the importance of having coverage in place for such high-value events.

Robertson Taylor arranged the insurance for US rock band The Foo Fighters. The band cancelled for Glastonbury after frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg during a gig in Sweden.

John Silcock, chief executive of the entertainment broker, said: “Not everyone that is involved in a tour will take out their own policies but those that do are most likely to include the band, the manager, promoter, agent, merchandising companies, the venue and even travel organisers.

“Almost everything on a tour is insurable. Policies will often be taken out weeks or months in advance of the first show to cover the costs of rehearsals, pre-production, stage build, crew hire, equipment and possibly anticipated revenue.”

Last year, Robertson Taylor insured 14 of the top 20 highest-grossing tours and previously handled the insurance claim for Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour, which was due to take place three weeks after his death.

“All policies are taken on a case-by-case basis because there is so much money riding on the events. In order to provide the right cover we need to identify the risk, and some are more challenging than others. This could be reflected in the cost of the insurance or certain terms will need to be met before progressing,” Silcock added.

Florence & the Machine have replaced The Foo Fighters at Glastonbury.