What kind of insurance should you get as a festival goer?
What kind of insurance should you get as a festival goer?
10 second overview: Ready to let loose and have some much needed fun this post-pandemic festival season? Cover all the bases with this handy list of tips on how to protect yourself and your valuables while you’re attending festivals. Also download our guide to the top festivals you must attend this 2021-2022 season.
Download our recommendations for the best 8 festivals in the US between 2021 – 2022.
In addition to disrupting economies, international travel and threatening the lives of millions, Covid-19 put a halt to annual festivals on both sides of the Atlantic. Now that vaccines have been rolled out and most lockdown restrictions have been partially or fully lifted, festival season is quickly getting back to normal.
Festival lovers are already making plans to attend season favorites like the New Orleans Mardi Gras which ran as a smaller, less exciting parade in 2021, and Burning Man which was made into a virtual experience in 2020 and 2021. And Coachella fever is sure to reach a frenzy as the famous music and arts festival returns in March 2022 after being postponed for 2 years in a row.
Your plans to rock out and party like never-before this festival season are welcome and in fact, we’d love to tag along. However, your plans are not quite complete without the right insurance and we’re here to share three kinds of insurance you need to protect yourself and your valuables as you dive full throttle into festival fun this 2021 – 2022 season.
If the festival you plan on attending takes place outside your state of residence, it might be a good idea to take a road trip, especially if the weather is favorable and you’ve got family and friends to keep you company along the way. However, you should make sure your auto insurance gives you coverage within and outside the state where you reside.
You also need to consider taking advantage of the 'broadening clause' in your auto insurance policy to temporarily extend your liability coverage to be in line with the liability limit of the state you're visiting.
Festival tickets can be expensive, ranging between $75 and $2,500, particularly if you plan on attending multiple festival events. So, the prospect of losing the full value of your ticket, possibly worth hundreds of dollars, should be cause for concern.
The good news is that since Covid-19 struck in 2020, many organizers have been willing to refund tickets in full, especially as many festivals were cancelled. However, it's not a bad idea to pay a small token for ticket insurance. Usually, you’ll be able to do this at the point of ticket purchase.
In addition to ensuring you’re refunded for cancellations, ticket insurance will also cover you in the event that you're unable to attend a festival because you've tested positive for Covid-19 since we’re in pandemic season.
So, if you're ready to have some festival fun, you should strongly consider getting ticket insurance
Now, to be clear, we don’t recommend attending festivals with valuables like collectible watches, jewelry, heirlooms, etc. In fact, you're advised to travel light and smart, taking only the items you need to have a good time and explore your festival city.
However, if you plan on taking a very valuable personal item with you, then you should certainly consider taking out short-term, single-item insurance just in case.
Wallets, keys, smartphones and passports are some of the items festival goers often misplace at festival grounds or while touring festival cities. The loss of personal effects like these is best avoided as it exposes you to significant risks like having your bank accounts cleaned out.
The good news is that many items misplaced at festival grounds are often sent to the festival’s lost and found center where they can be retrieved. The bad news however, is that sometimes, these items are stolen by pickpockets who often scout festivals to take advantage of carefree and inebriated festival goers. To avoid losing your personal effects, you are advised to always be aware of your environment and the people around you.
Keep your travel documents locked safely in your hotel room, Airbnb or wherever you're lodged. Alternatively, you can carry them in a pouch or bag that's covered neatly under your shirt. Basically, the closer your pouch or carrier bag is to your body, the more secure its contents will be.
You may also want to consider getting a locker at the festival grounds for storing any items you don't want to lose while having some festival fun. However, be aware that using festival lockers is not without risk.
Now that you know what you can do to protect yourself and your valuables, you’re ready to let loose and enjoy the return of festivals. Start by making a festival prep checklist. It should include getting tickets, making lodging arrangements, and getting your insurance sorted.