Stallholder Insurance Requirements
We’ve seen that some stallholders are concerned about the requirements for insurance at this year’s UK PonyCon. Some stallholders are veteran convention traders attending multiple events per year and are familiar with different types of insurance for stallholders, while others who only trade at UK PonyCon, or for whom this is their first time trading, may not know as much about it. We could have communicated the details of this policy better, and hope to address these shortcomings by answering the most commonly asked questions here.
What kind of insurance do I need?
We need to see that you have public liability insurance for the duration of your time on-site as a stallholder with a minimum limit of £1,000,000. This is intended to protect you if anyone makes a claim against you, for example if an attendee holds you responsible for an injury or if the venue holds you responsible for damage. Not only can insurance cover the costs of paying out damages for a successful claim, it can also provide access to specialist advisors to protect your interests during a claim. The exact details for what is and is not covered by an insurance policy will be specified in the insurance policy wording.
Other insurance products are available that may be of interest for stallholders. These include stock and equipment insurance, employers’ liability insurance and product liability insurance. You may decide these are worthwhile for your individual circumstances, however we do not require you to hold these insurance policies.
Why does UK PonyCon require evidence of public liability insurance?
Our insurers require us to collect details of public liability insurers from all exhibitors (i.e. stallholders).
What period does the insurance need to cover?
The public liability insurance needs to cover the duration of your time on-site as a stallholder. If you are planning to arrive on Friday evening for set-up, your policy must be in effect on Friday 8th October 2021. Be sure to read the quotation forms and policy wording carefully to understand exactly when you are covered.
Am I covered by UK PonyCon’s insurance?
No. Our insurance policy will not cover you in the event of any claims made against you, or for loss or damage to your stock or equipment.
I only sell once a year at UK PonyCon - do I really need this insurance?
Yes. Our insurers do not distinguish between stallholders for whom this is their full-time business and people who are having a clear-out of their pony collection.
How much does public liability insurance cost?
The cost can vary significantly depending on your needs. Options such as stock and equipment cover can increase the cost of insurance, but offer additional benefits. Many policies allow you to choose the amount of cover - a higher cover limit usually costs more. If you sell several times per year, you might find an annual policy covering you for multiple events is better value. When comparing policies, always read the details of each, as while the summary of two policies may be similar, the details of exactly what is and is not covered may vary.
For a policy for only public liability insurance from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th October as a UK resident as a stall at a one-off event, you can expect to pay in the region of £30 to £80, depending on the insurer/broker and the options selected.
How can I find an insurer?
We’re not an insurance broker and therefore do not want to make any recommendations in favour or against any particular insurers or brokers.
You can use search queries like “stallholder insurance,” “craft fair stall insurance” and “exhibitor insurance” on search engines such as Google to find companies that may offer suitable insurance policies. Always check that the website belongs to a reputable firm and that they are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Is this normal for events?
This is a standard requirement imposed by insurers for many event organisers. Stallholders who trade at other events such as comic conventions and craft fairs will attest to this.
How was I to know that public liability insurance is required?
We appreciate the requirement to provide evidence of public liability insurance may come as a surprise to some, as it has been more than two months since most people purchased their stall tickets.
We communicated this requirement in the form you filled out when buying your stallholder ticket as a specific condition that must be read and agreed to. The wording provided at the time of purchase was as follows:
Insurance *
I declare I have, or will have, public liability insurance with a reputable insurer in relation to my activities as a stallholder throughout the event, with a minimum limit of £1,000,000, and that I will provide evidence of this to UK PonyCon on request.
[ ] I agree
It was necessary to tick the “I agree” box in order to buy the stall ticket, and all stallholders ticked this box to indicate their agreement.
We also emailed all stallholders on 8th September with information about the convention, including a reminder about insurance.
How should I provide evidence of insurance to you?
Please send us an email to stalls@ukponycon.co.uk with your evidence of insurance. Ideally your insurer would provide you with a certificate of insurance that you can share with us, stating the following information:
Your name or business name
The dates you are covered
The insurer’s name
The policy number or reference
That it is public liability insurance, and that the limit is at least £1,000,000
We will keep a record of your insurer’s name and the policy number or reference.
What if I arrive without evidence of insurance?
We cannot allow you on-site to set up your stall until we have evidence of your public liability insurance policy. If you arrange cover and provide evidence, we will allow you on site.
Please note that once the stalls area opens to attendees at 10:00 each day, we must consider the risks of your set-up activities to attendees. This may mean setting up takes longer than normal. Please follow the instructions of our team to ensure a safely managed set-up.
At our discretion, we may exchange your stallholder ticket and any stall helper tickets for adult weekend tickets for the same number of people, so that you can still attend, explore and enjoy the convention without having your own stall. No refund will be made in respect of any difference in value.
What if I have a question or no longer want to trade at UK PonyCon?
Please read this page carefully, as it answers many of the most common questions. If you still have a question, please contact us at stalls@ukponycon.co.uk.
If you no longer wish to attend because you cannot arrange insurance, please contact us at the above email address to let us know as soon as possible. This represents a breach of contract on your side, as you had previously agreed to provide evidence of public liability insurance on request. As a gesture of goodwill, we will refund stall and stall helper tickets for requests received by 23:59 UK time on 6th October 2021. Should you wish to exchange your stall and stall helper tickets for standard adult weekend tickets, we will refund the difference. Requests for refunds received after this time will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
