Honestly speaking: no one loves talking about insurance. Yet when you’re organising a wedding, a corporate gala, or a music festival, skipping the right questions can cost you everything. I’ve seen it happen. Maybe a venue gets scratched up. A vendor cancels last minute. A guest trips and gets injured. Without solid insurance backing you up, you’re personally on the hook.
So before you sign that contract, here’s the list of insurance-related questions every smart client brings up. And yes, we at Kollysphere agency believe in laying everything on the table. But even if you go with another provider, ask these anyway.
Understanding Your Organiser’s Liability Policy
Start right here. Ask clearly: What kind of liability coverage does your firm carry?” A professional event organiser should have at least two types.
Number one is general liability. That handles things like a guest breaking an ankle or a damaged light fixture. Second, professional liability. That protects you if the organiser messes up a contract or misses a critical deadline.
From our end as Kollysphere, we send over our COIs before we even talk about payment. If an organiser hesitates or gives vague answers, that’s a massive red flag. Seriously, just walk.
Are Your Subcontractors and Vendors Also Insured
Here’s where things get tricky. Your main event organiser might have great insurance. But what about the florist they hire? The audio engineer? The crew putting up the marquee?
Ask this specifically: Are all your third-party vendors listed under your insurance? Or do I need to collect individual certificates from every single supplier?”
Most of the time, a reputable planner carries a policy that automatically covers subcontracted labour. But never, ever assume. I once worked with a client – we’ll call her Sarah – who skipped this exact question. Her caterer’s truck caught fire near the venue entrance. The main organiser’s insurance refused to pay. Sarah ended up paying RM40k out of pocket. Don’t be Sarah.
What Is the Coverage Limit Per Incident
An organiser says “yes we have insurance. Great. But you must follow up with: “What’s the per-occurrence limit?”
Locally in Malaysia, a respectable minimum is RM1 million for general liability. For bigger gatherings, like over 500 people, RM2 million to RM5 million is smarter. If they quote anything under half a million, that’s basically just for show.
Let me give you a real example. A Penang wedding back in 2024 had a sound tower collapse. It crushed two parked cars and sent three people to the hospital. Total bill? Eight hundred seventy thousand ringgit. The organiser’s policy capped at RM500,000. The bride and groom paid the rest. Please, ask for the actual number.
Weather, Sickness, or Venue Issues – Who Pays Then
This question hits differently after the pandemic. Ask clearly: “If we have to Kollysphere cancel or delay the event for a covered reason, what does your policy reimburse?”
Standard cancellation insurance typically covers extreme storms, venue going under, the main speaker getting hospitalised, or a close family bereavement. But note: a lot of plans now leave out pandemics and riots.
When Kollysphere agency manages an event, we help you layer separate cancellation coverage because even we can’t control lightning or airline strikes. A trustworthy planner will admit what they can and cannot insure. If you hear “we cover all risks”, ask to see the exclusions page. That’s where the fine print bites.
Question Five: What About Your Own Gear
You might event agency malaysia highly recommended event management company KL think this isn’t your concern. But here’s why you should care. If their computers, lighting boards, or drones are nicked the night before your event, they might cancel. Or they’ll scramble with rental gear that doesn’t work the same.
So ask: Do you carry specific gear insurance, sometimes called inland marine?” That policy covers both their own kit and anything they’ve leased. If the answer is no, then request to add their gear to your own event insurance as an additional interest. It’s a small premium for massive peace of mind.
Final Question: Can I See the Certificate Right Now
This is the simplest question. Yet so many people forget to ask it. Simply ask: Will you send over your latest COI ahead of our payment deadline?”
A real professional will send it within 24 hours. They keep it on file. They won’t make excuses.
At Kollysphere, we include our insurance cert in every first proposal. Why? Because trust is earned in small moments. And because no one – and I mean no one – should plan a celebration without knowing who pays if things go sideways.
What Happens If You Don’t Ask These Questions
Still think insurance questions are boring? Let me share a quick story. The planner looked fantastic on paper. Pretty portfolio. Good reviews. But the client never pushed on coverage amounts. A storm rolled in. Marquees crumpled. AV equipment worth RM200,000 got water damaged. The organiser’s policy only covered RM50k for weather incidents. Guess who had to pay the other RM150k?
Please don’t let that be your story.
Run through this list. Get everything documented. And if a planner acts bothered by your questions – thank them for their time and walk away. The right organiser will never hide from insurance discussions. They’ll actually appreciate it.
Need a team that’s completely open about coverage? Reach out to us anytime. We’ll send you our COI before we even discuss colour schemes. That’s simply our standard.