Life Insurance for Event Technicians UK
Working behind the scenes in the UK's vibrant events industry is a role unlike any other. Whether you're a lighting designer crafting the perfect atmosphere, a sound engineer ensuring crystal-clear audio, a rigger working at dizzying heights, or an AV technician making a corporate conference seamless, your skills are the invisible backbone of every successful show.
The work is demanding, the hours are long, and the pressure is constant. It requires a unique blend of technical expertise, creativity, and physical resilience. But have you ever stopped to consider what would happen if you were suddenly unable to work?
For many event technicians, particularly the vast number who are self-employed or work on freelance contracts, the financial safety net that office-based employees take for granted simply isn't there. An illness or injury doesn't just mean time off; it means a complete stop to your income. This is where specialist financial protection becomes not just a 'nice-to-have', but an essential part of your professional toolkit.
This guide is designed specifically for you—the event technicians, riggers, and AV specialists of the UK. We'll explore the tailored insurance options that recognise the unique risks of your profession and provide the robust protection you and your family deserve.
Tailored cover for events and AV specialists
The phrase 'one size fits all' certainly doesn't apply to the events industry, and the same is true for your insurance. A standard policy designed for a 9-to-5 office worker will likely fail to grasp the nuances of your career. Insurers need to understand the specific risks you face to offer you the right cover at a fair price.
What makes your job so unique from an insurer's perspective?
- Physical Demands: Your work often involves heavy lifting, manual handling of expensive equipment, and long periods on your feet. This increases the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.
- Working at Height: Riggers, lighting technicians, and even some AV installers regularly work on trusses, scaffolding, or gantries. This is a significant risk factor that needs to be properly declared and understood.
- Irregular and Long Hours: 'Anti-social' hours are the norm. Early starts, late finishes, and overnight rigging sessions can disrupt sleep patterns and contribute to long-term health issues related to stress and fatigue.
- Extensive Travel: Touring, moving between venues, and driving long distances, often late at night, increases the risk of road accidents.
- Contract-Based Work: A significant portion of the industry is freelance. This means no sick pay, no holiday pay, and no employer benefits. If you don't work, you don't get paid.
- High-Pressure Environment: The "show must go on" mentality is powerful. The stress of live events and tight deadlines can take its toll on mental and physical health over time.
Because of these factors, you need insurance that provides a safety net for your specific circumstances. A specialist broker, like WeCovr, understands these challenges. We work with insurers who have a sophisticated understanding of the events industry, ensuring your policy is built for your reality, not for a generic 'technician'.
Understanding Your Core Protection Options
Financial protection isn't a single product; it's a suite of tools designed to protect you against different life events. For an event technician, the three core pillars of protection are Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection.
1. Life Insurance
Life Insurance is the foundation of financial protection for anyone with dependents or significant financial commitments. It pays out a tax-free lump sum if you pass away during the policy term. This money can be used by your loved ones to:
- Pay off the mortgage
- Clear outstanding debts (loans, credit cards)
- Cover funeral expenses
- Provide an income for your family to live on
- Fund future costs like children's education
There are several types of life insurance to consider:
| Type of Cover | How It Works | Best For... |
|---|---|---|
| Level Term | The payout amount remains the same throughout the policy term. | Covering an interest-only mortgage or providing a set lump sum for family living costs. |
| Decreasing Term | The payout amount reduces over time, usually in line with a repayment mortgage. | The most affordable way to ensure your mortgage is paid off if you die. |
| Family Income Benefit | Instead of a lump sum, it pays out a regular, tax-free income until the policy term ends. | Replacing your lost income for your family in a manageable way. |
| Whole of Life | Guarantees a payout whenever you die, as long as you keep paying premiums. | Covering an expected Inheritance Tax bill or leaving a guaranteed legacy. |
Example: Mark, a 40-year-old freelance sound engineer, has a partner, two young children, and a £200,000 repayment mortgage. He takes out a decreasing term policy to cover the mortgage and a level term policy for £150,000 to provide his family with a financial buffer and cover future costs if he were to pass away.
2. Critical Illness Cover
While Life Insurance protects your family after you're gone, Critical Illness Cover is designed to protect you and your family while you're living. It pays a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a specific list of serious medical conditions defined in the policy.
Common conditions covered include:
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Most forms of Cancer
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Kidney Failure
- Major Organ Transplant
The physical and mental stress of an event technician's career can increase the risk of some of these conditions. A critical illness diagnosis would almost certainly mean a long period away from such a physically demanding job. The payout gives you financial breathing space, allowing you to:
- Take time off work to recover without financial worry.
- Pay for private medical treatment or specialist therapies.
- Adapt your home if required.
- Clear your mortgage or other debts to reduce your monthly outgoings.
It's vital to note that the number and definition of illnesses covered can vary significantly between insurers. This is an area where expert advice is invaluable to ensure you get a comprehensive policy.
3. Income Protection Insurance
For many in the events industry, especially freelancers, Income Protection is arguably the most important cover you can have. It's designed to replace a portion of your income if you're unable to work due to any illness or injury.
Unlike Critical Illness Cover, which pays a lump sum for a specific condition, Income Protection pays a regular monthly benefit until you can return to work, retire, or the policy term ends.
Key Features:
- Benefit Amount: You can typically cover up to 60-65% of your gross annual income.
- Deferment Period: This is the waiting period from when you stop working to when the policy starts paying out. It can be tailored from 1 day to 12 months. A longer deferment period means a lower premium, so you can align it with any savings you have.
- Definition of Incapacity: This is crucial. For a specialist role, you should always seek an 'Own Occupation' definition. This means the policy will pay out if you are unable to perform your specific job as an event technician, even if you could technically do another job, like office admin.
Example: Sarah, a 32-year-old freelance lighting rigger, earns £45,000 a year. She has minimal savings. She takes out an Income Protection policy to pay her £2,200 a month after a 4-week deferment period. Six months later, she falls from a ladder (outside of work) and breaks her ankle, requiring surgery. She is unable to climb or carry heavy equipment for five months. After her 4-week deferment period, her policy starts paying her £2,200 each month, allowing her to cover her rent and bills while she recovers fully.
The Unique Risks of an Event Technician's Career
When you apply for protection insurance, underwriters assess your 'risk'. For event technicians, this goes beyond standard health and lifestyle questions. They will want to know the specifics of your day-to-day role.
Here's a breakdown of how insurers view the common risks in your profession:
| Risk Factor | Why It Matters to Insurers | Relevant Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Working at Height | High risk of falls and serious injury. Insurers will ask for the maximum height and frequency. | Income Protection, Critical Illness Cover |
| Heavy/Manual Lifting | Increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., back, shoulder, knee injuries). A common reason for claims. | Income Protection |
| Driving/Travel | Long hours on the road, especially at night, increases the statistical risk of accidents. | Income Protection, Life Insurance |
| Use of Pyrotechnics | Specialist risk that needs full disclosure. May lead to premium loading or exclusions with some insurers. | All types of cover |
| Noise Exposure | Long-term exposure can lead to hearing damage. Some insurers might add exclusions for hearing-related claims. | Income Protection |
| Irregular Hours | Linked to long-term health issues like stress, burnout, and cardiovascular problems. | Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection |
It's essential to be completely transparent about these aspects of your job. Hiding information about working at height, for example, could invalidate your policy precisely when you need it most. An expert adviser can help you present this information accurately to an insurer who understands and prices for these risks fairly.
For the Self-Employed and Company Directors
The structure of your employment dramatically changes which insurance solutions are most suitable and tax-efficient. The events industry is populated by freelancers, sole traders, and directors of small limited companies.
Freelancers and Sole Traders
If you work for yourself, you are your own safety net. The core products of Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection are your personal responsibility.
- Income Protection: This is non-negotiable. With no employer sick pay to fall back on, this is your primary defence against a loss of income.
- Personal Sick Pay: This is a type of short-term income protection, often with shorter deferment periods (even 1 day) and a maximum payout period of 12 or 24 months. It can be a good option for those in more manual trades or who want to cover short-term incapacity.
- Proving Income: When applying, you'll need to prove your earnings. Insurers will typically ask for 1-2 years of accounts or your SA302 tax calculations from HMRC. It's best to base your cover on a stable average income.
Company Directors
If you run your own limited company, perhaps an AV hire firm or a production company, you have access to more tax-efficient ways to arrange cover. These policies are paid for by the business as a legitimate business expense.
| Policy Type | What It Does | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant Life Cover | A 'death-in-service' policy for directors. Pays a lump sum to your family if you die. | Premiums are a tax-deductible business expense and not a P11D benefit. Highly tax-efficient. |
| Executive Income Protection | An income protection policy owned and paid for by your company. | Premiums are a business expense. If you claim, the benefit is paid to the company to then distribute as income, keeping National Insurance contributions active. |
| Key Person Insurance | Protects the business itself. Pays a lump sum to the business if a key employee (like you) dies or suffers a critical illness. | The money can be used to recruit a replacement, cover lost profits, or clear business debts. It ensures business continuity. |
| Gift Inter Vivos | A specialised life policy to cover a potential Inheritance Tax liability on a gift. | If you've gifted shares in your company, this can cover the tax bill if you die within 7 years of making the gift. |
Arranging cover through your business can result in significant savings compared to paying for it from your post-tax personal income. At WeCovr, we have extensive experience helping company directors in the creative and technical industries structure their protection in the most efficient way.
How Much Cover Do You Really Need?
Calculating the right amount of cover can feel daunting, but it can be broken down into a logical process based on your financial commitments and goals.
1. Calculating Life Insurance:
- Debts: Start with your largest debt, usually your mortgage. Add any car loans, personal loans, and credit card balances.
- Family Support: How much income would your family need to replace? A common rule of thumb is 10x your annual salary. Alternatively, calculate their monthly budget and multiply it by the number of years they'd need support.
- Future Costs: Do you want to provide for your children's university education? Budget around £50,000 - £75,000 per child.
- Final Expenses: The average UK funeral cost is now around £4,000 - £5,000.
Total Life Cover = Debts + Family Support + Future Costs + Final Expenses
2. Calculating Critical Illness Cover:
- Immediate Needs: A good starting point is 1-2 years of your net salary. This gives you a significant buffer to stop working and focus on recovery.
- Debt Reduction: You might want enough to clear your mortgage, which would dramatically reduce your monthly financial pressure.
- Medical Costs: While the NHS is fantastic, you might want funds for therapies or treatments not readily available, or to make adaptations to your home.
3. Calculating Income Protection:
- Budgeting: This is the most straightforward. Calculate your essential monthly outgoings: mortgage/rent, bills, food, travel, and insurance premiums. This is the absolute minimum you need to cover.
- Maximum Cover: Insurers will limit you to around 60-65% of your pre-tax income. This is because the benefit is paid tax-free and they want to provide an incentive for you to return to work.
Cost of Cover: What to Expect
Premiums are highly individual and depend on a range of factors:
- Your Age: The younger you are when you take out a policy, the cheaper it will be.
- Your Health: Your medical history, height, weight (BMI), and family medical history are all considered.
- Smoker/Vaper Status: Smokers and vapers will pay significantly more, often close to double that of a non-smoker.
- Your Occupation: As we've discussed, the specific duties of an event technician will be a key factor.
- The Policy: The amount of cover, the length of the term, and the type of policy all determine the final price.
To give you an idea, here are some illustrative examples. These are not quotes and are for informational purposes only.
Example 1: Level Term Life Insurance For a 30-year-old, non-smoking Event Technician seeking £250,000 of cover over a 30-year term.
| Insurer | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Insurer A | £12.50 |
| Insurer B | £13.10 |
| Insurer C | £14.00 |
Example 2: Income Protection For a 35-year-old, non-smoking AV Technician (minimal work at height) seeking a £2,000 monthly benefit, paid until age 67, with a 13-week deferment period.
| Insurer | Monthly Premium ('Own Occupation') |
|---|---|
| Insurer A | £45.80 |
| Insurer B | £51.20 |
| Insurer C | £55.00 |
As you can see, prices can vary between providers, even for the same level of cover. This is why comparing the market is essential.
The Added Value: Beyond the Payout
Modern insurance policies are more than just a promise to pay out. Most leading UK insurers now include a suite of added-value benefits, often at no extra cost. For a busy, travelling event technician, these can be incredibly useful:
- Remote GP Services: 24/7 access to a UK-based GP via phone or video call. Perfect for getting advice when you're on tour or working unsociable hours.
- Mental Health Support: Access to a set number of counselling or therapy sessions. Invaluable for managing the stress and pressure of the events world.
- Second Medical Opinion: If you're diagnosed with a serious illness, you can have your case reviewed by a world-leading expert to confirm the diagnosis and treatment plan.
- Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation: Many income protection policies offer support to help you recover from an injury and get back to work safely.
At WeCovr, we believe in proactive health and wellbeing. That's why, in addition to the benefits included with your policy, we provide our clients with complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app. Managing your health on the road is tough, and tools like this demonstrate our commitment to supporting you beyond just the insurance paperwork.
Why Choose a Specialist Broker like WeCovr?
You could go directly to an insurer or use a comparison website, but for a specialist profession like yours, you risk getting the wrong advice or an unsuitable product. A specialist broker works for you, not the insurance company.
- Expert Knowledge: We understand the nuances of the events industry. We know which insurers are more lenient on working at height, which have the best 'own occupation' definitions, and which offer the most comprehensive critical illness cover.
- Market Access: We compare plans from all the major UK insurers, as well as smaller specialists, to find the best policy for your specific needs and budget.
- Application Support: We help you frame your application correctly, ensuring all aspects of your job are declared properly. This minimises the chance of issues at the underwriting stage and protects you at the point of a claim.
- Claim Assistance: If the worst happens and you need to make a claim, we are in your corner, ready to help you navigate the process and ensure the insurer honours their commitment.
Your career is dedicated to making sure everything runs perfectly behind the scenes. It's time to apply that same level of professionalism to your own financial protection. Getting the right cover in place provides peace of mind, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating unforgettable events.
I'm a freelancer, how do I prove my income for an Income Protection policy?
What happens if my job duties change, for example, I start working at height more often?
Is my insurance cover valid if I'm working abroad on a tour?
What is the difference between 'Own Occupation' and other income protection definitions?
Do I need a medical examination to get life insurance as an event technician?
Why life insurance and how does it work?
What is Life Insurance?
Life insurance is an insurance policy that can provide financial support for your loved ones when you or your joint policy holder passes away. It can help clear any outstanding debts, such as a mortgage, and cover your family's living and other expenses such costs of education, so your family can continue to pay bills and living expenses. In addition to life insurance, insurance providers offer related products such as income protection and critical illness, which we will touch upon below.How does it work?
Life insurance pays out if you die. The payout can be in the form of a lump sum payment or can be paid as a replacement for a regular income. It's your decision how much cover you'd like to take based on your financial resources and how much you'd like to leave to your family to help them deal with any outstanding debts and living expenses. Your premium depends on a number of factors, including your occupation, health and other criteria.The payout amount can change over time or can be fixed. A level term or whole of life policy offers a fixed payout. A decreasing term policy offers a payout that decreases over the term of the cover.
With critical illness policies, a payout is made if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness with a remaining life expectancy of less than 12 months. While income protection policies ensure you can continue to meet your financial commitments if you are forced to take an extended break from work. If you can’t work because you’ve had an accident, fallen sick, or lost your job through no fault of your own, income protection insurance pays you an agreed portion of your salary each month.
Income protection is particularly helpful for people in dangerous occupations who want to be sure their mortgage will always be covered. Income protection only covers events beyond your control: you’re much less likely to be covered if you’re fired from your job or if you injure yourself deliberately.
Questions to ask yourself regarding life insurance
Just ask yourself:👉 Who would pay your mortgage or rent if you were to pass away or fall seriously ill?
👉 Who would pay for your family’s food, clothing, study fees or lifestyle?
👉 Who would provide for the costs of your funeral or clear your debts?
👉 Who would pay for your costs if you're unable to work due to serious illness or disability?
Many families don’t realise that life, income protection and critical illness insurance is one of the most effective ways to protect their finances. A great insurance policy can cover costs, protect a family from inheriting debts and even pay off a mortgage.
Many would think that the costs for all the benefits provided by life insurance, income protection insurance or critical illness insurance are too high, but the great news is in the current market policies are actually very inexpensive.
Benefits offered by income protection, life and critical illness insurance
Life insurance, income protection and critical illness insurance are indispensable for every family because a child loses a parent every 22 minutes in the UK, while every single day tragically 60 people suffer major injuries on the UK roads. Some people become unable to work because of sickness or disability.Life insurance cover pays out a lump sum to your family, loved ones or whomever you choose to get the money. This can be used to secure the financial future of your loved ones meaning they would not have to struggle financially in the event of your death.
If it's a critical illness cover, the payout happens sooner - upon diagnosis of a serious illness, disability or medical condition, easing the financial hardship such an event inevitably brings.
Income protection insurance can be very important for anyone who relies on a pay check to cover their living costs, but it's especially important if you’re self-employed or own a small business, where your employment and income is a bit less stable. It pays a regular income if you can't work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire.
In a world where 1 in 4 of us would struggle financially after just four weeks without work, the stark reality hits hard – a mere 7% of UK adults possess the vital shield of income protection. The urgency of safeguarding our financial well-being has never been more palpable.
Let's face it – relying on savings isn't a solution for everyone. Almost 25% of people have no savings at all, and a whopping 50% have £1,000 or less tucked away. Even more concerning, 51% of Brits – that's a huge 27 million people – wouldn't last more than one month living off their savings. That's a 10% increase from 2022.
And don't even think about state benefits being a safety net. The maximum you can expect from statutory sick pay is a mere £109.40 per week for up to 28 weeks. Not exactly a financial lifeline, right?
Now, let's tackle a common objection: "But I have critical illness insurance. I don't need income protection too." Here's the deal – the two policies apply to very different situations. In a nutshell:
- Critical illness insurance pays a single lump sum if you're diagnosed with or undergo surgery for a specified potentially life-threatening illness. It's great for handling big one-off expenses or debts.
- Income protection, on the other hand, pays a percentage of your salary as a regular payment if you can't work due to illness or injury. It's the superhero that tackles those relentless monthly bills.
Types of life insurance policies
Common reasons for getting a life insurance policy are to:✅ Leave behind an amount of money to keep your family comfortable
✅ Protect the family home and pay off the mortgage in full or in part
✅ Pay for funeral costs
Starting from as little as a couple of pounds per week, you can do all that with a Life Policy.
Level Term Life Insurance
One of the simplest forms of life insurance, level term life insurance works by selecting a length of time for which you would want to be covered and then deciding how much you would like your loved ones to receive should the worst happen. Should your life insurance policy pay out to your family, it would be in a lump sum amount that can be used in whatever way the beneficiary may wish.
Decreasing Term Life Insurance
Decreasing term life insurance works in the same way as level term, except the lump sum payment amount upon death decreases with time. The common use for decreasing term life cover is to protect against mortgage repayment as the lump sum decreases along with the principal of the mortgage itself.
Increasing Term Life Insurance
Increasing term life insurance aims to pay out a cash sum growing each year if the worst happens while covered by the policy. With increasing term life cover amount insured increases annually by a fixed amount for the length of the policy. This can protect your policy's value against inflation, which could be advantageous if you’re looking to maintain your loved ones’ living standards, continue paying off your mortgage in line with its repayment schedule and cover your children’s education fees.
Whole of Life Insurance
Whereas term life insurance policies only pay out if you pass away during their term, whole of life insurance pays out to your beneficiaries whenever this should happen. The most common uses for whole life insurance are to cover the costs of a funeral or as a vehicle for your family's inheritance tax planning.
Family Income Benefit
Family income benefit is a somewhat lesser-known product in the family of life insurance products. Paying out a set amount every month of year to your beneficiaries, it is the most cost-effective way of maintaining your family's living standards to an age where you'd expect them to be able to support themselves financially. The most common use would be for a family with children who are not working yet so are unable to take care of themselves financially.
Relevant Life Insurance
Relevant Life Insurance is a tax-efficient policy for a director or single employee. A simple level term life insurance product, it is placed in a specific trust to ensure its tax efficiency. The premiums are tax deductible and any benefit payable should a claim arise is also paid out tax free, which makes it an attractive product for entrepreneurs and their businesses.
Important Fact!
We can look at a more suitable option mid-term!
Why is it important to get life insurance early?
👉 Many people are very thankful that they had their life, income protection, and critical illness insurance cover in place before running into some serious issues. Critical illness and income protection insurance is as important as life insurance for protecting your family's finances.👉 We insure our cars, houses, bicycles and even bags! Yet our life and health are the most precious things we have.
Easily one of the most important insurance purchases an individual or family can make in their lifetime, the decision to buy life, income protection, critical illness and private medical health insurance can be made much simpler with the help of FCA-authorised advisers. They are the specialists who do the searching and analysis helping people choose between various types of life insurance policies available in the market, including income protection, critical illness and other types of policies most suitable to the client's individual circumstances.
It certainly won't do any harm if you speak with one of our experienced FCA-authorised insurance partner experts who are passionate about advising people on financial matters related to life insurance and are keen to provide you with a free consultation.
You can discuss with them in detail what affordable life, income protection, critical illness or private medical health insurance plan for the necessary peace of mind they would recommend! WeCovr works with some of the best advisers in the market.
By tapping the button below, you can book a free call with them in less than 30 seconds right now:
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WeCovr is an insurance specialist for people valuing their peace of mind and a great service.👍 WeCovr will help you get your private medical insurance, life insurance, critical illness insurance and others in no time thanks to our wonderful super-friendly experts ready to assist you every step of the way.
Just a quick and simple form and an easy conversation with one of our experts and your valuable insurance policy is in place for that needed peace of mind!