Business Liability: What You Need to Know Before Hosting Fall Events

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What Liability Risks Do Small Businesses Face When Hosting a Fall Event?

Whenever hosting a temporary event or promotion to increase people traffic and sales in the fall or any time of year, it’s wise to consider your business’s liability risks that could result in expensive claims and possibly lead to a lawsuit. Among the risks you should consider are:

• Slips, Trips, and Falls

We all know fall weather can be wet and produce early frost. Fallen leaves scattered about (especially outdoors) can make for slippery conditions, increasing the possibility of a customer or passerby falling and suffering an injury on your property or where the event is held. You can be liable for third-party bodily injuries to others on your premises or at your event.

• Food and Beverage Risks

If you serve food and beverages, especially if they’re provided by a caterer or a vendor you hire, you may be liable if anyone attending your event becomes ill or suffers an allergic reaction to them.

• Alcohol Liability

Speaking of beverages, the risk increases if your event includes the selling of alcoholic drinks. You are potentially liable for any alcohol-related accidents and injuries that occur at your event or afterwards caused by an intoxicated guest or customer. Consider adding liquor liability insurance to your coverage if you plan to sell alcohol at your event. 

• Injuries to Customers Caused by Products

Selling, distributing, or manufacturing any product (including food) features product liability risks. If a customer buys an item from you and is subsequently injured by that product, or if that product damages their property, the responsibility and onus to pay for their injuries or damages can fall on your business.

• Damage to Your Business Property

Large gatherings of people visiting your store or premises or at a venue you rent or lease could damage your property or the rented venue. If renting a venue and it’s damaged, you may be liable for repair or replacement costs to buildings, furnishings and equipment.

• Crowd Control and Security Risks

You want to draw a crowd to your event, but you also need to ensure effective crowd management and security. Insufficient crowd control and security could lead to altercations between customers, accidents, or injuries to others. Your business could be held liable if that happens because it failed to ensure sufficient crowd management and security measures.

• Weather-Related Hazards

Fall events held outdoors can be ruined by poor weather. It’s crucial to take precautions and be prepared. More importantly, sudden windstorms, heavy rain, or even snowfall could cause injuries to customers or damage their property. If you fail to take precautions to account for such a possibility, you may face an expensive claim or lawsuit from people who were harmed by severe weather at your event.

• Third-Party Vendor Liability

If you hire a third-party vendor for your event, such as a caterer, entertainer, or security team, you could be liable for their actions if they are negligent and cause damages or injuries to others.

What Is Special Event Insurance?

After reviewing your existing business insurance policy and its coverage limits, speak to a licensed Zensurance broker to see if you need special event insurance to cover your festival or event.

Special event insurance is designed to cover third-party bodily injury or property damage claims that may occur during your event. It’s recommended for individuals or organizations hosting events on their premises where there is a potential for third-party bodily injury or property damage or at a rented venue.

How to Get the Low-Cost Business Insurance You Need Now

All small businesses, self-employed professionals, entrepreneurs and startups should have business insurance to protect their finances from the cost of accidents, damages, and lawsuits. Canadian consumers agree. According to a Zensurance survey, over 95% of consumers say it’s ‘very important’ or ‘somewhat important’ for a small business to have liability insurance.

Zensurance can help you get the low-cost business insurance protection you need. Fill out our online application for a free quote in less than five minutes.

Let our knowledgeable team shop our partner network of over 50 insurers to get the coverage you need and customize it to suit your specific requirements. These requirements could include the size of your event, the type of activities involved, and the location. We’ll work with you to ensure you have the right coverage for your unique situation.