Event Cancellation Insurance
Event Cancellation Insurance protects you from unexpected financial losses if your event cannot proceed as planned, covering risks like fire, theft, damage, lost revenue, and legal costs.
What you need to know
Planning an event involves significant investment and risk. Event Cancellation Insurance provides essential protection against unforeseen circumstances that could force you to cancel or postpone, ensuring your financial investment is protected when the unexpected happens.
How this protects you
Protection against fire, theft, and accidental damage to your event venue and equipment
Coverage for lost revenue if your event cannot proceed as planned
Third-party damage and public liability protection for event organisers
Legal costs coverage for cancellation or postponement claims
Expert in-house claims management and advocacy throughout the process
Flexible application options: online, phone, or face-to-face consultation
Years of experience
Clients protected
5-star reviews
What's covered
Event Cancellation Insurance is designed to shield you from unexpected financial losses if your event cannot proceed as planned. This comprehensive coverage protects against a variety of risks that could derail your event, including fire, theft, accidental damage to venue or equipment, and loss of use of essential facilities.
The policy covers lost revenue if your event is cancelled or postponed, protecting your investment in venue hire, supplier deposits, marketing costs, and lost ticket sales. You'll also receive protection for third-party damage claims, such as injury to attendees or damage to hired venues, along with legal costs associated with defending cancellation or postponement decisions.
Additional coverage typically includes non-appearance of key speakers or performers, adverse weather conditions affecting outdoor events, supplier or venue insolvency, sudden illness or injury to essential personnel, and costs associated with rescheduling your event. Whether you're organising a small community gathering, corporate conference, wedding, festival, or international event, this insurance ensures your financial investment remains protected against circumstances beyond your control.
Why you need this
Events require substantial upfront investment—venue deposits, supplier payments, marketing costs, and staff commitments—often paid months in advance. Without adequate insurance, a single unforeseen incident could result in devastating financial losses that threaten your organisation's viability or personal finances.
Consider real-world scenarios: a fire at your venue the week before your conference could leave you liable for $50,000 in non-refundable costs; your headline speaker's sudden illness might force cancellation of a sold-out seminar; severe weather could make your outdoor festival unsafe, requiring last-minute postponement. In each case, Event Cancellation Insurance steps in to cover your financial exposure, allowing you to reschedule or refund attendees without bearing the full cost yourself.
For professional event organisers, this coverage is essential to demonstrate financial responsibility to clients, venues, and sponsors. Many venues and major suppliers now require proof of event cancellation insurance before confirming bookings. Even for one-off events like weddings or milestone celebrations, the peace of mind knowing your investment is protected allows you to focus on creating a memorable experience rather than worrying about what could go wrong. In today's unpredictable environment, Event Cancellation Insurance isn't just prudent—it's essential risk management.
How to Get Your Event Insured
Getting your event insured with Gerrards is straightforward and flexible, with multiple options to suit your preferences.
Apply Online
Visit our website and complete the simple application form at your convenience, providing details about your event, venue, expected attendance, and coverage requirements.
Speak to an Expert
Call our friendly team who will guide you through the process, answer your questions, and help you understand the coverage options best suited to your event.
Visit Our Office
Prefer face-to-face consultation? Visit our office where our experienced advisers will work with you to tailor the perfect coverage for your specific event needs.
Get Protected
Receive your policy documents and certificate of insurance, giving you complete peace of mind that your event investment is fully protected against the unexpected.
Pricing factors
Event cancellation insurance premiums are calculated based on several key factors:
- Types of cover selected – Comprehensive policies including adverse weather, non-appearance, and supplier failure cost more than basic fire and theft coverage
- Sum insured – The total value you're protecting, including venue costs, supplier deposits, marketing expenses, and lost revenue potential
- Event location – Venue type, geographic location, and environmental risk factors (e.g., flood zones, remote areas) affect premium calculations
- Event type and duration – Large-scale public events carry different risk profiles than private functions or corporate conferences
- Claims history – Previous claims from your organisation may impact premium costs, while a clean record can result in more favourable rates
- Event timing – Shorter lead times between purchase and event date may increase premiums due to higher risk exposure
Event cancellation insurance prices in New Zealand vary greatly depending on location, size, and amount of cover required. The typical premium guideline is between 0.6% and 0.9% of the total sum insured, though this can vary based on your specific circumstances and risk profile.
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Related FAQs
The answers that matter when you're deciding on coverage.
Event Cancellation Insurance covers risks including fire, theft, accidental damage to venue or equipment, loss of use of essential facilities, non-appearance of key speakers or performers, adverse weather conditions affecting outdoor events, supplier or venue insolvency, and sudden illness or injury to essential personnel.
The policy covers lost revenue including venue hire, supplier deposits, marketing costs, lost ticket sales, and costs associated with rescheduling your event if cancellation or postponement becomes necessary.
Coverage depends on the types of cover selected (such as adverse weather, non-appearance, and supplier failure versus basic fire and theft), the sum insured including all venue costs and deposits, event location and type, event duration, your claims history, and the timing between purchase and event date.
Yes, the policy can include coverage for legal costs associated with defending cancellation or postponement decisions, as well as protection for third-party damage claims such as injury to attendees or damage to hired venues.
Many venues and major suppliers now require proof of event cancellation insurance before confirming bookings, particularly for professional event organisers looking to demonstrate financial responsibility to clients, venues, and sponsors.
Protect Your Event Investment
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