Why this choice matters

For many organisers, the first question isn’t just “Do I need Public Liability insurance?” — it’s whether to buy a one-off (PAYG) policy for each event, or an annual policy that sits in the background all year. Both approaches can work, but they suit very different event profiles, budgets and admin loads.

---

What is one-off (PAYG) event insurance?

A one-off, or PAYG, policy is designed for a specific event or short series of dates. With Zipcova, this typically includes:

• Cover for the policy period you select – including site visits, planning meetings, setup and pack-down, not just event days.
• Instant pricing and documentation – no long proposal forms or risk plans for most events.
• Flexibility – you only pay for the dates you actually need, venue by venue.

---

What is an annual event policy?

An annual policy sits in place for 12 months and is usually designed for organisers who:

• Run frequent events across the year under the same legal entity.
• Operate from fixed venues or repeat locations with similar risk profiles.
• Prefer a single annual renewal date and are comfortable with a larger upfront premium.

Annual cover can be useful for very busy organisers, but it’s not automatically the most economical or efficient option — especially when events vary in size, type and timing.

---

When one-off (PAYG) cover usually makes more sense

PAYG is often the better fit when:

• You run a smaller number of events each year, or they are spread out.
• Your events change in size or format (e.g. markets, festivals, conferences, pop-ups).
• You’re working with different venues or councils with varying requirements.
• You’d rather avoid a large annual premium and pay only for what you use.
• You want instant Certificates of Currency as bookings are confirmed.

---

When an annual policy can still be useful

An annual structure may still be worth considering if:

• You run high volumes of events under one entity throughout the year.
• Your activities are fairly consistent (similar type, scale and risk profile).
• You have long-term venue arrangements or resident programming.

For many organisers, however, modern PAYG options now cover the same essentials with far less admin, and often at a lower overall cost across the year.

How data made PAYG cover possible

Historically, insurers priced each event from scratch using long forms, risk plans and site maps. That made one-off policies slow and labour-intensive — and pushed many organisers toward annual policies instead.

Today, our partner insurer uses claims data from over 90,000+ events across 40+ countries to understand how different event types behave in the real world. With that portfolio data in place, most common event categories can be safely assessed using just the basics: event type, location, dates and attendance.

That’s what allows Zipcova to offer PAYG cover with:

• Instant, pattern-based pricing instead of one-off manual quotes.
• Less paperwork for organisers and venues.
• Competitive premiums without large broker fees built into every event.

---

One policy doesn’t cover everyone on site

Whether you choose a one-off or annual structure, your Public Liability policy protects you as the organiser — it doesn’t automatically cover every service provider at your event.

Your suppliers still need their own cover because:

• Each party is responsible for its own legal defence until liability is decided.
• Different activities carry very different risks.
• Your policy is not designed to respond to a supplier’s negligence.

Always ask stallholders, suppliers and contractors for their own Certificate of Currency, covering the full period of your event including bump-in and bump-out.

---

A simple checklist to help you decide

As a quick rule of thumb:

• Mostly one-off or occasional events? PAYG is usually simpler and more cost-effective.
• High volume, year-round programming? It may be worth comparing annual options.
• New or growing programme? Many organisers start with PAYG, then review annual options once event volume is stable.

A quick note on alcohol, contracts and documentation

Some risk factors apply no matter which structure you choose:

• Alcohol service – must be handled by RSA-qualified persons.
• Venue contracts – be cautious with any broad indemnity / hold-harmless clauses.
• Incident documentation – photos, reports and safety checks significantly improve claim outcomes.

---

The bottom line

One-off and annual event insurance are simply different tools. The right choice depends on how often you run events, how varied they are, and how you prefer to manage cash flow and admin.

What matters most is having appropriate cover in place, ensuring suppliers carry their own insurance, and keeping clear documentation so your insurer can support you if something goes wrong.