Profession
Professional liability insurance for Event Planners
Wedding, corporate, and private event planners.
Risks we see most
What actually goes wrong.
- Vendor coordination failures
- Missed deadlines
- Contract disputes with clients
Quick qualifier
LiveGet My Rates
We shop up to 10 A-rated carriers and email your best options, usually within minutes.
Illustrative claim scenarios
How a policy responds.
Vendor no-show
Caterer failed to arrive; couple sought reimbursement from planner.
Scenarios are illustrative examples of how this coverage is designed to respond — they are not actual client cases, and coverage always depends on policy terms and underwriting.
Where you work
Event Planners coverage, state by state.
What professional liability covers for Event Planners
Event planner E&O covers claims that your planning failed the client — a vendor you booked no-shows the wedding, a venue double-booking you didn’t catch, permits missed for a public event, a timeline error that cascades through the biggest day of someone’s life. Events are unrepeatable, which is what gives these claims their emotional and financial charge: the damages theory is the whole event.
Planner policies pair professional liability with general liability, because venues require GL certificates (typically $1M, venue as additional insured) and event-day injuries land there. Planners who contract vendors in their own name — rather than as the client’s agent — take on vendor-failure exposure directly, a structural choice worth making deliberately. Corporate planners face contract insurance schedules like any professional vendor; wedding planners face the deepest emotional stakes. Cancellation/postponement insurance is a separate event-specific product clients buy — planners should know it exists and recommend it in writing.
What event planners typically pay
Planner E&O pricing keys on revenue, event types (weddings/social vs. corporate vs. public events), and whether you contract vendors directly.
| Business profile | Typical annual E&O premium range* |
|---|---|
| Part-time planner / day-of coordinator | ~$300 – $650 |
| Full-time wedding/social planner | ~$500 – $1,100 |
| Corporate event planner | ~$700 – $1,600 |
| Firm producing public/large events | ~$1,500 – $5,000+ |
*Illustrative market ranges based on typical small-business placements; your premium depends on revenue, limits, claims history, contracts, and carrier appetite. Not a quote or offer of coverage.
Frequently asked questions
A vendor I recommended failed. Am I liable?
It depends on your role: recommending vendors the client hires directly carries less exposure than contracting vendors yourself. Either way, the client’s claim will likely name you, alleging negligent selection or supervision — and E&O funds that defense. Written contracts clarifying who hires whom are your best structural protection.
Do venues require event planners to carry insurance?
Almost universally — a $1M general liability certificate naming the venue is standard before load-in, and some venues also ask for professional liability. Carrying both means certificate requests are an email, not a scramble.
Does E&O cover event cancellation?
No — cancellation and postponement (weather, vendor bankruptcy, non-appearance) is a separate event-cancellation product the client purchases for the event itself. Your E&O covers claims that your professional performance caused a loss. Recommending cancellation coverage in writing also protects you when clients decline it.
What about serving alcohol at events I run?
Alcohol service belongs to the licensed caterer or bartender with liquor liability coverage — planners should contractually keep it there. If you ever supply alcohol yourself, that’s host liquor territory with real exposure; talk to us before structuring it. Our restaurant and catering site covers liquor liability in depth.
Related: general liability · caterers: catering insurance · E&O basics.