Finding the right DJ insurance can be challenging because disk jockeying is a niche industry, and sometimes, it is your side hustle. The best DJ insurance companies sell a policy that will cover your equipment and has limits that are suitable for your risks while maintaining affordability.
I’ve taken the time to go through and evaluate the most popular small business insurance companies offering DJ insurance and, using our proprietary rubric, determined that these are the five best insurers for DJs:
- Next Insurance: Best overall provider for DJ insurance
- Simply Business: Best for saving money by comparing quotes
- Insurance Canopy: Best for customized DJ insurance
- Thimble: Best for DJ event insurance
- RVNA: Best for ADJA American Disc Jockey Association (ADJA) members
Insurance designed for small businesses – fast, simple, and affordable |
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Best DJ Insurance Companies Compared
Quote Process | Accessibility | Financial Rating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | $17 | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. CT | ✓ | A- (Excellent) | |
Online | N/A | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET | ✓ | A++ (Superior) | |
Online | $18.50 | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. MT | ✓ | A+ (Superior) | |
Online | $33 | Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. ET | ✓ | A- to A (Excellent) | |
Online | $15 | Monday–Friday, 5:30 a.m.–5 p.m. PT | ✕ | A+ (Superior) | |
To determine which insurance companies would best suit your needs as a DJ, we used a proprietary evaluation system developed in-house. We examined multiple insurers and presented the five with the highest scores.
In evaluating insurance companies, we focus on the customer’s needs. We pay particular interest to convenience, financial ratings (AM Best), customer service, types of policies offered, and the overall experience as a policyholder with a specific provider.
Next Insurance: Best Overall Provider for DJ Insurance
Pros
- Customer complaints are below the national average.
- It offers tailored coverage.
- You can quickly get quotes online.
Cons
- Customer service is unavailable 24/7.
- Coverage availability can vary by state.
Standout Features
- Offers in-house claims services with a commitment to turn claims around quickly
- Has a dedicated iOS or Android app that provides 24/7 access to policy, quotes, and claims
- Includes professional liability with general liability
- Has tiered coverage, which gives you flexibility when purchasing insurance
Financial rating: Founded in 2015, Next Insurance is relatively new. Nevertheless, it has the financial strength to handle claims, as Next Insurance’s AM Best rating is A- (Excellent).
As the only insurance carrier in this guide, Next Insurance is the best overall provider for DJ insurance because it offers a one-stop shop for quoting, purchasing, maintaining, and handling claims. If you prefer to have one centralized location for handling your policy, a carrier like this is the best bet since it not only sells and services the policy but also resolves claims if and when one is filed. Unfortunately, it does not offer 24/7 call center services.
Next Insurance offers general liability and commercial property coverage for your DJ business—and, if you have employees, you can also get workers’ comp from this provider.
We received a quote that costs $190.08 annually for general liability only. Alternatively, you can make the first and last month’s payments and then have 10 monthly payments of $15.84. This policy carried limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.
Next Insurance’s online interface is very convenient. You can receive a quote with the option to purchase in just minutes. If you would like to speak with an advisor, one is available on weekdays.
Once you become a customer, you can use the app to manage your policy, file a claim, and get instant certificates of liability.
Its customers are happy with their user experience. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) tracks complaints filed with each state’s department of insurance, and Next has received lower-than-average complaints. On Next Insurance’s reviews page,[1] policyholders and potential customers can leave feedback. The provider has more than 3,500 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Simply Business: Best for Saving Money by Comparing Quotes
Pros
- You can quickly get quotes in just minutes.
- It offers same-day coverage.
- It offers an intuitive user experience.
Cons
- It does not handle any claims directly.
- Customer service is not available 24/7.
- Some coverages may not be available.
Standout Features
- Lets you compare quotes for multiple lines of coverage
- Allows you to purchase a policy online without speaking to anyone
- Works with top-rated carriers like biBERK, CNA, and Markel
- Allows you to adjust limits on quotes in real time and receive an updated quote
Financial rating: In addition to working with multiple top-rated carriers, Simply Business is owned by Travelers, and AM Best rated Travelers an A++ (Superior).
For solopreneur DJs, the online marketplace Simply Business is a great way to find affordable insurance. The broker’s intuitive, easy-to-use quoting system generates quotes from top-rated providers, giving you the freedom to pick the one that’s best for your company and then purchase it online or call to speak with a dedicated agent.
As a broker, Simply Business does not handle its own claims—you must work directly through the carrier if you receive one. If you prefer to just work with a carrier directly, Next Insurance is the only provider on this list with its own in-house claims team.
We received three DJ insurance quotes for general liability from Simply Business. Two were through the same provider, Hiscox, and the other was through RLI.
The quotes from Hiscox were substantially more expensive than the quotes from RLI, at $370 annually. The RLI quote was cheaper by $150, at $220 per year. (Alternatively, you could pay two months down and then make 10 payments of $18.33.) All three quotes had limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.
We were also informed that more offers were available if we wanted to call and discuss them with a licensed agent.
Simply Business allows you to purchase policies online or over the phone and is available in all 50 states. Through your account, you have 24/7 access to your policy documents and can request a COI.
Because it is not an insurance provider, there are no reports for Simply Business with the NAIC. However, on the independent rating site Trustpilot,[2] Simply Business has received high marks from users. It has a score of 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 1,100 reviews.
Insurance Canopy: Best for Customized DJ Insurance
Pros
- It is available nationwide.
- It offers short-term coverage.
- It offers instant COIs.
Cons
- Customer service is unavailable 24/7.
- It prefills some answers in the quote process.
- It does not directly handle claims.
Standout Features
- Offers a fast and affordable policy available within 10 minutes
- Provides event liability coverage for one to three days starting at $59
- Has a superior financial rating
- Offers an account portal to manage your policy
Financial rating: Insurance Canopy is a brokerage, and Great American Insurance Group (GAIG) underwrites this specific policy. AM Best’s rating of GAIG is A+ (Superior).
Insurance Canopy is our recommendation for the best insurer of customized DJ insurance. It offers a customized base liability policy with high limits at an affordable rate. From there, you can determine what additional coverage you may need, like equipment coverage.
All of the optional coverage options presented are designed with DJs and their risks in mind. Insurance Canopy also has an easy-to-navigate platform for buying affordable DJ insurance. The broker’s score reflects the convenient quoting and purchase experience.
Insurance Canopy offers insurance for DJs, karaoke jockeys (KJs), and video jockeys (VJs). The basic policy starts at $16 monthly or $192 annually.
For liability and property insurance, we received a quote for $21 monthly with an additional one-time payment of $24.50, which is the lowest quote provided by any company in this guide for the amount of coverage offered. The liability policy carried a $1 million occurrence and a $2 million aggregate limit. It also carried equipment coverage of $5,000 per occurrence and $10,000 aggregate.
The broker lists the exclusions before purchasing, giving you a good idea of what is and is not covered.
Insurance Canopy is licensed to sell insurance in all 50 states.
The quote process is quick and simple, taking less than 10 minutes. Once you purchase a policy, you have 24/7 access to all of your policy documents. Through your online account, you can manage your policy, create and download a COI, and file a claim.
Thimble Insurance: Best for DJ Event Insurance
Pros
- It has short-term liability.
- It has a fast quote process.
- It offers same-day coverage.
Cons
- Claims are handled by a third party.
- It has no dedicated 24/7 line.
- It can be difficult to reach anyone by phone.
Standout Features
- Has policies available by the hour, day, week, and month
- Bundles equipment coverage with your general liability
- Has iOS and Android apps for getting a quote, purchasing a policy, filing a claim, or contacting Thimble
- Lets you use the app to create and share unlimited COIs for event venues
Financial rating: Thimble’s policies are provided through several different carriers. The quoted DJ policy below is through the National Specialty Insurance Company (NSIC). NSIC’s AM Best rating is A (Excellent).
Thimble is the best provider for DJ event insurance, or for those who DJ as a side hustle, because it offers short-term coverage, including hourly coverage. If you have a DJ gig once or twice a month and do not need 24/7 coverage, then this is your best option. Alternatively, you could use the event coverage for any special events you DJ.
When starting the quote process, Thimble will ask if you are seeking short-term liability or a monthly or annual policy. Coverage for your tools and equipment is only available if you proceed with a monthly or annual policy.
We received a DJ insurance quote for 48 hours for DJ event insurance that began immediately and ended the next day. It cost $52.42 and carried general liability and professional liability, both of which had a separate limit of $1 million.
General liability, professional liability, business equipment protection, and business owner’s policies (BOPs) are available in all 50 states. Thimble’s complaints are lower than the national average, and its user interface is convenient for customers.
RVNA: Best for ADJA Members
Pros
- You can quickly get quotes.
- It has online account maintenance.
- It is available nationwide.
Cons
- It has weekday only hours for claims.
- It has no mobile app.
Standout Features
- Offers liability coverage plus gear, equipment, and employee crime insurance
- Has affordable policies for DJs, KJs, and VJs
- Offers online DJ insurance quotes and instant and unlimited COIs
- Has years of experience in the specialty insurance market
Financial rating: RVNA is a brokerage, and the policies it offers to DJs are provided by carriers rated A+. The only carrier it lists is Allianz, and AM Best rated Allianz an A+ (Superior).
RVNA is a nationwide brokerage endorsed by the ADJA and the Karaoke Industry Alliance of America (KIAA). If you are a member of either association, then you receive a discount on your insurance, making this the best option for you.
The broker operates similarly to Insurance Canopy. It offers a program with selected coverage to fit the industry and a straightforward way to purchase the policy. However, RVNA is costlier and offers different coverages than Insurance Canopy, so it is a good idea to see which one is a better fit for your specific business.
We received a quote online for $361.76 annually. It carried general liability with a limit of $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate, and $6,000 in coverage for gear. It also had $1,000 in coverage for your music library. The first-party coverages had a $500 deductible.
The DJ insurance quote process is fairly straightforward and simple. Interestingly, RVNA was the first insurance provider to create an online quote system. A guy named Rob (the R in RVNA) actually wrote the program in the 1990s.
You can manage your policy and create free and unlimited COIs online. However, if you have a claim, you will need to call during its weekday hours.
RVNA has high ratings from users on WalletHub,[3] where it has earned nearly 5 stars from over 400 reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
DJs need liability insurance and property insurance. Liability insurance helps protect you from claims of negligence by your operation. The property insurance covers your equipment, including DJ decks.
Yes. Any time a DJ works at a venue or in another business, that business can request a certificate of insurance (COI), which is a one-page document that lists your coverage.
DJ insurance can cost anywhere from $150 to over $700 annually for liability. However, most insurers run on the lower end, which is around $15 to $25 a month.
If your setup isn’t clearly marked—or even if it is—and a dancer wanders back where they shouldn’t, trips on a wire, and gets hurt, your business could be held liable for any injuries the customer sustains from their fall. In other words, lots of different things could go wrong, and those could lead to your business filing a claim.
Bottom Line
As a DJ, you know that people just want to dance—so it’s important to have the right insurance so that you can focus on enriching and entertaining others. As such, we’ve researched several insurers to find the best DJ insurance companies to protect your equipment and reputation.
Next Insurance is the best overall insurance provider for DJs. Head over to its website today to get a free quote and buy an affordable policy in just a few minutes.