Stage, Screen & Radio - October/November 2014 - 15

Go to www.bectu.org.uk/get-involved/join-bectu

Crucial insurance
Thousands of BECTU freelance members have taken
advantage of the union's valuable public liability insurance

P

ublic liability insurance has become
a passport to work for most BECTU
freelance members. No PLI means
no contract for most engagements on
offer to freelancers, and even if it is not a
stated requirement, it's good protection
to have if any of your work falls into
self-employment.
Four out of five freelance members take
advantage of BECTU's tailor-made public
liability insurance policy for a premium of
just £21 a year, which the union believes is

the best value for money in the market.
Unlike many other PLI policies, BECTU's
scheme offers worldwide cover, and
automatically includes up to £25,000 cover
for equipment or property which is
temporarily under the custody or control
of members. To support members in parts
of the industry where companies ask for
higher level of custody and control
insurance, the limit can be raised, on an
individual basis, to £250,000 for an extra
premium of £116 a year.
PERSONAL SERVICE COMPANIES

Our PLI policy also differs from many
others by extending cover to personal
service companies, where a member
is the sole director, or where a family
member looking after the books
is a second director.
In the last two years our
insurer, a consortium led by
"My primary reason for joining BECTU
Royal Sun Alliance working
through brokers Hencilla
was because I needed public liability
Canworth, has dealt with claims
insurance. However I also think I will benefit
worth almost £120,000, giving
from other aspects of the service, and wanted
assurance to dozens of members
to be a member so that if one day I have an
who have been involved in
completely unforeseen incidents.
employment dispute, I will feel confident
The £21 a year PLI deal is
approaching BECTU for help."
available only to members, who must
Kathryn Lees
keep their subscriptions up to date, and

"I needed
public liability
insurance"

is limited to work carried out in our
industries. However, for grades where
members occasionally work outside the
entertainment sector - private make-up
work for example - our broker can extend
PLI cover, usually for a surprisingly small
extra premium.
Hencilla Canworth also offer a range of
additional cover under their Media
Freelance Insurance policy (MFI), including
full equipment cover, employer's, and
professional indemnity insurance. Normally
the minimum annual premium for this is
£237, but BECTU members need to take
out only £131 worth of cover to secure an
MFI policy.
The range and value of all these products
means that access to insurance ought to
one of the top reasons for freelancers in
our industry to join the union.

freelance

TOP: JOAN WAKEHAM- REX / RIGHT: ISTOCK LEFT: REX

Help us grow
on social media
Social media is transforming
the way we all interact and
that is no less true for
BECTU. Familiar tools such
as twitter and facebook are
helping us to reach out to
current and future members
to build on the communities
of interest which are
present at branch level. If
you're on twitter do follow
us @bectu and our official
facebook account is at www.
facebook.com/bectuofficial
Show us some love!
October/November 2014 Stage Screen & Radio

"I joined BECTU
because I'm doing
my first feature film"
I joined BECTU because I am making my first
feature film as a producer/director. I believe the
help and support of BECTU with their services
including public liability insurance will work to
my advantage. I have also seen the massive
work BECTU are doing in the interests of
workers. I first came across BECTU as a
member of DGGB. I want to say thank
you once again.
Ese Oduks

15
http://www.bectu.org.uk/get-involved/join-bectu http://www.facebook.com/bectuofficial
Stage, Screen & Radio - October/November 2014

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