Do artists need public liability insurance?

Do artists need public liability insurance in Australia, yes it is essential if you exhibit, sell at markets, teach workshops, have a studio open to public or work on commission at client's premises, because without it you could be personally liable for injury or property damage claims that can cost tens of thousands. Public liability insurance covers you if a third party, such as visitor, customer or member of public, is injured or their property damaged due to your artwork or activities. For example, if someone trips over your sculpture at exhibition and breaks ankle, or your painting falls off wall in gallery and injures someone, or your market stall blows over and damages another stall, public liability pays legal defence and compensation up to $5M to $20M. Most galleries, art fairs, councils for market stalls and teaching venues require you to have public liability $10M to $20M before they allow you to exhibit or trade, so you cannot exhibit without it. Cost is $300 to $600 per year for $10M cover, $400 to $800 for $20M, via NAVA insurance via Aon, Duck for Cover, Guild or AON. If you work only at home and sell online without public contact, it is less critical but still recommended, as courier could be injured collecting work. If you employ assistants, you also need workers compensation. So yes, artists need public liability insurance if they have any public interaction, which most do, and it is relatively cheap protection and often mandatory.