Maker Insurance Policies and Coping With the Rain
We love to talk about the weather on our wonderful island, and the meteorological conditions in the UK certainly give us plenty to talk about, changing as often as they do.
This week, looking out the window through the rain coursing down the pane, you can see how thirsty the ground has become as it drinks up every drop. May’s yellowing grass and dried seed heads line the roads, not exactly drought-stricken, but certainly in need of a drink. The warm weather has even brought cracks in the soil and only the rain can return this somewhat parched landscape to a fresh, verdant display.
Rain can be a nuisance when it disrupts our plans, and it’s easy to forget that it is also life-giving. Appreciating the rain is easy if you close your eyes to listen to rainfall from the warmth of indoors – it feels somehow safe, like an embrace from a quiet companion. It’s harder to appreciate that sound when you are outside getting soaked!
“The Rainy Day”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the following beautiful words in his poem about rainy days:
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
Into every life, a little rain will fall.
Rain has to come as it is crucial for reservoirs, rivers, and aquifers, ensuring a steady water supply for homes, agriculture, and industry, and supporting diverse ecosystems. From mossy woodlands to peat bogs and heather moorlands, our flora and fauna native to the UK depend on high rainfall.
We can’t always see rain from a positive perspective, much like life, with all its trials and tribulations. We forget that the sun will eventually come out and the landscape will reappear, renewed and rejuvenated, bursting forth with new possibilities and opportunities.
Rain is distinctly British!
Rain is something that we have learned to contend with in the UK. We follow the weather forecast avidly and keep umbrellas by our front doors, carrying them out knowingly once the weather forecaster has made a proclamation. There might be a low-pressure system rolling in; however, getting wet is definitely not on our agenda – we have wellies and Barbour jackets! The rain is simply a part of our cultural identity and British charm!
The UK’s famously green countryside owes everything to its regular rainfall. Think of the Lake District, Scottish Highlands, or even your average village green — they wouldn’t be so vibrant without all that moisture!
Craft fairs in the rain
So, rain has its benefits, but what about craft fairs in the rain? How does that work? Well, with the help of a bit of forethought, craft fairs can work in the wet too! Here are a few things to consider:
- Whatever the forecast, it’s a wise move to buy or borrow a waterproof canopy/tent to take to every UK outdoor show you intend to sell at. Protecting your wares from the wet is of paramount importance, and you’ll probably want to protect yourself too. Even if you don’t mind standing in the rain, you need to think of your customers who will be counting on you to provide them with a dry space to browse and shop. Sitting somewhere dry will also allow you to work on a little demonstration to arouse more interest in your products.
- Rain or shine, pack all of your handcrafted goods in plastic storage boxes with tight lids, then take some pieces of wood so that you can stack boxes off the ground. Take a groundsheet or tarpaulin to use to cover anything in transit from your vehicle to the tent if the rain starts, or indeed to put on the ground(!)
- Finally, ensure that you have the relevant maker insurance policies in place to protect you from anything else that might choose to befall you (apart from rain). The first ones to consider are product and public liability insurance. Product liability covers any claim of damage or harm caused by one of your products. Even if it is not your fault, it will cover legal fees or any compensation required. There is no excess. Public liability insurance covers you for any claim made against you, an employee or a volunteer for harm or damage done by an action or omission of yours. It covers you both on your own property and while you are out and about demonstrating or selling your crafts. Like product liability, there is no excess. Once you have these in place, you are covered for all those completely unforeseeable and thus unpreventable events which no amount of risk assessment could anticipate, a bit like the unpredictable British weather.
- Finally, among the maker insurance policies worth considering when out on the all-weather craft fair circuit is “business items insurance”. This allows you to insure individual items which are essential for the running of your business and covers you whilst out and about, selling or demonstrating your craft. You can insure electronic card readers, portable electronic equipment and all you need for your stall. If, even in spite of your best efforts, items become affected by moisture, then this insurance will see you right.
We’d love to hear from you if you are starting out in the exciting, wonderful world of crafting. We are a family business, so please call us and either Naomi or Sam will be happy to help you set up the necessary insurance to protect your new business, whatever the weather!