NASHVILLE, Tenn. (OSBORNE) -- A mid-state insurance executive says the music industry is scrambling to tighten security for its artists and concerts following the shooting deaths of 58 Country Music fans last month in Las Vegas.
Brent Daughrity is a managing partner with Nashville based Anderson Benson Insurance. Daughrity says several of his artist clients took cover behind the stage as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock fired on the Harvest music festival crowd the night of October 1.
Daughrity explains most event coverage is written through the Lloyds of London insurance exchange. He says a Lloyds representative is in Nashville this week talking to Music Industry leaders about what policy underwriters are going to expect going forward.
He says detailed security plans are now required for music venues large and small.
“It’s not something that you breeze over anymore. Your exits, your proper training of your team and staff in the event of an active shooter or an active terror threat; I mean, the world is changing.”
Daughrity cites other examples of heightened security as well. He says that just within the last six months many of his artists have hired personal bodyguards for the first time.
He also says questions about newly offered terrorism insurance plans have his phone ringing off the wall.
“It picks up the threat of terrorism. It picks up an active assailant. It picks up an active shooter. It picks up some civil commotion.”
The additional risk means increased costs. Daughrity says artists and music venues can expect policy prices to head higher.
Those costs will undoubtedly be passed on to music fans.
Story Resources:
- Anderson Benson Insurance and Risk Management
- The Event Safety Alliance
- Ongoing coverage of the Vegas shootings by the LV Review Journal newspaper