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From near event closure to £315,000 payout

It’s August 2023. A time of the year when good weather is expected, events are popping off, and the festivals are in full swing. Enter RALLY - this new and popular UK day festival.

RALLY FESTIVAL

EVENT ORGANISER

“We never really thought we would have issues with the weather in August. When Storm Antoni hit, we were in a bit of a panic but determined not to cancel. In the end, we got most of the day and still got a £315k insurance settlement (which saved our business). The Vento team were professional, reassuring, and efficient all the way through the process.”

Jonny Edwards

RALLY Festival Director

The claim process

So what was the issue?

The festival was set to go ahead, but lightning on the day of the event meant that the opening of the festival gates needed to be delayed, with weather warnings and potential risk to attendees.

What exactly happened?

7am on the morning of the 5th August 2023, Vento co-founder Freddie received a panicked call from RALLY festival co-founder Jonny. Lightning was forecast for the afternoon of the 5th August and the authorities had deemed the festival site too unsafe to let the public into. Every festival organiser’s biggest fear! Gates were due to be open at 11.30am, but this would no longer be possible. Jonny was extremely concerned and wanted to know where he stood in terms of insurance.

Freddie calmly spoke Jonny through what his options were. He advised Jonny that he was within his rights to cancel his event due to the threat of lightning and receive a full payout under his event cancellation policy. However, Jonny had put his heart and soul into this event (let alone the £600k monetary investment) and was determined to crack on.

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Was the Festival cancelled?

No. The festival was not cancelled, but significant portions were curtailed to ensure safety and to avoid further damages. Most activities were moved indoors, and the festival continued with slightly reduced capacity.

So what's the catch?

After discussion, the local organizers reduced the risk significantly by collaborating with weather forecasting teams and the local government. The festival continued, and despite the losses from fewer attendees, they were able to secure a £315k payout to cover most of the damages.

What was the outcome?

With the massive team and coordination efforts, the insurance payout covered all planned losses, and the festival remained on schedule for next year. The local community praised the organisers and Vento for their quick response, ensuring the safety and success of the event. The payout also ensured that the festival would continue to run without significant debt.

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Case Study 1 July 28, 2024

Storm Antoni at Rally Festival 2023

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