Rental and tent companies bring the heaviest equipment onto your property — tents, staging, dance floors, lighting towers and furniture. When something that big fails, the claims are serious, which is why this is one category where venues rarely relax the insurance requirement.
What venues typically require
| Coverage | Typical requirement | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial general liability | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate | Always |
| Additional insured | Venue named on the GL policy | Always |
| Auto liability | Required | If delivering with vehicles |
| Workers' compensation | Required | If they have an install crew |
These are common requirements, not advice — see the full vendor insurance requirements.
Why installation risk is high
A tent that isn't properly staked, a stage that collapses, a lighting tower that tips, a dance floor that shifts — these cause exactly the kind of injuries and property damage general liability exists for. Because the equipment is installed and left up during the event, the exposure lasts the whole day, and the venue wants the rental company's policy to protect it as additional insured.
For the rental company: what to send
Ask your insurer for a certificate showing $1M/$2M general liability, naming the venue as additional insured at its address, covering the event date. Add auto liability for deliveries and workers' comp for your crew.
What this means for your venue
For heavy-equipment vendors, don't accept a certificate that names the venue only as certificate holder — require additional insured status and confirm the wording. VenueCOI checks each rental and tent certificate against your rules automatically, or check one free.