On Saturday evening we had been invited to a small meeting of people, who make their living from their craft, one of which is on the board for CERF. He had set up this meeting before Sandy hit and then how appropriate that we would meet to talk about how CERF can help craft folks in need and how best to get the word out that they are there to help.
I had given this some thought over the weeks leading up to the meeting and when we meet many of the thoughts spilled out. Mark and I went through a fire. The host of the meeting lost their entire business to Katerina. They had a thriving glass business with 35 glass artist working in their building. Not only did they lose what they had so did everyone else who worked or used space there.
The subject on my mind today is are you prepared if something should happen?
I know this sounds preachy and I don't want it to be that way.
So I want you to think about the following.
Are you a business or do you consider yourself a hobbyist?
Do you sell your work?
Do you have a business license?
Do you collect and pay sales tax for the state you live in?
Do you report the income off your sales as taxable?
Do you have a studio?
Do you work in your house or a building attached to your house?
Do you own a wheel, kiln, pottery equipment and tools.
Could you replace everything you own out of your pocket tomorrow if something happen?
Here is my big one.
Do you have business insurance?
Because, if you think your homeowners insurance covers your business, you could be wrong.
Check your policy and talk to your agent.
No one needs insurance unless they need it.
Without it we could not have rebuilt our studio and replaced and repaired our equipment.
Our lives would have been so different without the coverage.
We realized one day that there was no way we could replace everything we had built up bit by bit.
Or the equipment we owned that we had bought bit by bit. One day you own a business and you own stuff. That does not happen overnight.
Where would you be if something happened?
More questions for you.
Do you have product liability in your policy?
Are you covered for if you go to a show and something happens to your work?
Are you covered if your booth or items falls into the booth next to you?
Are you covered?
I know we are artist and we don't like to think about these things.
But sometimes life bites you no matter what you do for a living.
I am sure this is enough for today.
CERF+ is there to help- if you know someone in need tell them about CERF.
Meredith
7 comments:
last year at the CDCG show, Julie Wiggins had someone knock over her entire display of pottery and she lost A LOT. I doubt she was covered for that by insurance. Everyone donated what they could to help her recover her loss, but that was something I had never considered. Good food for thought this monring!
morning.... it's early :)
Thanks for this reminder Meredith. Since I am building my new space now, and hope to have open houses, this is definitely something that is going on my to do list.
Many of the shows we did this year are now requiring you to send a certificate of insurance with your application or upon acceptance. The studio I rented in NH was an 18th century barn attached to a single family home... the owners homeowners insurance required a certificate of insurance for the pottery... and the owner was denied homeowners insurance from a couple of companies because of the gas kiln. It kills me to write that check (it isn't cheap!) but it's definitely a necessity.
CERF+ has been so helpful to so many potters I have met, they really deserve praise and a donation when you can spare it.
Um....well....some insurance for some things, sure....
I know this is probably a touchy subject for many but I also hope it has given you all something to think about.
There is a cost to doing business, any business- this is just part of being a business.
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