Having spoken previously to the Joint Morris Organisations, I've concluded that people aren't really any more litigious than they were - at least as far as performers are concerned. Perhaps we just perceive it that way.

Because they understand that there are some small risks to passers by, Morris teams who are members of the 3 Morris organisations have all had PL insurance since the 1960s. Of these plus EFDSS, there has actually only once been a claim on the insurance in nearly 50 years. I don't know the details but I believe it involved the EFDSS and was in the 1960s.

It's pretty important to understand that if you do cause an accident while performing, you ought to be prepared to compensate the person who might have been injured just the same as if you'd run over them in a car. You wouldn't expect a motorist to say "I just couldn't be bothered to get the insurance". I know that you're likely to do less damage, less often than someone driving a car but that's why the premiums are relatively low.

I think personal membership of Open Morris is £7 a year and for that you're covered for individual folk performances. Teams pay £32.

:-)
Ian