QBE Insurance height restrictions jeopardize Australian artists' public art projects
Australian artists face significant new insurance barriers as QBE imposes height-based carve-outs to a long-standing policy. The $316 annual policy, issued through the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), will no longer cover work conducted five meters above ground starting in October. Even artists working at lower heights will encounter additional costs reaching $600. NAVA executive director Penelope Benton warns these changes will particularly impact muralists, public art creators, and emerging artists who install their own work. Since last November, QBE has systematically removed coverage for both studio-based and public art activities, with major exclusions implemented this April. Approximately 6,000 Australian artists currently rely on this policy. The insurance modifications may force art workers to seek more expensive policies designed for construction professionals, potentially driving talent from the sector.
Key facts
- QBE Insurance is implementing new carve-outs to a policy covering about 6,000 Australian artists.
- The policy costs $316 annually and has been issued through NAVA for over ten years.
- Coverage for artists working five meters off the ground will be eliminated.
- Artists working at lower heights will face additional costs up to $600.
- NAVA executive director Penelope Benton expressed concerns about the impact on mural and public art projects.
- Art installers, emerging artists, and curators who install their own work will be affected.
- QBE began making carve-outs to the policy in November, with significant removals in April.
- The new height restriction takes effect in October.
Entities
Artists
- Penelope Benton
Institutions
- QBE
- National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)
- The Guardian
Locations
- Australia