I have been playing in the Twin Cities for nearly 20 years. I have been very fortunate to have had a certain level of success at my music, and other events I have been involved in like A Festival of the Heart & Soul and the Rolling River Music and Film Festival. A few years ago, I created a service called THE TURNING POINT INSURANCE COOPERATIVE. This free service was created to get the musicians of the Twin Cities to finally have an economic way to insure themselves against instrument and gear theft, and to insure themselves medically in case they land in the emergency room, or have a lengthy hospital stay. Turning Point has found an economical way for individual musicians or bands to insure themselves physically and professionally for far less than you may think. The goal is to find a way to insure yourself medically and professionally for around $100 a month. Turning Point has found a way. Keep reading.

Here are some facts:

• We are not invincible
• Gear gets stolen all the time
• We will land in the emergency room, or have a hospital stay
• Most musicians don't insure themselves at all because they think it is too expensive
• When something happens, musicians gather to do a benefit to help. While this is noble and one of the great things about the Twin Cities music community, it holds very little chance in meeting the real financial needs of the person who is in need

Here is what we can do as musicians in the Twin Cities

• Insure our gear so if it does get stolen, you can replace it
• Insure yourself so if you land in the emergency room, you don't have to worry about being debt in the tens of thousands of dollars
• Set a precedent around the country and have the Twin Cities be on the forefront, realizing that this is the music BUSINESS, and we realize that our financial and physical health is essential to our success as musicians

Instrument and Gear Insurance Information

The Turning Point Insurance Cooperative has found an amazing service to protect your musical instruments, studio gear, live sound gear, amps, etc. It is called Clarion Insurance. This service handles all the issues that musicians have with their gear. Turning Point's goal is to get every band in the Twin Cities to protect themselves with this service. Here is an example:

Individual:

• $300 per year for coverage up to $15,000 of gear
• $200 deductible per claim
• $2 per every additional $100 of value
  (That is $25 a month to insure your gear, you can do this)

Band:

• $500 per year for coverage up to $10,000 of gear
• $200 deductible per claim
• $2 per every additional $100 of value
  (That is $5 a month for each member in a 5 man band, you can do this)

Find out more. Protect your gear. This service works. You have put hundreds and thousands of hours in to your profession. You owe it to yourself to protect yourself. You can do it. Go to Clarion Musical Insurance | Home (http://www.clarionins.com) for more info, or call 1-800-VIVALDI

Medical Insurance Information

Example: (If you landed in the emergency room, or had a hospital stay)

• Single Male / 35 years old / Nonsmoker
• Maximum payout of $3250
• After that, you are covered 100% up to $2 million dollars
• Monthly payment of $75.30 a month
• This insurance is with the FORTIS INSURANCE GROUP
• To find out more, call Arnold Hymanson at 952-858-8250

This does not include any doctor co-pay, prescription, dental, etc. It is a starting point. My experience has been the most common type of problem a musician runs in to is that they land in the hospital and they have no insurance. When they leave, they are facing a debt of $10,000-$50,000 with no way of paying it. Their friends get together to throw them a benefit to help pay the bills. The reality is, as beautiful as that is, it holds very little chance to completely pay that hospital bill. With this plan, you have to come up with $3,250 and then you are covered 100%. That amount is workable. The monthly charge is workable. If you ever find yourself in need of a benefit because you landed in the hospital, your friends have a far more realistic chance of truly helping you pay all your medical bills, if you insure yourself.

If you have other needs, family coverage, dental, doctor co-pay, etc. You can talk to Arnie about all the other needs. This quote is simply to get you covered in some way. Many musicians in the Twin Cities have taken advantage of this. Many people have told me that they were never insured before they heard about Turning Point. I hope it is something you take advantage of. You are valuable to your band members, your friends and your families. You have the ability to take care of yourself at a workable price

Bottom Line: (with the examples given)
Individual Gear Insurance up to $15,000 of value: $25 a month
Medical Insurance (35 year old/male/non-smoker): $75.30 a month
Total to cover yourself medically and professionally: $100.30 a month

You can do this. Find out. If you have questions, please contact us at:
Email: Mick@micksterling.com

This PR is copyright © 2002 by Mick Sterling, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission.
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