OVAC ANNUAL ARTIST SURVEY: Report - Suggestions for Members’ Insurance

This post is the fourth in the series of posts (see the series here) examining the feedback and concerns expressed in the OVAC artist survey. We received over 250 responses from artists around the state.

Barbara Scott, OKC, Earthborn Starbound, Wood, bone, stone,  77" x 34" x 25"

Suggestion #5: Provide additional benefits to artists such as health or business insurance.

OVAC wants artists to be insured. We know insurance is difficult for artists and other self-employed small businesses. OVAC has conducted research on the best insurance options for individual artists in our state (see some findings here). While the landscape is changing, there are still no easy answers.

OVAC has pursued a group plan several times with different providers, but at this point, OVAC is not structured in a way that would allow us to offer these kinds of member benefits. Basically, our membership is optional and participation in a health program with us would be optional as well, a structure that does not work with the practices for making insurance pools that providers serve.

If you haven’t found other options, you may be able to participate in group health insurance plans offered through your local chambers of commerce or look at the health exchanges that are cropping up.  Watch ahirc.org closely, though, as many changes will occur in the next few years with the Affordable Health Care Act.

For business insurance, OVAC members are eligible for Associate Memberships with Fractured Atlas. They offer liability insurance and multiple insurance guides. Click here for a full description of Associate Membership benefits. To begin receiving these services, visit www.fracturedatlas.org/ovac and fill out the online Associate Membership application. It's all free for members of OVAC. Also, most independent insurance agents are able to offer affordable business policies to artists. We don’t offer specific referrals for this, but are glad to ask other artists who they use.

OVAC is open to looking at other benefits in the future, but needs to balance the logistics and potential costs with the expressed needs and number of artists served. We welcome your comments and suggestions on this topic.