NU Online News Service, Aug. 3, 12:10 p.m. EST

Rock group Kings of Leon will likely need a doctor to diagnose lead singer Caleb Followill’s “exhaustion” if the band expects an insurance payout after canceling the remaining 29 shows on their U.S. tour.

“If he is truly sick, he’ll probably need a doctor to medically diagnose him,” says Paul Bassman, president of Doodson Insurance brokerage, the U.S. arm of U.K.-based Doodson Broking Group.

Rolling Stone reports Lloyd’s of London could have an exposure of $15 million due to the tour’s cancellation.

Bands typically take out insurance to protect the guaranteed money they make from the tour, and promoters can buy insurance to cover their hard costs, such as the artist guarantee, says Bassman, whose former company CSI Entertainment Insurance, was acquired by Doodson earlier this year.

CSI has provided coverage of music festivals such as Lollapalooza and large-scale concerts featuring R.E.M., Gwen Stefani, Red Hot Chili Peppers, George Strait, and Coldplay.

Though each policy contains its own exclusions, insurance payouts are normally limited to situations in which the artist is “ready and willing to perform” but cannot due to a diagnosed medical illness or a problem with the venue, Bassman explains.

Take, for instance, the cancellation of a Black Eyed Peas concert in Central Park in New York City in June due to rough weather. In a case such as that, the band gets paid from insurance if a policy exists, Bassman adds.

Kings of Leon canceled their tour dates because the lead singer has “vocal issues and exhaustion,” so the insurance coverage could be more complicated.

Most policies include exclusions for drug abuse or “things you do to yourself,” says Bassman.

Therefore, if “exhaustion” is a euphemism for a larger self-inflicted problem that Followill has (as his band-mate and brother seems to have suggested on his Twitter account), the band will have some explaining to do if it wants to file an insurance claim.

Performers also need to inform insurers of medications they are taking on tour. Coverage issues will arise if they do not.

In June Lloyd’s of London filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify a policy it had with promoters of Michael Jackson’s canceled comeback tour. The promoters failed to provide necessary medical information—including prescriptions—and details about the physician charged in the singer's death.

Special Reports /

Rock Band Kings of Leon Faces Coverage Questions After Tour Cancellation

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