Haunted House & Seasonal Attraction Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a haunted house & seasonal attraction business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for haunted houses, haunted trails, corn mazes, hayrides, and seasonal attractions. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the attraction's actual operations.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial General Liability | Covers guests hurt by falls in the dark, crowd crush, hayride accidents, and fires. Confirm it names haunted attractions and does not exclude participants. | Core | |
| Assault & Battery / Abuse Coverage | Actors work in the dark in close contact with guests, including minors; claims of inappropriate contact are commonly excluded from GL. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Actors and staff are injured by falls, props, and guests who lash out when scared. | Core | |
| Liquor Liability | Needed if alcohol is sold or allowed on site — intoxicated guests in a dark, crowded attraction raise severity. | Prevalent | |
| Commercial Property / Inland Marine | Covers sets, props, animatronics, and lighting — often stored off-season or moved between sites. | Prevalent | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Extends limits above GL; a fire or crowd event can injure many guests at once. | Prevalent | |
| Participant Accident Medical | Pays guests' medical bills regardless of fault — useful for minor injuries in a high-volume season. | Prevalent | |
| Business Income / Event Cancellation | Replaces revenue if fire, weather, or a closure order shuts the attraction during a short season. | Prevalent | |
| Hired & Non-Owned Auto | Responds when staff use personal vehicles for attraction business. | Situational | |
| Volunteer Accident | Needed for charity haunts that rely on volunteer actors. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most likely to surprise a haunted attraction is an assault and battery or abuse exclusion. A California court held that being frightened and falling while running is an inherent risk of a haunted attraction — but suits alleging an actor broke a guest's teeth, or touched guests without consent, are a different exposure that GL often excludes. Contact or extreme haunts should confirm coverage in writing and use specific consent waivers. All attractions should confirm the policy describes the attraction and is in force for the full season, including setup and teardown.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your haunted house & seasonal attraction coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Haunted House & Seasonal Attraction Insurance · Haunted House & Seasonal Attraction Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a haunted house & seasonal attraction business need?
The core coverages for a haunted house & seasonal attraction business are Commercial General Liability, Assault & Battery / Abuse Coverage, Workers' Compensation. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my haunted house & seasonal attraction coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.