An expensive server rack commits suicide off a 4-foot-tall shipping dock. A forklift skewers a carton of exhibit graphics. Demo equipment gets stolen in transit. What do all three of these situations have in common? They have all happened to me. Thankfully, in every case I had planned ahead and placed insurance on my clients' exhibit properties to cover their losses.

As exhibit managers, insuring against losses that we might incur isn't usually on the top of our to-do lists. Logistics, deadlines, and troubleshooting often take precedence over identifying, evaluating, and managing the financial risks of exhibiting. But trade show-related disasters are bound to happen. Author and risk-management expert Charles Robert Tremper says, "The first step in the risk-management process is to acknowledge the reality of risk. Denial is a common tactic that substitutes deliberate ignorance for thoughtful planning."

There are basically four types of coverage exhibitors can secure to mitigate common exhibiting risks.

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