Insurance could curb party bus business

Insurance is proving to be a buzzkill for New Orleans’ loud, rowdy and festive party bus business.

Faced with an impending crackdown in unregulated busses, 18 of the operators who sought city help with compliance have yet to apply for a permit, according to a report posted Tuesday on Nola.com.

The $4,000 premium per month on insurance, required for the permit, appears to be the reason, according to the article.

Misinformation is another hurdle, as at least one operator interviewed thought his private vehicle insurance would cover his party bus. Another operator said he was under the assumption he could get partygoers to sign a liability waiver so insurance wouldn’t be necessary, the newspaper reported.

Another “problem is that insurers have struggled to create a coverage for party buses; policies for vehicles with stripper poles aren’t exactly a widely available product,” the article states.

“The private insurance market doesn’t have faith in the safety of the vehicles,” a city official told the news outlet. “People are confronting an insurance cost based on everything being uninsured initially and many of the vehicles being completely unmanageable for insurance.”