A feud is developing between flower enthusiasts and the Philadelphia media arising from an “overly hyped” weather report. The possible remedy may be in the form of a lesser known insurance product. The Philadelphia Flower Show usually generates about $1 million in profits from its annual exhibit. But not this year. Reportedly, the show drew substantially fewer attendees than expected this year and organizers of the event are blaming a “botched” weather report. Now the event’s president is accusing Philadelphia media outlets of “hyping up” a major snowstorm during the week of the flower show that never materialized but led to scores of cancelled visitors. In turn, this led to about $1 million in losses. Is there insurance for this? You bet.
Reportedly the Philadelphia flower show drew 225,000 attendees this year; the lowest total in nearly 15 years. Philadelphia’s annual showcase is advertised as the world’s longest running and largest indoor flower show. However, according to event organizers, the local media’s desire for the “gold in advertising dollars” based on a looming snow storm led the media to overly publicize a snow storm to be, that never was. While forecasters touted the potential for a major storm the weekend that the flower show opened, the actual snow fall was “a few flakes.”
To make up for the shortfall, the flower show’s organizer have filed a claim with its event-insurance policy. In prior years, similar claims have yielded nearly $1 million in insurance proceeds. Event insurance may provide coverage for weather related losses such as that claimed by the Philadelphia flower show. Kudos to the flower show’s insurance professional for recommending this product and helping to protect the client’s interests.