This is how the brotherhoods are insured during Holy Week

"Occident protects more than 60 brotherhoods throughout Spain with multi-risk, civil liability and event cancellation insurance"

With the arrival of Holy Week, thousands of brotherhoods in Spain are preparing for one of the country's most emblematic celebrations. The processions, deeply rooted in Spanish cultural and religious tradition, bring together thousands of people every year. However, this massive event also involves important logistics and significant exposure to risk and unforeseen events.

In this context, Occident has developed specific insurance solutions for brotherhoods and confraternities, with the aim of offering the necessary peace of mind to face any eventuality. ‘We are aware that the processions are, for many people, the star event of Easter. For this reason, for years we have been adapting our offer so that brotherhoods can find the protection they need with insurance solutions capable of covering the main risks that affect their activity,’ explains Manuel Martínez, Occident's Director of Business Insurance.

In 2025, Occident insured a total of 65 brotherhoods throughout Spain, 63% of which were in the community of Andalusia. Seville was the province with the most insured brotherhoods (20), followed by Granada (7), Cadiz (5), Almeria (3), Cordoba (3), Huelva (2) and Malaga (1). The remainder was spread over the following provinces: Zamora (10), Murcia (5), Madrid (3), Segovia (2), Badajoz (1), Barcelona (1), Ciudad Real (1) and Salamanca (1).

Three types of insurance for comprehensive coverage

         1. Event cancellation insurance

Inclement weather, health problems of the participants or any other force majeure may cause the cancellation, interruption or postponement of a procession. For these situations, Occident's event cancellation insurance guarantees the payment of non-recoverable expenses already assumed by the brotherhood: from the hiring of the music band to the floral decoration or the rental of furniture.

‘This policy covers unavoidable cancellations, interruptions or postponements, as long as they are not due to voluntary or negligent decisions of the insured’, Martínez clarifies. In case of total cancellation, the policy covers up to 100% of the sum insured, and 25% in case of postponement. Coverage mainly covers exceptional atmospheric phenomena (heavy rain, storms, strong wind) and the non-appearance of the participants due to accident or illness.

        2. Damage to premises, images and belongings

The headquarters of a brotherhood is the heart of its activity and usually houses goods belonging to the brotherhood, such as furniture, equipment, religious objects and ornaments. To protect these spaces and their contents, Occident offers a multi-risk policy specially designed for brotherhoods.

The coverage includes:

• Water damage and fire
• Theft and vandalism
• Extreme weather events (hail, storms)
• Breakage of glass, signs and sanitary ware
• Illegal occupation of premises
• Liability for accidents on the premises

In addition, religious images, antique carvings and other objects of artistic value can be insured with specific protection, provided that their value and importance is declared when taking out the policy.

        3. Civil Liability Insurance

Processions can bring thousands of people onto the streets, which can pose risks to third parties. For this reason, local councils often require civil liability insurance to authorise the holding of such events.

The insurance covers:

• Damage to third parties and property
• Damage to street furniture or parked vehicles
• Accidental fires caused by candles or wax
• Legal expenses in the event of claims

With an average insured capital of 300,000 euros, this policy also covers rehearsals prior to Easter Week, where accidents or mishaps similar to those of the main event may occur.

‘With this type of insurance, town councils ensure that the brotherhoods are prepared to respond to any incident that may occur during the processions,’ Martínez points out.