The basic answer is that amateur groups do not pay their members anything at all to perform (apart from travel and sustenance expenses) whereas professional groups do. They are eligible for full membership and the lower insurance premiums. Semi-professional groups can of course also join Making Music, but as Associate members; and pay the appropriate Associate member insurance premium. Professional groups can join Making Music as Associate members but must contact Finch direct in order to obtain an insurance quote.
We appreciate that there are some grey areas to this which include:
Scenario 1: a group of amateurs, but which reimburses members' expenses, e.g. for travel and sandwich. Making Music will accept such a group into Full membership and so the group is eligible for insurance at the lower rate (provided that the group meets other Full membership criteria).
Scenario 2: a group of amateurs, but rather than reimbursing on receipts, the group give their members a fixed amount for a gig which roughly corresponds to expenses, e.g. £50. Making Music will accept such a group into Full membership and so the group is eligible for insurance at the lower rate (provided that the group meets other Full membership criteria).
Scenario 3: the musicians in the group have a day job and don't earn their living by carrying out the activities of the group, but members of the group get paid £100 each for each gig/performance. Making Music will only accept such a group into Associate membership and so the group is only eligible for insurance at the higher rate.
