David Carbrey

David Carbrey is the founder of Direct Event Insurance. He brings 25+ years of insurance experience with deep live-event and entertainment risk experience, plus years in live events as a working musician and performer. He has placed thousands of policies across weddings, festivals, concerts, conferences, sports, and galas. When you call DEI, you talk to David.

Experience

David came up in live events long before he came up in insurance. He spent years fronting bands, touring, working on film sets, and in production rooms. He has loaded in at 6am and torn down at 2am. He has waited on a Certificate of Insurance at 11pm the night before doors. He has been the organizer trying to keep forty vendors straight and the performer hoping the venue's paperwork is in order.

When he's not placing event coverage, David runs Cowboy Rockstar Events(opens in new tab), his side project exploring the intersection of live music and event production.

Why his background matters

Most event insurance is sold by agents who have never run an event. David has. He knows what a venue manager will ask, what an organizer is worried about at 2am the night before, and what a planner actually needs from a certificate. That lived operational experience shapes how DEI quotes, places, and services every policy.

The work today

Direct Event Insurance was founded in 2011 and modernized in 2026 to make event insurance faster, clearer, and easier for organizers, venues, and vendors. The agency serves event organizers across all 50 U.S. states and places coverage through AM Best-rated insurance carriers. David handles every routine customer relationship personally. The modern tools Bryan is building handle the chasing, the COI distribution, the renewal reminders, and the long tail of admin work that used to keep David on the phone past midnight.

What he works on

Weddings, festivals, concerts and live music, corporate events, trade shows, nonprofit galas, sports tournaments, and private parties of all sizes. From a 30-person backyard reception to a multi-day festival with 40-plus vendors on one Vendor Liability Program enrollment.

A note from David

Events matter because people pour time, money, emotion, and reputation into them. DEI exists to help protect the work behind the moments people remember. When you call, you talk to me.