Voluntary Group Insurance
Small voluntary groups across the UK provide an incredible amount of social good in their community and at Ladbrook, we provide voluntary group insurance for hundreds of small groups across the UK.
The legal structure and activities of your voluntary group will effect the risks that the group, users, members and trustees face.
Liability insurance for voluntary groups who need to rent a room at a council or other public building is often the first insurance requirement for small community groups. At Ladbrook, we are advised and can help you through the process no matter how complex of simple your activities.
Shelley BaconAccount Handler
I have helped a range of voluntary groups arrange insurance to protect users, members and volunteers, being a broker, we can approach a range of charity insurers to find a suitable product.
Shelley Bacon, Account Handler
Voluntary Group Insurance
Volunteering is a fundamentally essential part of society, every week, huge numbers of volunteers give their time to good causes all across the land.
Voluntary groups are provide a massive benefit to their communities and organisations like The Do It Trust list over a million opportunities for volunteers in the UK. The Do It Trust also claim that they enable a quarter of a million people to donate their time each month to local charities and voluntary groups.
Not only do voluntary groups benefit from the time and skills of volunteers but the experience can be fantastic for the individual too. Volunteers gain valuable skills, meet new friends and can feel great if they have made a successful contribution to something they felt strongly about.
Voluntary groups though do have a duty of care towards their volunteers, just like an employer might towards their own employees. Any voluntary group needs to take care to ensure that the relationship between the group and their volunteers is handled appropriately and (where it is right to do so), the right voluntary group insurance is in place.
Health and safety law does not treat volunteers as employees but volunteers can (and do!) take voluntary groups to court if they feel that they were injured, or their property damaged because the organisation they gave their time to was negligent in some way.
A simple claims example would include a volunteer slipping on a wet floor. At Ladbrook, we often such claims being bought and very often the voluntary group management or trustees are surprised that anyone would sue a charitable cause. Unfortunately, in an increasingly litigious society, such claims are more common place.
Insurance for Voluntary Groups – The types of cover
Public liability insurance for voluntary groups will financially protect the group in the event a claim is bought against the group for damage or injury to a member of the public. Critically with the majority of insurers, the definition of members of the public does not extend to volunteers.
To include the same liability insurance for your volunteers, your group needs to include a level of employers liability insurance, even if you do not employ anyone.
These liability insurance covers for voluntary groups are often the extend to which insurance cover is sought or needed. Additional covers can be discussed to protect assets or any advice the group gives (voluntary group public liability insurance does not include activities that are seen as providing advice). We will discuss your voluntary group insurance needs directly with you and help you choose the cover most appropriate for your organisation.
The following articles may be of interest to your voluntary group:
Insurance for voluntary groups in hired premises
Voluntary Groups and Advice: Public liability v Professional Indemnity