Outdoor Educators: Your Volunteers are Priceless Assets, Powerful Resources and Terrific People. But Are They Insured?
By Ted Fedyk, Vice President, Outdoor Educators Insurance / PFG
You love your volunteers. Your outdoor education nonprofit benefits from your volunteers' background knowledge, their intellectual and financial resources, their manpower to handle a wide variety and range of tasks and responsibilities. And you benefit from their ability and willingness to work for free.
But if something happens to them or because of them, are they protected by your nonprofit's insurance policies? Remember that volunteers are not employees; employees should be automatically covered under your organization's insurance program. And, because they are "working" under the direction and auspices of your official organization, their personal insurance policies may or may not help them in the event of injury, illness or legal tangle. (Note that some of your volunteers, particularly younger volunteers, may not have insurance at all.)
The standard nonprofit organization insurance liability policy program does not include your volunteers - and if volunteers are not specifically included, not specifically written in as covered, they are not protected in any way. This includes your nonprofit's auto, liability and umbrella coverage.
What if?
... a volunteer is driving an organization vehicle (with or without participant passengers) and gets in an accident?
... a volunteer is driving a personal vehicle transporting participants and gets in an accident?
... a participant is injured or harmed in some way during an activity with a volunteer leader in charge? Perhaps the volunteer was not the leader in charge, but was on scene and therefore gets caught up in a resulting lawsuit?
... a volunteer is sued for something done or said while "at work" volunteering?
... a volunteer does something or says something that reflects poorly on the organization? (Making a broad generalization, volunteers do not get the same pre-"hire" background check that prospective employees go through). And volunteers may not get the same trainings and certifications/licensures required of your paid employees.
Things happen. Accidents happen. Legal tangles and lawsuits happen. The repercussions - for them, for you - are huge.
They donate their time, energy and intelligence to help you and your world. Make sure your volunteers - and the work they do for you - are specifically covered under your liability insurance policies. Protect them under your liability, auto and umbrella plans. Protect yourself.
Ted Fedyk, CPCU, hikes, skies, is a parent and is an expert in insuring those involved in outdoor education. He enjoys solid relationships with the full range of A-rated national carriers, as certified by rating agency AM Best, and is endorsed by the Association of Partners for Public Lands. Located in PFG's Bozeman office, Ted can be reached directly at tfedyk@pfg-insurance.com.
