Guide to Volunteering and Fundraising

Before the fun starts, take time to ensure you have the correct fundraiser insurance and that all volunteers are adequately covered for any events. To help you navigate this essential part of hosting a charitable event, here’s our volunteering guide to cover.

Choosing charity insurance to support fundraising

For most charitable organisations, fundraising events are an important, regular part of core activities. Running a successful event requires careful management and planning to avoid potential accidents and injuries. Ensuring that you take out the correct fundraiser insurance is crucial for several reasons.

Firstly, if you have a reputation for creating a safe environment for those attending your events (public and helpers) they are more likely to support you in the future and the public will feel confident in showing their support.

Should anything go wrong at your event, your insurance cover can help to limit the potential for any negative publicity which could impact your organisation in the long term. Also, minimising the likelihood of a claim is likely to have a favourable effect on future insurance premiums.

The main risk management topics you will need to consider are:

• Legal – event activities tend to be classed as work related or working activities and are subject to usual health and safety rules. At Towergate, we provide our charity customers with free access to an online Risk Support service that includes information on health and safety, HR and up to date legislation
• Outside Contractors – make sure any outside contractors have an appropriate amount of public liability insurance and that the contractor is a competent and/or experienced person, particularly where there are high risk or potentially hazardous activities planned
• Contractual Agreements – make sure that you read and understand any contractual conditions and terms before you sign them, paying particular attention to any that relate to the hire of equipment as you will need to understand what you could be liable for in the event of injury, damage or breakdowns and maintenance

Highlights of charity insurance

Our insurance cover includes public and product liability for many fundraising events. If you need more information before planning your next fundraiser, you can always contact our friendly team of advisers to ensure it will be covered by your policy. You’ll also benefit from risk support at no extra cost, helping you to stay in the loop with the latest health and safety requirements and risk management advice.

Your policy will also include £2 million business interruption cover and up to £100,000 indemnity for trustees or board members. This covers the organisation if a claim is made against them for committing a wrongful act.

Always speak to your insurer if you have any other queries or would like some advice.

For further Information and advice:

• Health and Safety Executive - hse.gov.uk
• Your local environmental health department of the local authority
• Your local authority licensing department
• Fire, Police and Ambulance service
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

Call us on 01438 739787 or email charities@towergate.co.uk

Care insurance from Towergate

Towergate Insurance are partners with Care England, NCF, Homecare Association and a number of regional associations and are actively engaging with local Government officers to provide updates on market restrictions. We also offer to speak with the CQC oversight committee about challenges within the insurance sector and work closely with the British Insurance Brokers‘ Association and the Association of British Insurers to ensure that wider messages are being heard across the market.

To find out more about how we can assist you see our care insurance webpage or email caredivision@towergate.co.uk. We can also advise on market updates.

This is a marketing article by Towergate Insurance.

About the author

Carolyn Baker-Mellor is a respected industry leader with over 35 years' experience within the care insurance sector. She works across a wide spectrum of insurance product and policy development, delivery and optimisation for care industry clients, including managing global corporate accounts, working closely with trade associations, and helping clients in protecting their businesses and personal assets.