How to protect your volunteers from injuries while volunteering?

One way is to cover volunteers is under a worker's compensation policy. While most insurance companies do not want to do this, it can be done by adding a "voluntary" endorsement to your policy. Your insurance company will either charge a flat fee for this or calculate the rate based on hours worked times a minimum wage, which will be based on the type of work performed by the volunteers. The advantage to this approach is that volunteers will have full workers' compensation benefits for their injuries. The disadvantage to this approach is the impact of volunteer claims on the organization's experience modification.

Another way to cover volunteers is to purchase an accident policy. This typically will cover volunteers, regardless of fault, for medical bills excess of any other medical insurance. Limits typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 and deductibles range from $0 to $500. Coverage can often be broadened to include program participants, sporting activities, and transit to and from activities. Since many general liability policies will exclude or severely limit medical payments for volunteers, this coverage is an excellent way to afford additional protection to volunteers. It also avoids the potential for volunteer litigation around smaller injuries.

Besides accidents, what other exposures do I need to protect my volunteers from?
You can be sued because of the actions of your volunteers. Here are some examples:

• Your volunteer injures someone else (bodily injury)
• Your volunteer damages someone else's property (property damage)
• Your volunteer slanders someone's name or reputation (personal injury)
• Your volunteer abuses/molests a client (sexual abuse & molestation)
• Your volunteer renders a professional service - nursing, counseling, etc. (professional liability)

You can also be sued for volunteers that drive your clients in their own vehicles during organization time. To protect yourself, make sure they have a valid drivers license, make sure they carry auto liability as required by your state, and check their motor vehicle records. If they have more than 2 tickets or more than one accident, and any major violations (DUI), consider not having them drive. Also, make sure you check your insurance policy to make sure your non-owned auto liability extends to volunteers (this will protect your organization if it is pulled into a lawsuit)

How do I cover my program participants for injuries related to sports activities, camping, or daycare?
Besides covering volunteers, accident policies are commonly purchased by camps, day care centers, and anyone connected with running or sponsoring sports programs. Coverage and limits vary by policy and a handful of carriers write most of the insurance in this segment.

The reason this insurance is needed is because most liability carriers will exclude medical payments for the above mentioned activities. As such, an injured participant would have to sue the organization to get their medical bills reimbursed .An accident policy avoids this situation.