Charity public liability insurance
Helping you to help others
Put the public at the heart of what you do knowing that your organisation is covered. Protect your charity against third-party risks with flexible charity public liability insurance from Endsleigh.
tel: 0333 234 1387
What does charity public liability insurance cover?
Most charitable events involve public participation – particularly when fundraising! That’s why, whether you’re making or selling goods, working with the community or engaging with volunteers, it’s important to make sure your organisation is protected. Cover with Endsleigh can include:
Third-party liability
Cover for costs relating to third- party injury or property damage should a member of the public or a volunteer make a claim against your charity.
Legal expenses
Payment of legal defence costs relating to allegations of negligence against your organisation following third-party injury or property damage.
Compensation claims
Up to £5 million cover should a third party sustain an injury.
Medical fees
Cover for medical fees should a member of the public have to undergo hospital treatments due to injury received as a result of your organisation’s activities.
What is charity public liability insurance?
Charity public liability insurance protects an organisation against the cost of compensation claims made for injury, illness or damage to property by members of the public. This can include clients, volunteers, service users, customers or contractors.
The cover relates to claims that have arisen as a direct result of your operations or premises, and can be taken out either as a standalone policy or as part of a more comprehensive charity insurance policy.
Although public liability insurance for charities isn’t a legal requirement, it’s becoming a much more sought-after area of insurance. If you’re planning a fundraising event or bidding for funding, many organisations will request copies of your public liability insurance before they even allow you to hire out their premises.
Charity public liability insurance: FAQs
As a specialist in the not-for-profit sector, we understand that charitable organisations have got a lot on their plate, so we aim to make finding the right insurance an easy process. Find out more about the basics of charity public liability insurance in the UK by reading our FAQs.
Do charities need public liability insurance?
You’ll need public liability for charities if you want to protect your organisation against risks associated with supporting the public and running events.
This cover is important for all businesses and organisations, no matter what their size.
Why do charities need public liability insurance?
Not-for-profits need charity public liability insurance to protect their organisation against a number of specific risks.
In the same way as a business, not-for-profit organisations have a duty of care to staff, volunteers and clients to ensure all activities are conducted responsibly to avoid third-party injury or property damage.
If your organisation is in breach of this duty, and as a result injury or damage is caused, then any injured party could make a claim against your organisation for the damages. These claims can be surprisingly costly. This is where public liability insurance for your charity would come in – to support you against various risks such as third-party liability and compensation claims.
Is public liability insurance a legal requirement for charities?
No, public liability insurance is not a legal requirement for charities. However, given the risks involved with supporting the public and running fundraising events, it can still be a good idea to investigate taking out public liability cover for your organisation. Equally, some third-party contracts (such as venue hire) may require you to have a specified level of public liability cover in place.
While public liability insurance for charity organisations isn’t legally required, if you employ staff it’s a legal requirement to have at least £5 million employers’ liability insurance in place. You could be fined up to £2,500 for every day you don’t have it!
What else is included with charity public liability insurance?
By taking out public liability insurance for your charity organisation, you will be covered against the costs of legal action and compensation made against your charity should a member of the public injure themselves or damage their property.
This could be a client, customer, volunteer or simply a passer-by that happens to get injured in relation to your premises. For example, tripping over a sign that’s used for promotion outside of the premises.
Public liability insurance can cover costs relating to:
- Third-party illness
- Third-party injury
- Loss or damage to third-party property
What’s an example of a charity public liability claim?
One of your volunteers slips in liquid while working at a charity-organised event. They smash their mobile phone and injure themselves badly in the process, leaving them unable to continue their full- time job whilst they recover. The volunteer makes a claim against your organisation for loss of earnings as well as seeking compensation to replace their broken mobile phone.
The public liability section of your charity insurance policy will provide cover for both of these claims, as well as legal support should you have to attend court.
How much charity public liability insurance do I need?
How much public liability cover your charity, community group or not-for-profit requires will depend upon a number of factors, including:
- The size / income of your charity
- How many employees and volunteers you have
- Whether you deal with members of the public
- Your fundraising activities
- Whether you make or sell products or goods
- Requirements for third-party contracts
If you’re unsure on what level of cover your charity needs, arrange a call with our dedicated team.
Do I need public liability insurance for volunteers?
Volunteers can be a bit of a grey area when it comes to your charity insurance, as they can fall under either your public or employers’ liability insurance. Before taking out insurance, it may be worth conducting a risk assessment for the activities your volunteers will be undertaking, as this will help give an accurate picture of the type of insurance you might need.
If you require cover for volunteers, or want to find out if they’re covered under your existing insurance policy, please arrange a call.
Do I need this insurance for a charity event?
Fundraising can be vital to a charity’s success. But whether it’s a small bake sale or a large festival, there are plenty of risks involved with fundraising activities - particularly when they involve members of the public, employees or volunteers.
Whilst this insurance is not a legal requirement, it can be sensible to have cover in place if you’ll be engaging with the public during your event. This will protect your organisation from potentially costly third-party compensation claims.
Equally, some venues may require you to have charity liability insurance in place before they’ll allow you to hold an event on their premises. They should let you know when you book the venue if this is the case.
Get a quote by arranging a call.
Related: Safe fundraising for charities and not-for-profit organisations
Do you need public liability insurance for community groups?
If your community group is dealing with members of the public, it can be a good idea to have public liability insurance for charity groups in place to ensure financial protection. However, it is not a legal requirement.
If you’re planning on running community group events, it’s also worth considering whether the landlord or local authority will require you to have public liability insurance for your charity before you’re allowed to book a venue.
How do I get a charity public liability insurance quote?
We understand that investigating the world of insurance can be extremely time-consuming, as it’s important to find the right cover that suits the needs of your organisation. That’s why we make our charity liability insurance process simple and straightforward.
Simply request a quote with us and our team will be in touch with you to discuss your options regarding public liability insurance.
Remember, the cost of your public liability insurance premium may be affected by the size of your charity as well as the nature of your organisation. You’re likely to be asked what sort of fundraising you carry out and the types of clients you work with, so have this information to hand when you get a quote.
Why Endsleigh for charity public liability insurance?
Whether you’re a community group or a large trust, we know that choosing the right cover to suit your charity’s requirements is crucial. With over 30 years’ third sector experience, our team of experts take the time to understand what your organisation is all about – and then tailor an approach that protects you from potential risks.
Interested in charity public liability insurance in the UK?
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Need to contact us?
Our friendly team are ready to talk to you:
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Call us on 0333 234 1387