Public Liability Insurance Events

Howard Lake | 4 April 2012

Public Liability Insurance Charity | What is Public Liability Insurance?

Public liability insurance enables charities to ensure that the greatest care is taken when a charity comes into direct contact with the public.

It is essential and indeed compulsory to protect a charity in the event of a claim against them by a member of the public should an accident occur on the charity’s property or perhaps by an employee of the charity whilst fundraising.

What type of public liability claims can be made against charities?

Accident on the charity’s property

A charity could be sued if a member of the public has an accident on the charity’s property. Here you must also beware of the possibility of claims arising under the Occupiers Liability Acts 1957 and 1984.

This also incudes any subcontractors working on the charity’s premises at the time of an accident can sue the charity.

Even trespassers hurt whilst being on the charities premises even though they had no right to be there in the first place can sue a charity.

Accident caused whilst an employee or volunteer is fundraising not on the charity’s premises

Your charity can be sued should an employee of your charity or even a volunteer cause an accident to occur whilst visiting a member of the public at their own property or indeed fundraising in a public place.

If a member of the public is injured, it is possible a claim could be made against the charity.

These days members of the public claim for even minor injuries and of course property damage can lead to major liability claims against the charity.

For this reason it is imperative for all charities to be covered for public liability insurance.

Public liability insurance charity | What is your cover?

Most public liability policies for charities can normally cover up to £10 million protection. Other public liability protection for charities can be for temporary staff and court attendance compensation.

Last year over £5 billion was paid out alone on public liability insurance, hence the importance for all UK charities to have this type of insurance cover.

In summary, charities should always consider, and most charities do, how their public liability should and could affect them.

A lack of public liability insurance has put many businesses out of business. Don’t let this happen to you!

Public liability insurance charity | Claim Culture

These days members of the public are aware of all types of claims they can make. This claims culture in the UK is epidemic. For this reason alone members of the public will make claims wherever possible. Thus charities that do not have adequate cover are making a rod for their own back and are neglecting their responsibilities be it the management, the executives or even the charity trustees.

Public liability insurance for a charity is important. Remember, if a claim is made against you and the courts rule against you at, it could cost you legal fees, expenses compensation plus any hospital expenses that may be awarded against you.

Be safe rather than sorry.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.