Adequate insurance is essential for all types of community organisation to cover for all eventualities.
This may include protection for:
- Property (e.g. land, buildings, furniture, computers, tools)
- Cash held on premises or in transit (e.g. membership fees)
- Any liabilities to people (e.g. volunteers or the general public)
- Fundraising or special events
- Trustee protection
The most common form of insurance for organisations that deal with members of the public is public liability insurance, which is relatively inexpensive and protects against any allegations of injury caused to someone by your Shed. For example, if someone was to trip over a wire, burn themselves with a kettle, or damage their fingers using a sander. It also covers you should you accidentally damage a property that you are renting/ hiring, so most landlords or public authorities will require that you have this in place before renting space to you. Some insurers offer specialist charity insurance that can be more comprehensive and tailored for your needs, especially organisations that do not have the financial capacity to pay any costs for damages.
For more information on insurance, please visit the national voluntary organisation support webpages listed in the resources section at the back of the toolkit. You can also contact your national Men’s Shed Association for specific advice for Sheds and possible insurance discounts for Shed members.