Insurance cover for your Scout hut, buildings, equipment and money

Getting the right property and equipment insurance for your Scout group

Things to consider when insuring your Scout hut 

How much should we insure our Scout hut for?

You should insure your building for the full cost of rebuilding it.  This is not its market value.  Otherwise you could be left with a shortfall if you need to make a claim.
Help is at hand, we are partnered with IAS Chartered Loss Adjusters  to provide an indication of rebuilding cost free of charge for anyone taking out the Scout Property & Equipment policy with us. The cost of arranging this type of estimation service yourself could cost your group several hundred pounds.

Vandalism and Malicious Damage

From our experience Scout huts left unoccupied can be a target for vandalism especially over the holidays or those buildings in remote locations.
There are some simple steps you can take to reduce the risks, such as making sure the hut is locked, alarms set and equipment is locked away out of sight.
During the holidays, regular inspections and visits should be made to check on security as well as keeping the building and grounds maintained. This may be a condition of your insurance policy.

You should check that your buildings insurance includes vandalism and malicious damage cover, if your Scout building is often left unoccupied or is in a remote location.
If you insure your building under our Scout Property and Equipment policy, you will be covered for loss or damage to your building caused by vandalism, riot, civil commotion or malicious intent as standard. 

Hiring out your Scout hut

Many Groups hire out their buildings, as a source of fundraising. In principle and practice, this may be a good idea as it can generate significant financial returns as well as improving security. An occupied building is less prone to vandalism.

Your potential liability as property owner is covered under the existing Association’s Liability Policy. 
You will need to check with your property insurer that such use is not excluded under your buildings policy 

If you insure your building under Our Scout Property and Equipment policy, your cover will not be affected if you hire out your building.
However, you should make potential users aware that they too have responsibilities.  Any equipment brought onto your premises by, say, a playgroup, would remain their property and responsibility. If such equipment were faulty and subsequently caused injury to a Scout, the Scout’s parent could sue the playgroup.
For regular users of your premises, particularly other organisations, it is advisable to have a formal written agreement. This need not be complicated and the Legal Department at Gilwell Park can provide model forms.

Remember your property damage policy will almost certainly carry an excess.  Therefore anyone using your group’s ‘home’ should be prepared to paying for minor damage they may cause

Contents and equipment insurance

Under our Scout Property and Equipment Policy, we provide flexibility for insuring your group’s equipment, contents and trailers, as well as items you may hire or borrow and be responsible for.

Contents and/or Equipment Cover

Our Contents and/or Equipment Cover can provide a very cost effective way of insuring contents and equipment

• Camping equipment is covered 
  • in use within the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
  • for loss or damage whilst in transit
  • for both theft and storm damage and whilst left unattended at camp;
• ’New for old‘ cover (except for trailers);
• Accidental damage cover to the contents within the premises; and
• Cost of replacing locks following the loss of keys.

All Risks Cover for your Scout group’s equipment

Our All Risks Cover offers broader and even more flexible options, with a range of further options which include:

• Cover for audio visual, computer and specialised equipment;
• European cover on all equipment;
• Cover for equipment loaned out to other Scout groups or Girlguiding units;
• We provide options for covering items hired or loaned out to schools, youth clubs etc.

Our flexibility means that you can mix and match the contents and/or equipment cover and the all risks cover to suit your group’s individual needs.

Trailers

Many Scout Groups now use trailers as transport, both for camps and activities and for such mundane tasks as jumble collection.  Trailers have a very high value on the second hand market and, as such, are attractive to thieves.

Unity’s trailer insurance provides cover for physical loss of or damage to your group’s trailer.  Optional cover is available if you loan your trailer to other groups. Short period cover is also available if you hire a trailer for camps.

Money

With many Scouting events being held at weekends, it may be several days before you are able to bank the group’s funds. Are there any tips for handling of money, accurate records i.e would they just estimate how much was stolen? Are charities moving away from cash handling? 
https://fundraisingexpert.com/donation-handling/

Our money cover includes such features as:

• Loss of money whilst unattended;
• Loss of Scout funds from private addresses and while being taken to the bank;
• Damage to clothing of any official resulting from theft or attempted theft; and
• Loss of or damage to any safe containing money, caused by thieves.

Reduce the risks when carrying cash

There are a few common sense precautions you should take, when handling your Scout Group’s money to help keep it safe.

• Do not leave money unattended.
• Bank it at the first opportunity.
• If it is a large amount of cash, such as takings from a fund raising event, then split the money between a few people.
• Don’t discuss you are carrying cash, as you may be overheard by potential thieves
• If you are carrying cash, don’t walk home alone; go with a colleague, as there is safety in numbers.

Loss of income

You can protect your Scout unit's income by taking out loss of revenue insurance. This cover repays you for the loss of income, as a result of your Scout buildings or contents being damaged.

Personal belongings of your members, while on Scouting activities

Whilst many homeowner insurances will cover certain items carried by family members, there are usually limitations. Typically, cover will exclude items whilst unattended. So, personal items left in tents whilst at camp would not be insured under a home insurance policy. 

We offer an option to cover clothing, baggage, sports equipment, musical instruments and other similar items belonging to all members of the Scout group, whilst attending Scouting activities, including weekly meetings and camps.

Claims

With few exceptions, cover is based on replacement or repair of the lost or damaged item to a condition equal to, but not better than, its condition when new. In many cases, insurers will source and arrange for delivery of a replacement for the lost goods, at their expense, saving you the bother of getting quotes and arranging for purchase.

We have delegated authority to handle and settle many claims in-house. So you will have peace of mind that they will be handled quickly and efficiently with minimum fuss by people who understand Scouting and have your interests at heart.
 

Specialist insurance for other items your Scout group may own

Some items that your group may own will need specialist policies,such as:

• Boats, watercraft and marine equipment 
• Minibuses and motor vehicles 

Access to other suitable policies

In the unlikely circumstances that our Scout Property and Equipment policy does not meet the needs of your Scout group, we do have access to other charity and general insurers and products.