Nonprofit Insurance FAQs

You are far too involved in the day to day business of your nonprofit endeavor to worry about worst case scenarios. Let our experts handle it so you can dedicate your time to what matters most.

What are the most common insurance claims against nonprofits?
Nearly 90% of claims reported by nonprofit organizations are accidents and injuries related to automobiles or slips, trips and falls at nonprofit locations and special events. These instances are typically smaller claims and do not involve prolonged litigation. The other 10% of claims result from allegations of improper employment practices (i.e., wrongful termination), professional errors and omissions, and sexual abuse. Though they occur much less frequently, these claims are often complicated and quite expensive to resolve.

What types of insurance does my nonprofit need?
All organizations should purchase general liability, colloquially known as slip-and-fall insurance. This covers any accidents of persons not working for your organization.

Also consider "non-owned/hired" auto insurance, in case an employee or volunteer is involved in an auto accident and their personal insurance is inadequate.

We also offer: [standard?]

• Property insurance for damage to property (including computer and other records) owned or leased by the nonprofit;
• Fidelity insurance for embezzlement cases;
• Social services professional coverage for errors and omissions that could arise in the course of carrying out the missions, providing counseling, advice in support groups, etc.;
• Accident insurance in case a volunteer, program participant, or gallery patron is injured on the premises; and
• Improper sexual conduct insurance, particularly if the organization works with a vulnerable population.
• In the instance you require more than $1 million in coverage, consider an umbrella policy that would provide extra limits over many different coverages at the same time. The above list is not exhaustive of insurances purchased by nonprofits. We can talk about the specifics of your operation and any further concerns you may have.

What is Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance, and do we need it?
Considering the predominance of wrongful termination lawsuits, if you have only one employee, D&O insurance with employment practices coverage is a necessity. When an employee maintains that the board took an intentional and improper action, a wrongful termination claim can be made against your organization.

Statistically, almost 95% of claims against D&O policies are employment-related, including harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination. If an organization has no employees, its risk of claims against board members is low, but so is the premium for such coverage. It therefore may be worth purchasing for the peace of mind it provides your board members.

D&O insurance typically protects individual board members as well as employees, volunteers and the organization itself in the instance of a civil suit. But since each policy is different, sometimes with different features even at the same insurance company, it is important to confirm with your GHM agent that both individuals and the organization are covered, and that coverage for employment practices is included.