Insurance Issue

Background

In recent years, research by the Voluntary Sector Initiative and others has underlined that voluntary sector organizations face a number of insurance-related challenges that affect their ability to operate. Particularly affected are organizations dealing with vulnerable populations, including children, seniors and the disabled. The key issues were:

Affordability
Rising premiums pulls precious funds away from an organization’s activities and programs.

Accessibility
It is critical that the appropriate liability insurance coverage is offered and comes to the attention of organizations. If organizations cannot obtain the coverage they need, for example due to work with a high-risk population such as children, they may be forced to abandon programs, even if they are a critical resource for the community.

Stability
Connection to global insurance trends and other factors in the external environment leads to premium costs that fluctuate and when premiums rise suddenly, and organizations can’t predict or plan for insurance costs in their annual budgeting processes. It is also difficult for organizations to find the necessary funding to cover unexpected premium costs.

CCVO's Work

Alberta Voluntary Sector Insurance Council (AVSIC)
CCVO continues as member of the Alberta Voluntary Sector Insurance Council, or AVSIC, which brings together the voluntary sector, insurance industry and Government of Alberta to address insurance-related issues affecting the voluntary sector.

Insurance Toolkit for the Voluntary Sector
In 2006, CCVO developed an insurance toolkit tailored to meet the needs of Alberta's voluntary sector organizations for the Alberta Voluntary Sector Insurance Council (AVSIC). Subsequently, Volunteer Alberta developed an Insurance Toolkit website and hosted a series of workshops across the province.

Related Information

AVSIC Website

Insurance Toolkit for the Voluntary Sector

Insurance Toolkit Website