I would not be a board member of a group that didn't have insurance. The easiest way to get it is to join NPN and get the economical group rates. While researching our first insurance I found that most of the big insurance companies had little to no experience with groups such as PTO, while the company that works through NPN specializes in it.
Why, you ask? Anyone can sue anyone for anything. Think of all the events that your PTO sponsors - and while they may be on school property, should anyone be injured and decide that PTO is responsible, guess where they are headed.
Coverage for the money/those who have access to it is also available - who would think someone would steal from the kids? But it happens all too often (to me once is too often.)
One more thing to consider - our district required that in order for us to hold events on their property we prove coverage. In exchange - anyone we did business with, from wrapping paper vendors to Market Day to playground equipment - we asked for a copy of their certificate of insurance and to be named as an additional insured while they were doing something we were paying them to do. It is a simple request.
The good news - we have not had the need to use the insurance. The better news - if we had to - they would be there.
I don't know anything about the insurance part. We are a brand new PTO and I heard something about insurance, but don't know what kind or why we need insurance?! Can anyone explain? HELP :confused:
