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Even with the best training and safety precautions, it’s still a possibility that one day one of your workers or volunteers could be hurt in an accident. Even a minor injury could result in a major medical bill, that in turn could lead to a lawsuit, which could become a general liability claim. Employees and volunteers are at the heart of your affiliate, so it’s important that you protect them while also protecting your organization.
Different insurance coverage responds depending on the type of claim. While your affiliate likely has Workers’ Compensation coverage if you have employees, it’s important to know this coverage isn’t for volunteers, who are best protected by Volunteer Accident insurance. Understanding the difference in these two types of coverage is crucial to ensure all your people are protected.
What to Know About Workers’ Compensation for Affiliates
Accidents can happen when you least expect them, in spite of proper safety training and procedures. The consequences of an employee accident can be serious and may result in:
- Hospitalization
- Rehabilitation
- Accidental death
- Dismemberment
- Paralysis
- Permanent disability
Workers’ Compensation exists to cover your organization and your employees when such an accident takes place during the course of work.
Workers’ Compensation can protect both employees and their employer from the high costs of medical care, damages and legal fees. This coverage exists to make sure that affiliate employees and their families have a remedy for workplace injuries and that the affiliate is not overly burdened with high costs in the event of an accident.
Some key facts to know about Workers’ Compensation:
- Workers’ Compensation insurance is required by law in almost every state.
- Salaried, hourly, exempt, non-exempt, part-time and full-time workers all need to be covered by Workers’ Compensation.
- Verify the contractors you work with have Workers’ Compensation coverage. If they do not and get injured, your affiliate’s Workers’ Compensation policy could pay the claim. Their payroll could also be picked up at audit, both of which could cost your affiliate.
With a Workers’ Compensation policy from Lockton Affinity, you can get the coverage you need to meet state requirements and minimize the risks your affiliate faces.
What to Know About Volunteer Accident Insurance for Affiliates
While Workers’ Compensation provides broad coverage for your affiliate and its employed workers, Workers’ Compensation won’t apply if a non-paid volunteer is injured. And because volunteers play such a big role in your operations, ReStores and builds, an accident or injury for a non-paid volunteer puts your organization at risk.
Without protection for your volunteer workforce, your affiliate could again face high costs for medical care, damages or legal fees if someone is injured while volunteering. This is why you need Volunteer Accident insurance to protect these members of your affiliate.
Some key facts to know about Volunteer Accident insurance:
- Volunteer Accident insurance isn’t required by law, but HFHI requires that affiliates have coverage, which is offered through the Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Insurance Program.
- Even though you have volunteers sign a waiver saying they understand they are not insured, our Volunteer Accident coverage applies in excess of the volunteer’s individual health insurance coverage.
- Without this coverage, your affiliate may be served a lawsuit which could become very costly—much more than the cost of Volunteer Accident coverage!
Protecting Your Affiliate with Workers’ Compensation and Volunteer Accident Insurance
Safety and training can’t eliminate all risk, and an employee or volunteer may one day suffer a serious injury. To fully protect your affiliate, you may need both Workers’ Compensation coverage for your employees and Volunteer Accident insurance for your volunteer workforce.
The Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Insurance Program, administered by Lockton Affinity, offers both policies for affiliates like yours.