Village Hall Insurance, Made Clear. Part 1

Accidents, rebuilds, and the fine print no one wants to read can make hall insurance feel daunting. We bring clarity to the essentials that protect a community asset: what public liability actually covers, how to set the right limit, and why a hirer’s policy is not optional for commercial use. With Allied Westminster’s Helen Hall, we translate legalese into practical steps any trustee can follow, from choosing specialist buildings cover to avoiding underinsurance by using a proper RICS reinstatement valuation.

We dig into the real-world claims halls face—slips, trips, trailing cables, and car park hazards—and how simple housekeeping and clear responsibilities reduce risk. You’ll hear when employers’ liability becomes a legal must, even for volunteer-led halls, and how to make sure volunteers are protected. We also demystify hirers’ liability: when community users may be supported by the hall’s policy, when commercial hirers must show their own public liability, and how to write hire terms that stand up when things go wrong.

Inflatables and brought-in equipment often sit at the centre of disputes, so we share a checklist for permissions, supervision, proof of insurance, and weather limits that keeps everyone safe. We then turn to the unsung hero of resilience: business interruption. A fire or flood can stop bookings overnight; the right indemnity period and a plan for temporary venues can keep revenue flowing while repairs happen. Finally, we make the complex doable with three high-impact actions: update your policy to reflect current use, verify your rebuild cost with expert guidance, and tighten hire terms to match the risks you actually see.

If you run bookings, oversee a committee, or volunteer to keep the lights on, this guide will help you protect people, funds, and continuity. Subscribe for part two, share this with your fellow trustees, and leave a review telling us the insurance question you still want answered.

Transcript

Setting The Agenda: Hall Insurance

Marc Smith 0:01

Hello, my name is Marc Smith, and welcome to the Village Halls Podcast, sponsored by Allied Westminster, the UK's largest specialist provider of Village Hall insurance, and the home of VillageGuard. This is the first of two episodes for Village Hall committee members, trustees, hall managers, and volunteers who run community buildings usually in their spare time. So episode one focuses on the insurance the hall itself needs, so public liability, buildings, contents, employers' liability, hirers' liability, and business continuity. Episode two will cover the protection committee members need personally, along with events, good practice, and emerging risks. So to help us through this, we're joined by Helen Hall from Allied Westminster. Welcome to the podcast, Helen.

Helen Hall 0:46

Thank you. Hi.

Marc Smith 0:47

So can you tell us a little bit about what you do at Allied Westminster?

Helen Hall 0:52

Sure. I joined Allied Westminster in 2012, and I throughout my time here have become very familiar with village halls, often going out and visiting halls at their conferences and meetings, and really helping them understand what their insurance needs are and how to get the right insurance cover in place.

Marc Smith 1:13

Well, that's a good segway into the first question here. So, in your experience, so how well do committees generally understand their insurance?

Why Public Liability Worries Committees

Helen Hall 1:22

It varies a lot, and I say that with real sympathy because most village hall committees are unpaid volunteers, and insurance is only one of many things they're trying to manage. Quite often the insurance gets left to one trustee or committee member, and everyone else just follows their lead, which is understandable, but it can be a risk in itself because responsibility ultimately sits with the committee collectively, not just the person who usually deals with the insurance. In my experience, committees usually understand the big idea that yes, they need insurance, but they are less confident on the detail, especially where responsibility starts and stops between the whole and the hirer. And a very common misconception is assuming a hirer's or instructor's insurance automatically covers the whole as well. It simply may not. And when committees do review insurance together, the conversation can too easily start and end with what's the premium, rather than what do we need cover for and what are we actually getting. So my hope is that this podcast, like many of your episodes, is listened to by all trustees and committee members, not just that one person who is left to handle the insurance.

Marc Smith 2:34

So I suppose the reason we're doing this podcast is because I think about five, four months ago, five months ago, we put out a poll to see what everyone worried about with insurance. And it was public liability that came up top. So why why do you think that is?

Helen Hall 2:49

Yeah, I I think public liability worries people most because it's the cover they associate most directly with a real life accident, whether it's someone slipping, someone's injured, and very quickly the committee starts imagining blame, legal letters, and personal consequences. For unpaid volunteers, especially, that does feel very personal because they're not doing this as a business. They're trying to help run an important community space. So when they hear the words liability or claim, it can sound frightening. I also think it worries people because there's often confusion about who is responsible. Is it the hall, the hirer, the instructor, the contractor? And in real life, those situations can overlap. People understandably want a simple answer, but the facts matter. Public liability is one of those terms people hear a lot, but don't always feel they fully understand. Therefore, it becomes the thing they worry about most, even before they know exactly what it does and doesn't cover.

Marc Smith 3:45

Yeah. So what what does public liability cover and what doesn't it?

Helen Hall 3:50

In plain English, public liability insurance is there to protect the whole committee and trustees if they are held legally responsible for injury to a third party or damage to third party property, and if that arises from the whole's activities or the condition of the premises that they are responsible for. So if we take the example that someone is injured and it's alleged that the whole committee were negligent, perhaps because of a hazard in the building or how the premises had been managed, that's the sort of situation public liability is designed for, subject to policy terms. What it doesn't do is act as a catch-all for every incident involving every person on site. It doesn't replace a hirer's own insurance, and it doesn't mean every visiting group, band, or instructor is automatically covered for their own liability just because they're in that hall. That's a really important distinction. The whole committee should have insurance for their liabilities, and hirers should normally have insurance for their own activities and their own negligence. So those two things should be working alongside each other. One does not automatically replace the other. And once committees understand that, the next question is usually okay, so yeah, what level of cover should the hole actually carry?

What Public Liability Does And Doesn’t Cover

Marc Smith 5:08

Yeah, that's interesting. I had no idea that I assumed that the higher would be covered under the hall's insurance. So that's that's very interesting to know that. So yeah, well, I suppose my next question will be how does a hall decide the right level of cover?

Helen Hall 5:22

Yeah, so the starting point is to look at how the hall is actually used, not just the building itself. A committee should think about footfall, the range of activities, who is using the hall, whether events are routine or occasional, and whether there are any higher-risk activities. In practice, many halls choose a level such as £5 million or £10 million, because that's often what insurers, local authorities, and some hirers or contractors expect to see. But it shouldn't just be picked at random. It should reflect the hall's real exposure and the expectations placed on it. And yes, certain activities should absolutely prompt a closer look. So things like inflatables, larger public events, licensed events, more physically active uses, or anything involving crowds, contractors, or equipment being brought onto site. The key message is don't assume that one figure suits every hall. Tell your insurer or your broker what actually happens at your hall, including occasional events, so they can help you assess what level is appropriate.

Marc Smith 6:29

So, um what are the most uh common public liability claims against village halls?

Helen Hall 6:35

The most common claims tend to be the kinds of incidents you'd probably expect in busy community buildings, thinking about the slips, trips, and falls, they're all big ones. Whether that's inside the hall, often outside around the entrances, paths, or car park areas. We also see incidents linked to temporary setups, cables, equipment, marquees, tables, staging, things like this that can be moved before or after events, and sometimes damage to third-party property during hall activities or bookings. Could most of them have been prevented? I'd say many could, at least have been reduced or avoided, with good housekeeping and routine checks. So I'd always say things like spill management, floor condition, lighting, signage, keeping walkways clear, and having clear responsibilities before and after hires is hugely important. That said, accidents happen even in well-run halls. Insurance is there as a financial protection if something goes wrong, but it works best alongside practical risk management, not instead of it. And that's why getting the policy details right matters so much because you don't want to discover a gap only after an incident occurs.

Marc Smith 7:51

Oh no, totally yeah. So I suppose what would happen then? So say if the hall didn't have the right cover and they're then they try to make a claim, what's the the protocol then?

Helen Hall 8:02

The short answer is the insurer will investigate the claim and look carefully at the facts, the policy wording, and what was declared about the hall's use. If the issue is simply that the claim is large and the hall has chosen a lower limit than it really needed, the policy may still respond, but only up to the insured limit, which could leave the hall exposed above that amount. If the problem is that activities weren't properly disclosed or the hall is being used in a way the insurer was never told about, that can create much more serious difficulties. The insurer may ask whether they would have offered cover on the same terms at all if they'd known the full picture from day one. So, really, here the practical advice for committees is be open and specific when arranging or renewing insurance cover. This relates to the duty of fair representation. So don't just describe the hall in general terms, describe how it's actually used, including any occasional events and anything out of the ordinary, because it's much better to have that conversation up front rather than at the time of the claim. And that same principle really applies across the board, not just for liability, but also for your buildings and contents cover, where getting the details right is just as important.

Marc Smith 9:20

So, our next category to ask you questions about is buildings and contents. So, why do halls need specialists building cover?

Helen Hall 9:30

So, a village hall is a very different risk from a home because it's a community building with lots of different people using it for lots of different purposes. So, yes, buildings insurance still needs to cover things like fire, storm, flood, and escape of water, but a whole policy also needs to reflect how the building is actually used day to day. That includes issues like frequent higher use, volunteers opening and closing the premises, kitchen use, events, storage, outbuildings, external areas, and the fact the hall may be empty at certain times and then suddenly very busy. A standard domestic policy is usually not designed for that pattern of use. So that's why specialist cover matters. A provider who understands village and community halls will usually ask better questions, flag common risk gaps earlier, and structure the cover around how halls actually operate, not just treating it like a generic building. And that matters because trustees are trying to protect a community asset, often while juggling everything else as volunteers. Um, even if a hall does have buildings insurance, the next issue is often what people assume is included when it may not be.

Marc Smith 10:41

Yeah, I suppose, yeah, you you take for granted that everything is included. Uh I certainly do with my house, uh, and I'm hoping that's still the case. But what exclusions catch holes out?

Helen Hall 10:53

Yeah, um, this is one of the biggest reasons holes can get caught out because the common problem is that not that committees ignore insurance, it's that they assume a policy called buildings insurance automatically fits a busy community home. In reality, some policies may restrict or exclude certain activities, commercial style kitchen exposures, periods of unoccupancy or malicious damage. Um, so another area is wear and tear versus sudden accidental damage. Insurance is ultimately there for insured unforeseen events. It is not a maintenance contract. So if something has gradually deteriorated over years, that is not usually going to be covered, even though the repair bill is very real. People often assume the hall means everything on site, but fences, signs, outbuildings, gates, play areas, or external fixtures may need to be specifically checked. And this is where specialist wording and a careful reading of the policy schedule becomes really important. I think this does link well to a previous podcast episode that you've done where um you covered things like fire safety and legionella because insurance and risk management do work best together, not separately.

Marc Smith 12:07

Oh yeah, totally, yeah. And that was that that's what I came across in those podcasts. Uh was that you have to do you have to do everything to make it all work together, which I think is uh very important. So uh one of the things that when I had my house insurance that you have to kind of g guess what a rebuild cost is. So how can someone who has no idea about buildings or or any of that industry, how can how can they decide what a rebuild cost is? Why is it why is it always wrong, basically?

Common Claims And Preventable Risks

Helen Hall 12:37

Yeah, this this is such an important topic, and yeah, I'm glad you you you flagged it because it's something we at Allied Westminster have been championing championing with village halls since before I joined back in 2012. So the short version is insurance should usually be based on the rebuild cost. So that's the reinstatement cost, and it is not the market value. The market value includes things like land value and local property prices, whereas the rebuild cost is about what would it cost to demolish, clear the sites, pay your professional fees, and rebuild the hall after a major loss. Unfortunately, village halls do get this wrong, but that's for understandable reasons. A committee member inherits the renewal, sees a figure that's been there on the policy schedule for years, and assumes it must be right, but if it's too low, the hall may be underinsured, and that can affect claim settlement, especially on larger losses. So, best practice is to get a proper reinstatement cost assessment from a suitably qualified professional, often a chartered surveyor, I would say, and then review it regularly, especially if you've had major building works or improvements. So the Royal Institute of Charter Surveyors has specific professional standards on reinstatement cost assessments, which shows how specialist this is. And if your hall hasn't had a proper rebuild valuation for years, or if it's been extended, refurbished, or upgraded, put that on the agenda for your next committee meeting.

Marc Smith 14:07

Yeah, well, one of the things that I've always thought about with when it comes to anything, rebuilding anything, so regulations change. So I presume that a hall built in the 90s, where you didn't have to put insulation in, or you could put any old, you know, like polystyrene in the wall, uh now you have to do things by a different standard. So your your your rebuild cost is totally different from what it was, you know, just not even just building it in the same state, you now have to build it to a different regulation, so it puts the cost like way, way, way higher.

Helen Hall 14:36

Yeah, absolutely right. And and that just brings into the importance of you don't just have one rebuild cost and leave it at that. Um it's something you should look at on a regular basis. I can quote the charity commission, they certainly suggest that a professional rebuild cost assessment should be completed every two years. Um also you need to consider what's the best approach to go about that. So ultimately, the very best approach is to arrange an on-site valuation from a RICS-qualified surveyor. Um, following that, you would get a comprehensive survey report, and um that would outline the calculation made for your rebuild cost. But naturally, that comes with a significant cost, and there are alternative arrangements available. You can get remote desktop surveys at a much lower cost, still completed by risk surveyors. Uh so on that front, I would just certainly say it can be worthwhile speaking with your insurance provider because they may be able to assist with arranging that evaluation.

Marc Smith 15:35

Excellent, that's interesting. So you you mentioned there just that um like gates and play parks might not be included in your contents. So, what actually counts as contents then?

Helen Hall 15:47

Uh I would say in simple terms, contents is usually the movable property that your organization owns or is responsible for. Um, so it's not just your chairs and tables, you need to think what you've you've got in your kitchen, what crockery-wise, if you've got curtains, staging, PA equipment, sports equipment, you might have some office kit, cleaning equipment, all these sorts of things generally are going to be considered as part of your contents. But the exact split between buildings and contents can vary by policy wording and by how something is installed in the premises as well. So I would encourage committees not to guess at this sort of thing. When it comes to contents, keep a basic asset list, noting sort of the proximate replacement values, look at that regularly, check how higher value items are going to be treated on your insurance policy, whether it's electronics, specialist equipment, sometimes things used for regular hirings. So for a whole, the contents insurance is really about operational resilience as much as theft or damage, because if that key equipment is lost, you not you may not be able to function properly.

When Cover Falls Short And Declarations Matter

Marc Smith 16:56

Oh yeah, yeah. So what if a hirer's equipment is damaged? Like, does that fall under the category of the holds insurance? Or I assume they'll have their own insurance, but you don't you you they might try.

Helen Hall 17:07

Yeah, absolutely, yeah, that might be assumed. So usually the starting point is that the hirer is responsible for their own equipment, whether it's their projector, their catering kit, a mobile bar, band equipment, and so on. It can, however, become complicated if they allege that the hall was negligent. For example, a leak from the hall roof, insecure premises, or some hazard the hall should reasonably have managed, that's where liability questions can arise. So, really, the safest approach is number one, the hire agreement should make it clear that hirers are responsible for insuring their own equipment. And number two, the hall committee should avoid giving assurances like, don't worry, our insurance covers everything, because that can create confusion later. This is really a great example of why clear paperwork matters. Good insurance helps, but good hire terms and sensible communication prevent arguments in the first place. So another area to consider is if you allow your regular hires to store their belongings within your premises, do be sure to clarify with them if they have got their own insurance policy in place that covers those items, or if they don't, then speak with your insurance provider for the hall to see if those items can be covered under your hall policy.

Marc Smith 18:22

Right. Would their insurance need to be as much as the hall? So say they had something in, say they had a projector, one of the older style ones, and the bulb went on fire and no one was there and it burnt the hall down. This is an extreme scenario, by the way. Um would they need to have insurance that covered the rebuild of that hall as well? Because in my head it would make sense that they would have to, but maybe it it they would then move over to the hall's insurance for that.

Helen Hall 18:47

Yeah, so any claim like that would come down to the exact circumstances. Ultimately, if that arose, a fire from that projector caused the whole severe damage, as you say, maybe even a full rebuild, it's going to fall to initially the building insurer. So if we assume the whole committee were insuring the building, the insurer would deal with that as a normal property damage claim. But obviously, the circumstances around that claim would be investigated and potentially, dependent on the exact circumstances, if that third party who owned that projector had been negligent in some way, then there may be some amount of recovery against them. Comes down to exactly what had happened, how and why. Um, but ultimately it would be dealt with as normally a fire claim under the building's insurance part.

Marc Smith 19:34

Right, right. That's good. Uh so the next topic uh that came up in our poll was employer's liability. So when when does the employer's liability, like the legal, when does it actually apply?

Buildings Cover: Why Specialists Count

Helen Hall 19:48

I think this is one that surprises a lot of trustees or committee members because employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement when an organization has employees. So the legal rules are set out under the employer's liability compulsory insurance insurance framework, and HSE, the Health and Safety Executive, do provide the practical guidance. I think where uncertainty arises for village halls, um it's often because they are volunteer run. And they might be thinking, well, we don't employ anyone, so this doesn't apply to us. And sometimes that may be true in strict legal terms. However, volunteers can still be exposed to injury risks and there can still be civil liability issues. So the HSE's volunteer guidance makes clear there are still duties and risks to manage, especially in relation to premises and activities. Really, my practical message for committees is don't make assumptions, ask specifically, do we have anyone who is paid? Are they an employee in law? And how are volunteers treated under our insurance policy? And I'd say that conversation is far better to have at the time of arranging your insurance rather than after an injury occurs. And in general, most specialist village hall policies will include employers' liability cover as standard, and that's ultimately to protect those unpaid volunteers.

Marc Smith 21:13

All right, I think that's maybe our podcast in itself to figure out because if you have a cleaner, I suppose, that comes in once a week and you pay them it I suppose it technically it appropriate does make them an employee because it's a regular, you know, if it's it's the same day every week, the same amount of money, it's kind of is an even though you're kind of volunteer, it's once you get paid, it's P UI and all that nonsense. I suppose it does uh paying like if you're making a small regular sum to someone, does that make them an employee?

Helen Hall 21:42

Yes, so a committee may think it's only a small payment or they're self employed because we call them that, but the insurance and the legal position do depend on the actual working arrangement, not just the label. Right. So um regular paid work, completing work under the control of the whole committee. With responsibilities set out by the committee, they can all point towards an employer-employee relationship for the insurance purposes. So if the hall pays a cleaner, a caretaker, a booking secretary, or a general maintenance person on a regular basis, and if they are providing any form of instruction, that is exactly the point where the committee should stop guessing and they should check the position properly and ensure that they're meeting all of their responsibilities. Yeah, um ultimately there can be enforcement consequences and fines from the legal side. Um the bigger issue is the uninsured claim itself. So if someone working for the hall is seriously injured or a member becomes unwell and alleges negligence, then the whole committee may be facing compensation costs and legal costs at the same time, and that can obviously be very devastating for a community organization. It also creates stress for trustees and committee members personally because they are the people trying to deal with it on behalf of the whole. So it's not just a compliance box, it is part of protecting the whole's finances and the volunteers and the continuity of that community service that the whole provides. I think it's worthwhile pointing out that the charity commission guidance, C49, does also frame insurance as part of trustees' duty to protect the charity's assets and resources.

Marc Smith 23:38

Right, so the next topic. So this was a topic that a lot of people actually asked about in the section at the bottom uh where they could add their own um questions. It's about hirers' liability. So we're kind of we we touched on it with our dangerous projector person, but uh so do hirer's liability protect the whole, the hire or both?

Rebuild Cost, Underinsurance, And RICS

Helen Hall 24:00

Yeah, it's a great question because that name can be misleading. If we look at it in the simplest terms, hirer's liability cover is usually there to help address liability arising from the hirer's use of the hall. But exactly who is protected and in what circumstances does depend on the insurance policy wording. So committees should never assume all hirers are automatically fully insured for everything just because the policy includes the hirers liability section. What matters in practice is understanding which hirers may be eligible, what activities are allowed, whether commercial hirers are treated differently, and whether there are any conditions or exclusions as part of the policy wording. So I would describe it as a helpful protection that can support the whole's risk management, but it is not a substitute for checking what each hirer is doing and what insurance they should hold themselves. And again, this is exactly where specialist village hall policies often differ from the more generic commercial policies. They do and should recognise regular community hiring as a core feature of the risk, not an afterthought. So, for example, specialist hall wordings often have a distinct hirers liability section, but the scope does still vary and every committee should check.

Marc Smith 25:21

Right. So, should halls like should they require hirers to have their own public liability?

Helen Hall 25:26

As a general rule, I would say yes. It is sensible for holes to require the hirers, especially the higher risk or, in particular, commercial hirers, to carry their own public liability insurance. And the reason for that is simple. The person running the activity should usually insure their own liability for that activity. That helps avoid confusion and it makes claims handling much clearer if something does go wrong. If we think about what level of cover they should expect the hires to have, a reasonable minimum level of cover would depend on the hall and the activities. But committees commonly look for a stated minimum in their higher terms and then apply stricter requirements if there are higher risk uses. So the key thing is consistency and clarity in the higher agreement. Um, I would say many halls do take a more proportionate approach between, say, a small community group and a commercial operator. But community should not mean we don't need to do any checks. The hall still needs to understand the activity and decide what is appropriate and whether there is uh cover needed there.

Marc Smith 26:34

So say there's a local bamboo club where I am, and it's you just you I don't I don't know if they have specific insurance for that. Do you have to so say if you were to like I want to start a badminton club or a yoga club, do they have to have their own insurance when they hire that hall? Or if I would have a children's party in the local village hall, do I have to come along with public liability insurance myself? Or is that is is it a a line between the like the amate the amateur and the commercial? You know, is it is it a line there?

Helen Hall 27:05

Um certainly from my experience and the policies we deal with, the commercial aspect really changes things. So generally, any commercial hire at your premises at your hall should have their own separate insurance policy. And as part of your hire agreement, you should be asking for a copy of that. Where it then changes is with your example of that local badminton group or local person wanting to hire the hall for the birthday party. That's where the hirer's liability section, if you have that on your insurance policy, that may become relevant. And if you're not sure on the full details of the policy, have a look through your policy wording, look at your policy schedule, but you know, speak with your insurer or your insurance provider if you need any guidance on that.

Marc Smith 27:48

So I suppose halls, if you are hiring it for a Babbitting Club or a child child's birthday party, they should really say, Oh, you're actually covered on, you don't need to come with your own insurance, it's covered under our hire's liability insurance.

Helen Hall 27:59

Yeah, it needs to be clear in the higher agreement terms in any circumstances where the hall is allowing a hirer to benefit from that hire's liability and what the criteria for that hirer is in order for them to have the benefit of that cover.

Marc Smith 28:14

Right. That's good to know. That's from my own good, that one. So yeah, if so say a hirer does cause harm, and there's and there's no and they've got no cover of their own. What actually what's the what happens with the insurance company then?

Contents, Borrowed Kit, And Storage

Helen Hall 28:31

Yeah, so this is where halls might find themselves in an uncomfortable grey area. Sometimes the hall's policy may respond in some way, depending on the policy wording and the circumstances involved, but sometimes there may be a cap or a dispute over responsibility, especially if the hall assumed the hirer was covered, but no one actually checked that. So the safest approach would definitely be to avoid relying on the maybes, and actually, for the committee's point of view, you should have clear hire terms, ask the right questions in advance of a hiring, and require the evidence of insurance where appropriate, and always keep anything like that on record. Because if a claim happens, insurers will look closely at what was declared, what the hall already knew, and what controls were in place. So good administration can make a huge difference.

Marc Smith 29:20

Right, excellent. Right. Then this this question is actually from a listener. Uh, and I think I everyone can agree that bounty castles, albeit are fun, can be quite dangerous as well. So if you've got a bounty castle on the grounds uh and you've got a child in injured, so where does the hall stand in that case?

Helen Hall 29:40

Yep, so this is a brilliant listener question because it is exactly the sort of real world situation that creates confusion. The honest answer is it depends on the facts and the policies involved, and there may be multiple parties in play. We've got the family hirer, the bouncy castle company, the hall, and potentially the hall's insurer. The key issue becomes who was responsible for what. You need to think about the supply, the setup, the supervision, safety checks, and permission to use the grounds. From the hall's point of view, the safest position is to have a higher agreement that clearly says brought-in equipment, especially inflatables, must be from a competent provider, properly insured and operated in accordance with safety guidance. It is very important, especially when we're talking about things like bounty castles, that you really must understand what your insurer's position is and establish if the hire will be supervising the bouncy castles themselves or if the company providing the device will be staying and supervising it.

Marc Smith 30:44

So I suppose what should a higher agreement say about if you bring in about a castle, what should the higher agreement say about that type of thing?

Helen Hall 30:52

I would suggest higher terms should cover things like prior permission for inflatables and similar equipment, proof of the supplier's public liability insurance, confirmation of who is responsible for supervising the device, confirmation that there will be compliance with safety instructions and weather limits, and confirmation that the hire is taking responsibility for their contractors. Now that won't eliminate every dispute, but um if you have those clear hire terms, that should put your hall in a much stronger position if you did find a claim arose.

Marc Smith 31:27

Yeah. Does it cover um car parks or like play parks?

Helen Hall 31:33

So committee should never assume that the liability cover is only inside the hall because in real life the risk absolutely includes approaches, paths, steps, car parks, and outdoor areas that are connected with the hall's use. That said, whether and how cover applies does depend on the policy wording, the occupancy, ownership arrangements, and what the hall is actually responsible for maintaining. So, for example, the committee may be responsible for one area but not another, and that's where the local council may take responsibility.

Marc Smith 32:05

All right, right.

Helen Hall 32:06

So the practical question for trustees is which external areas do we control, maintain, or invite people to use? Then make sure those areas are considered in both risk assessments and insurance discussions. And again, this is where a specialist provider does help. They do understand the village hall risk often starts in the car park and at the front path, not just at the main hall door.

Marc Smith 32:30

Yeah. That's that's quite interesting, actually. Yeah, yeah, because uh so you'd have to find out. I'm just thinking of our uh play park. I think it's actually managed by the the hall, but I suppose you wouldn't know until you actually ask the questions. You can't you can't always assume uh these things because everything is different.

Helen Hall 32:45

Absolutely, yeah. And I mean this touches on a much bigger topic, but um it's important as a whole committee to fully understand where your responsibilities start and end. And you know, we are talking about legal responsibility, whether you own the hall, lease the hall, whether that includes the car park, whether that includes a field next door, and whether that includes that play area next door. It's really important that you understand what you are responsible for.

Employers’ Liability And Volunteers

Marc Smith 33:12

I think all those questions would be asked when you actually because obviously when you do car insurance, they obviously assume where you live, what type of car you drive, but I think it it must take a while to do it, get the hall insurance right because there's so many questions here. It must be a minefield.

Helen Hall 33:28

Absolutely right. Um village halls do a lot, various activities have a lot of different responsibilities. And yes, you know, when you are arranging your quotation, your renewal terms, you will be provided with a lot of information, you will be asked a lot of questions, but that is all with the aim to make sure that you get the insurance cover that you need.

Marc Smith 33:47

Yeah. And you can sleep easy because you know you've done it right, I suppose, because there's so many things that I think, well, I've done that right, and you you you do worry, so that's good to know that there's they're going to ask the questions um to get it right. So the final section is business continuity. So this came up in our in our questionnaire um online. So, how does loss of income cover work for a hall?

Helen Hall 34:10

This is such an important point because rebuilding the hall is only one part of the problem. If your hall is significantly damaged and you can't operate, you they you're going to lose your higher income, your fundraising opportunities, your regular classes and bookings. Naturally, that can affect the hall's abilities to survive financially while those building repairs are happening. And that is where the loss of income cover can be crucial, and that's also known as business interruption. So, in principle, this cover is there to help with financial loss following an insured event, and it often also additional costs reasonably incurred to reduce the impact will be included. So, temporary arrangements if you move to another hall to carry on your activities. In a wording that you've shared, for example, the business interruption section refers to loss of revenue/slash rent receivable, additional expenditure, and an indemnity period. The exact mechanics always depend on the policy and schedule. And again, this is quite a complex topic. Um, but to touch on some details, there is an indemnity period concerned with this section of cover. Committees need to think realistically about how long it could actually take following, let's say, a fire at a building, for you to get back to normal. So, not just how long the repairs might take, but consider delays with surveys, permissions, contractors, if you've got a listed building that can delay things, and obviously obtaining potentially funding can also extend the deadline. So, really think about how long it may take following a serious fire for you to get back up and running and operating at full capacity.

Marc Smith 35:54

Yeah. What if that if you narrow it down into just equipment breakdown? What does how does that uh affect the cover? And like obviously, if you if you've got equipment that's broken down, do you have to prove that the maintenance that is required on that bit of kit has been done? What's the process for that?

Helen Hall 36:13

Yeah, so this often catches committees out because people assume something being insured means mechanical or electrical failure is automatically covered, and frankly, often isn't, at least not unless equipment breakdown cover is included. So equipment breakdown is usually aimed at sudden and unforeseen breakdown of insured plant or equipment. So we're talking about things like heating systems, boilers, pressure plant, refrigeration, sometimes electrical systems, depending on the policy. Uh, it is very useful cover for holes because a failed boiler can shut down lettings just as effectively as a burst pipe can in the winter. But yes, maintenance absolutely matters. Insurance is not a substitute for servicing inspections and statutory checks. And if equipment hasn't been maintained properly or required inspections have not been done, that can create problems at the time of a claim. This really does emphasize the importance of keeping really good, strong written records for your whole. And I think it's also a nice crossover with your podcast practical episodes on the fire safety, building management, legionella, heat and efficiency, because all of those reduce the chance of a breakdown or interruption in the first place.

Hirers’ Liability: Who’s Actually Covered

Marc Smith 37:27

It really is a minefield. I don't envy your job, I can just chat. But uh it's it sounds like a you know, there's just so many different avenues and uh checks to do. It's it sounds extremely complicated. It does sound complicated. It does. Uh especially well to get it right, you can do, you know, you can get it wrong easy enough, but to get it right, it does sound uh quite complicated. So I suppose for people who are listening to the podcast now, uh say if they've never really looked at their hall's insurance, what are like two or three things you could say to do first? What's the what's the the the the what steps one, two, three to do?

Helen Hall 38:01

Okay, so I think I would suggest three things. So firstly, check that your insurance reflects how your hall is actually used today, not how it was used five years ago. We recognise activities can change, hirers can change, and the risk changes. Second thing, check your building's cover is based on a rebuild cost, not a market value. Check into when it was last properly reviewed. And finally, check your hire agreement and your hire a process, especially what you require for public liability insurance and brought-in equipment like inflatables or outside caterers. And I'd maybe add one more because it does really matter. I mentioned it earlier. Don't leave the insurance matter entirely to fall to one trustee if you can avoid it. It's common, but all trustees and committee members share the responsibility for protecting the hall's assets and liabilities. And I really hope this episode, like so many episodes of the Village Hall podcast, gets listened to by the whole committee, not just the person who usually deals with the insurance.

Marc Smith 39:06

Now we do have a second podcast because there's so much to cover when it comes to insurance. But where can someone uh find out more information just now?

Helen Hall 39:18

So a great place to start is naturally the Village Halls podcast itself because you've built a really useful library of practical episodes for trustees and committee members. This insurance series sits very naturally alongside your wider topics, excuse me, topics like things like governance, fire safety, legionella, day-to-day hall management, and even fundraising for improvements that can strengthen risk management over time. Beyond that, for general guidance, I mentioned earlier the Charity Commission's charities and insurance guidance, the CC49 document, I'd recommend trustees look at that. It helps explain trustees' responsibilities for protecting and the charity's assets and managing the risk. In general, if anyone wants to speak to Allied Westminster about their own haul circumstances, they are very welcome to contact us. We do insure many thousands of village and community halls across the UK. That's through our Village Hall Insurance flagship products, the Village Guard product. Um, and we do have other products if needed. But I would also say whether your provider is us or someone else, don't be afraid to ask questions. Make sure you get clear, coherent answers because the insurance is isn't just about buying a policy and paying a premium, it's about knowing that if something goes wrong, a claim can be handled with a minimum disruption by people who understand village halls and the volunteers who run them. As we often say, those volunteers running village halls are the unsung heroes of their communities and they should be respected as such, not least by insurance providers. I think it's worth recognising that every hall is different, but the good news is that most insurance gaps can be improved once they're identified.

Marc Smith 40:56

Excellent. Well, thank you very much for the plug for the Village Halls podcast there. That's very much appreciated of a source of information. I say my goal has been achieved. That's very, very good. So, yeah, well, that's that's basically it for today's uh podcast. Uh I I just want to thank you uh a huge amount uh for coming on, Helen. Uh I know it was your your first podcast, but it's been so so insightful. There's so many things that are that we've still not even probably touched on as well that you'll probably see every every every day. It really is amazing how how complicated it is. Uh I don't envy your job at all. Uh oh yeah, I suppose one final question. If if someone was a call was to come to you and it was something you'd never really dealt with before, can you adapt a policy that's just I I I don't even know where it would where it would happen in real life, but but could you adapt a policy to fit what they need, or is it could I assume it's not a one policy fits all? You have uh you know variables that you can add in there.

Commercial Vs Community Hirers

Helen Hall 41:57

Yeah, so uh well with our village guard policy, there are lots of different optional covers that we have available, and we've tailored the policy over many years to try our very best to make sure we are meeting the needs of every potential village hall. That said, we do see odd requests here and there that's something we've never come across before. And touch wood, most of the time, we can adapt a policy, extend a policy, or arrange a more suitable policy if it doesn't quite fit. So um, yeah, any unique circumstances we're welcome to hear about and and hopefully it's something we can assist with.

Marc Smith 42:33

That's fantastic. Well, thank you very much for your time, and we will speak again soon. Thank you very much. Many thanks to our headline sponsor and specialist Village Hall Insurance Provider, Allied Westminster, the home of VillageGuard, for making this podcast possible. And to online booking system provider Hallmaster, who also sponsor our podcast and can be found at hallmaster.co.uk. You've been listening to the Village Halls Podcast, a unique listening community for Britain's village, community, and church halls, and anyone interested in the vital community services they provide. We'll be back again soon with another episode. For more information, please visit the Village Hallspodcast.com, where you'll also find links to our social media pages. Thanks again for listening in, and until the next time, goodbye for now.