Village Hall Insurance Made Clear, Part 2

Your village hall can be fully insured and you can still be personally exposed. That is the uncomfortable truth we unpack with Helen Hall from Allied Westminster, as we go beyond buildings and contents into the parts of village hall insurance that really affect the volunteers making decisions every week.

We talk trustee and management liability in plain English: what it is, who it can protect, what sorts of governance or financial allegations can trigger it, and why internal committee disputes are not automatically “an insurance thing” but can become one. If you are newly joining a committee, we share the practical checks that reduce stress later, from reading the constitution and recent minutes to understanding your insurance arrangements, risk documents, and basic finances. We also cover the limits of protection, because policy terms, conditions, and exclusions matter, especially where dishonesty or deliberate acts are involved.

From there, we tackle the real world grey areas village halls face every day: when a volunteer starts to look like an employee, how employers’ liability can be triggered, and how to document volunteer roles without drowning in paperwork. We compare personal accident cover with liability claims, then move into events insurance, risk assessments for busy mixed indoor and outdoor events, and the tricky add ons like licensed alcohol and bouncy castles. We also touch on legal expenses cover, cash and transit, terrorism insurance, and the big renewal risk many committees miss: gradual changes in how the hall is used that should be declared as they happen.

If you want clearer governance, safer events, and fewer nasty surprises when a claim lands, press play, then subscribe, share with your committee, and leave us a review so more halls can find the guidance.

Transcript

Welcome And Awards Reminder

Marc Smith 0:01

Hi, I'm 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. Before we begin, a quick reminder that entries are now open for the Village Hall's Inspiration Awards 2026, celebrating the incredible work happening in village, community, and church halls across the country. You can apply from now until the 31st of October, so please do consider putting your hall forward. So, welcome back. In episode one, Helen Hall from Allied Westminster walked us through the cover every village hall needs the foundations. So today we're going a layer deeper because it's not just the building that needs protecting, it's the people running it. So the the trustees, the committee members, the volunteers who give up their time and often, without realizing it, take on real personal responsibility when they do. So if you haven't heard episode one yet, it's definitely worth going back. But this one will make sense on its own as well. So let's get into it. Welcome back, Helen.

Helen Hall 1:02

Thank you, Marc.

Marc Smith 1:04

So before we get started, I'd like to give everyone a quick reminder that the Village Hall's Inspiration Awards are now open for 2026. So if you know a hall, a volunteer, or a project that deserves recognition, head to the website, which is uh the villagehalls podcast.com and get your nomination in. So now on with the show.

Trustee Liability And Personal Exposure

Marc Smith 1:23

So today we're starting with what I think is a topic that surprises committee members the most, which is trustee and management liability. So can you set the scene? So what does it mean in practice to be personally exposed as a village hall trustee?

Helen Hall 1:38

Okay, so in practice, it means that when you're a trustee or committee member, you're not just helping out informally. You're involved in decisions that can have legal and financial consequences if something goes wrong. Now, that doesn't mean trustees should panic or feel they're one step away from being personally sued all the time. Most trustees are doing an excellent job in good faith. But it does mean the role carries responsibilities for how the hall is run, how money is managed, how risks are handled, and how decisions are made. What surprises people is that the hall being insured does not automatically mean every personal exposure of every committee member is covered under every circumstance. Risks sit in a different category, which is why trustee or management liability comes up as a separate discussion. And I think that's especially important for village halls because these are usually volunteers giving the time selflessly for their community and without fully realizing the legal responsibilities that come with that role.

Marc Smith 2:53

So is is part of a different section of the insurance policy, like trustee liability, it's never and is it as it is always included, or do you have to specify you want that type of insurance as well?

Helen Hall 3:05

So it will depend on the provider. Some may choose to automatically include it with their policies, but often it is something that will be optional, so you will have to often request it.

Marc Smith 3:17

All right, right. When it is on the air, what is actually covered under trustee liability policy? So is it only the formally named trustees, or does it uh go further and extend to anyone acting in a management capacity? So like a subcommittee member, a whole manager, or even someone who's been on the committee for years but was like never formally appointed.

Helen Hall 3:37

Ultimately, the trustee's liability is there to protect trustees. And then depending on the policy wording, other people in management roles could be protected against claims alleging wrongful acts in how that organization is run. So it comes down to things like who's making decisions, governance failures, mismanagement allegations, or breaches of duty. And that's what makes the trustee liability different from covers like public liability or buildings insurance. Those are mainly about injury and property damage or physical loss that's linked to a premises and its operations. So I would say the simple way to think about it is public liability is usually about accidents and injury or property damage. Buildings and contents insurance is about the physical assets. And the trustee management liability is about decisions and governance. And that separation matters because a committee can do everything right in terms of maintaining the building, yet still face a dispute or allegation about the way a decision was made or handled.

Marc Smith 4:51

Ah, right, right. So what could actually trigger a per say if someone's gonna get a personal claim against them? What could trigger that?

Helen Hall 5:02

So a realistic example might be a governance or financial decision that another party later says when was handled improperly. It doesn't always mean the trustees did something wrong, but the allegation itself can create stress, cost, and the need for a defence. I think it's a difficult one to really give a specific example because each village hall runs in its own way. Um and it all comes down to that governance and managing that risk.

Marc Smith 5:49

Yeah. So what about uh disputes between committee members themselves? So can that fall within trustee liability or is that a different kind entirely?

Helen Hall 5:59

Well yeah, it it can become quite complicated, complicated quite quickly because not every internal disagreement is going to be an insurance matter. Some disputes are simply governance or relationship issues and better dealt with through the constitution, their procedures, mediation, or maybe charity governance support. Others, however, may develop into formal allegations that potentially would engage the trustee and management liability cover. That will come down to the exact policy wording and the nature of the claim. The main thing I'd say is don't assume every committee disagreement is insured, but also don't assume it definitely isn't insured. If a dispute becomes formal or serious, get advice early and notify your insurance provider promptly where it might be appropriate. This is where specialist experience helps. Um, not because insurers want conflict, but because someone who understands village hall committees will have seen how small disagreements can escalate if they're not handled clearly and calmly.

Marc Smith 7:14

That's a nice link to a previous podcast with Jackie Weaver. I should have actually asked her that question as well to see if it came up post meeting. So I suppose if if if someone has been asked to join uh the committee just now and they've listened to the podcast, what sh and they're and obviously and they're worried, what should they be asking before they say yes?

Helen Hall 7:37

Yeah, it it's sensible to ask some questions and get a real good understanding of the organization that you're potentially going to join. I would suggest asking to see five things. Firstly, the whole's governing document or the constitution, and that's so that you can understand the role and the responsibilities that come with it. Secondly, have a look at recent committee meeting minutes. You want to get a feel for how decisions are made and recorded. Thirdly, have a look at a summary of the whole's insurance arrangements, including what cover is in place and when that policy will use. Fourthly, ask to have a look at any key risk documents. So we're thinking about risk assessments, health and safety arrangements, what are the hiring procedures? And then finally, ask to see some basic financial information. Not because you're looking to become an accountant, but because trustees share responsibility for stewardship. Now that might sound a lot, but it is really just good housekeeping. And anyone joining a committee is far more likely to contribute confidently if they are given a clear picture from the outset.

Marc Smith 8:57

All right, right. No, that's good, that makes sense, yeah. Now, I I don't want to say or insinuate that insurance companies never want to be out, but is there ever a situation where trustee liability cover won't protect someone? So where the like the policy were like, no, it doesn't, it's not covered, whatever's happened.

Helen Hall 9:14

So the simple answer is yes. And that is an important reality to be clear on. Like any policy, trustee and management liability cover will have terms, conditions, and exclusions. It is not a blank check for every circumstance. When it comes to a claim, the exact position depends on the wording, but there are usually situations where cover will not respond. For example, if there is a deliberate act involved or some sort of dishonesty-related issue or simply matters outside the scope of the insured's role, it's unlikely you'll be covered in those sorts of situations. I would say the key points for trustees is not to memorize policy exclusions, but to understand that the policy is there to support people acting properly in their role and not to replace good conduct or good governance. So if your hall has this cover, brilliant. But committees should still focus on clear decision making, proper records, and getting help early when something feels contentious.

Marc Smith 10:25

Right. Okay, that's good. So

Volunteers Versus Employees In Practice

Marc Smith 10:28

I the next section is uh I thought uh well, I still I thought I was still thinking I'm sure you're gonna correct that, is a bit of a grey area. So it's all about volunteers, employees, and personal accident. So in in the eyes of an insurer, so what's what's the actual practical difference between a volunteer and an employee and why does it matter so much for what's covered?

Helen Hall 10:50

In practical terms, it matters because different insurance covers and legal obligations can be triggered depending on whether someone is acting as a volunteer or is treated as an employee. A volunteer is typically giving time freely without a contract of employment and often without pay beyond perhaps genuine out-of-pocket expenses. An employee is generally in a more formal working relationship, whether it's part-time or low paid. Why it matters is that employers' liability legal requirements, policy sections, and claims routes may depend on that distinction. And village halls often sit right on the edge of this issue because they're volunteer-led, but they may also pay a cleaner, a caretaker, or a bookings person. So the practical message here is don't rely on labels alone. The committee should be clear about who does what, on what basis, and then make sure that their insurance reflects that reality.

Marc Smith 12:03

Right, right. So what makes someone an employee then? If it's say if you pay them £20 a week to clean or a flat fee for like managing bookings, does that automatically make them an employee for insurance purposes, or does it have to be an official employment from the whole?

Helen Hall 12:20

Um paying any amount of money for some sort of service could certainly make them an employee, or at the very least, it should prompt the committee to check the position rather than assume. A very common misunderstanding that we see is it's only a small amount, so it doesn't count.

Marc Smith 12:37

Yeah.

Helen Hall 12:38

But the amount paid is not the only factor. Um, you've got to think about regularity, the duties, control, and the overall arrangement can all matter. So if a hall pays someone regularly, even a modest amount, it's a good moment to pause and ask, how is this person classified? And does our insurance arrangement reflect that properly? And again, this is one of those areas where using a specialist provider for your insurance can really help because village halls frequently have these informal looking arrangements that are actually very important from an insurance point of view.

Marc Smith 13:17

Yeah, that's interesting that, yeah. I might need I I should really uh try and get someone from well, it's impossible to get anyone from HMRC on the phone, but it would be nice to have someone on to actually you know define what employment there's, you know, do you have to do pay UI pension contributions and stuff like that? Um it's quite a I'm pretty sure it's a minefield of information there. Uh so how should a Hall document its volunteer arrangements to protect itself if so if a claim uh arose later on?

Helen Hall 13:48

So I would say it doesn't need to be overcomplicated. What is important is that it is clear. So at a minimum, I would encourage Halls to keep a basic record of who their volunteers are, the types of tasks they help with, any relevant safety instructions or briefings that you may have provided to them, and confirmation of who is supervising or coordinating activities where appropriate. For things like working parties or more physical tasks, it does also help to record what the job was, what checks or precautions were in place, and details of any equipment that may have been used. The point is not to turn volunteering into paperwork for the sake of it.

Marc Smith 14:37

Yeah.

Helen Hall 14:38

It's just to be able to show later that the hall organised things sensibly and took safety seriously. That's what can make a big difference if there is an injury, dispute, or allegation months afterwards.

Marc Smith 14:53

A side question here how long would you have to keep that information on hand? If say if no one had an accident. Well, say if you didn't know someone had an accident, they kept it quiet, and then three months later they come along and say, Well, actually uh little Mark had an accident in the um in the hall. Do you have how how long do you actually keep what's a sensible obviously it has to be realistic as well, you can't keep it indefinitely, but what would be a sensible amount of time?

Helen Hall 15:23

So I I think this sort of ties in with how liability claims can work. Um so may not be common knowledge, but for liability claims involving adults, from the date an incident happens, that adult has three years to submit a claim. So as a starting point, I would say keep records for at least three years. Oh, really? I thought you were going to say like three months or something, yeah. That's a good thing. So um, but that would be a minimum. Um, you know, that there's no harm keeping records for much longer. And actually, I just mentioned that that's a requirement for adults. It's a different story if it involves a child, um, and that would need the records keeping a lot longer. So um, as long as possible, would probably be sensible. There may be some legal requirements around record keeping, and it's good practice to check into those, but if you've got the capacity, it's sensible to keep records as long as you can.

Marc Smith 16:26

That's good. No, that's that's that's very interesting, that yeah.

Personal Accident Cover Explained

Marc Smith 16:30

I suppose, oh, there we go straight on to personal accidents. So it was actually highly requested in the survey we did that prompted these podcasts. So, what does personal accident cover actually provide? And is it different from employer's liability or are they covering different things?

Helen Hall 16:48

They are covering different things, and unfortunately, that's exactly why people get them mixed up. So if we think about employers' liability, that is about legal liability. If someone working for the hole is injured and alleges that your hole had been negligent, that's about a liability claim. Personal accident cover is different. It usually provides specified benefits for certain types of injury, disability, or sometimes death following an accident, depending on the policy terms. So, in other words, it can provide a benefit without needing the same kind of negligence claim process that a liability claim does. So one cover is mainly about defending and meeting liability claims, the other, the personal accident cover, is more of a defined benefit support following an accident. And for village halls, personal accident can be particularly valued where volunteers are doing practical jobs because it adds another layer of protection. But it is again for committees to take the time to understand exactly what it does and does not cover.

Marc Smith 18:07

All right. So if a volunteer was injured, so say if they're helping paint the hall or clearing the car park, what cover applies in who do they actually claim against if an accident happens?

Helen Hall 18:18

So it will come down to the exact circumstances, um, the facts involved, and their insurance policy structure. Um it's one of those situations where you really have to look at the case carefully. If in one of those scenarios the volunteer alleges that the whole had been negligent, for example, maybe there were unsafe arrangements or poor supervision, you might find that becomes a liability claim against the whole, and the relevant liability policy section would be considered. If you have personal accident cover in place and the circumstances fall within that section, there may actually be a route for a defined benefit. It all comes down to the wording, the circumstances, and the conditions involved.

Marc Smith 19:04

The

When Events Need Extra Insurance

Marc Smith 19:05

next section from our forum that we had online is we kind of did touch on this in the first podcast, uh it was events events insurance and tricky situations. So event insurance, it got 10 votes in our listener survey, so it's joint second overall. So when does a hall actually need separate events insurance on top of its own standard policy? So is it is it just for large public events or any fundraiser?

Helen Hall 19:34

Really, it will depend on what the hall's standard policy already covers and the nature of the event. So many events you'll find will sit comfortably within the hall's normal insured activities, especially regular community use. But certainly once you move into the larger events or the more unusual activities, if you've got things involving temporary structures, use of outside spaces, licensed alcohol, and third-party providers involved, then that's the time really to pause, check what your standard insurance policy covers. Is that enough? I wouldn't frame it as this is only applicable for large public events and they need separate cover. Sometimes a smaller event can create a different type of risk. Um, I'd really say check with your current policy cover and establish with your provider if that's something that can be covered automatically. Sometimes policies can be extended just one event. Yeah, right. Sometimes there might be a circumstance that actually the better, most cost-effective and comprehensive way to cover that is with a separate one-off event policy.

Marc Smith 20:49

Ah, right, right. So this is another odd question. Uh how do you define it as a large hypublic event? You like what's what takes it from it's that fine line, what takes it from rural to not rural, what takes it from a normal event to a large event? Is there is uh I I dare say that it'll be open to interpretation, I suppose.

Helen Hall 21:13

Yes, um again, each provider may look at this differently. I I would just say have a sensible approach. When you plan an event, part of your risk assessment for that event is gonna be considering numbers. If you're within a building, there's gonna be a capacity for how many people can come to that, and and that might help dictate things. Um we would generally take an approach of if an event is gonna have more than a thousand people, certainly that's the time to make sure you're speaking with your provider. Yeah, check if there are any limits relating to the number of people coming to an event. But it yeah, it's a fine line and it's a judgment call. And if you're ever unsure, just check your policy cover.

Marc Smith 21:55

Yeah, yeah. No, that's good, that's good to know that. So we've got a question uh From a listener who put it into the the questionnaire we had. So what are the risk assessment requirements for volunteer staffing for events like uh a Cayley or a like a like a market? And what if the market, which you touched on briefly, is partly outside and partly inside? Uh is that cause issues?

Helen Hall 22:19

Um firstly brilliant listener question because this absolutely reflects real life. Um village hall events are often mixed, busy, changing as the day goes on, partially inside, partially outside. Um the key point I would say is that the risk assessment should reflect the event as per how it's planned to operate. So for a Cayley or a market, you'd be looking at things like crowd movement, entrances, exit points, slips and trips, the stall layouts, how you're setting up your cables, your lighting, where's your parking arrangements? What about the weather? If that turns, how are you going to manage that risk? You've got any manual handling, cash handling, and make sure it's clear in your risk assessment who is responsible for what.

Marc Smith 23:11

Right.

Helen Hall 23:12

When it comes to events with indoor, outdoor spaces, you've got to think about who is responsible for the areas being used. Are you responsible for the outdoor space or is there a third party involved? And if there's a third party involved, speak with them. They should hopefully have their own liability cover in place for that land or building that you'll be using. But as part of your risk assessment, that needs to be a conversation that you have with that third party. You've also got to think about your volunteer staffing. You've got to allocate your roles clearly. Think about who is overseeing the setup, who's watching access points. If an accident or an incident happens, who's going to manage that? Where's your first aid arrangements? Does everyone know how to access that? And clarity is often the difference between a well-run event and a not so well-run event. Um also, we speak with Halls a lot about licensed alcohol, and I think that's worth mentioning here that if you involve alcohol in your event, that can change the risk profile and it might affect the insurance position depending on the arrangements. So do again check in advance about the provisions, selling of alcohol, any licenses, permissions required, and whether your insurer might need to be told about

Bouncy Castles Alcohol And Kids Clubs

Helen Hall 24:34

that.

Marc Smith 24:34

No, that's fine. And I've got an another on topic, but I've read recently that there's been changes within uh insurance for bounty castles. I'm sure you must hear this all the time, bounty castles. Certainly speak a lot about bounty castles. But I I I know there must be a ton of risk involved in there. Do you I take it no policy now, like standard policy, would include bounty castle use, you would have to phone up to add that onto a policy for a certain event, or if you were to hire bouncy castles in, would you rely on the company bringing them in to have their own insurance, or would you still have to have it as a as a whole? Because if you're if you're still hosting the event, it's still kind of yours. So beautiful spot now.

Helen Hall 25:26

No, it's fine. It is a complex one. Um, there's a lot of misunderstanding around bouncy castles. The first point is unfortunately they can be great fun, great at a children's party, a village fate, etc. But they are higher risk activities. And generally, for high-risk activities, if your hall are organising that, you're going to need to speak to your village hall insurance provider. My understanding is that I'm not aware of many, if any, insurance policies that cover bouncy castle usage by the insured party as standard. Um, if they do, there are probably certain conditions within that policy wording that you must be familiar with, ensure you're complying with. But most of the time, if you're putting on an event, hiring in a bouncy castle, there's two aspects to consider. Who is providing the bouncy castle and do they have their own insurance, liability insurance for that device? And secondly, who is supervising that bouncy castle? And if it's your whole committee that are supervising the bouncy castle, that's really where you're going to need to check into whether you already have that liability cover in place, or do you need to get some cover in place? Um, and again, that's where speaking with your specialist provider, they should be able to assist.

Marc Smith 26:49

Yeah, yeah, that's good. So I suppose on the topic of uh you know kids' activities, so if a hall like hosts regular like kids' activities like a toler group or a drama club, even so does that change the insurance requirements at all?

Helen Hall 27:05

Potentially, it can. It's definitely something that the committee should actively consider. Certainly don't just assume it must be covered because those activities are common. Children's activities can change the risk profile. So, in practical ways, we've got to think about the supervision arrangements, safeguarding expectations, how often your hall is being used, what type of equipment might be in use, is it drop-off and collection sort of arrangements, and who exactly is responsible at each stage. I would say it doesn't automatically mean a hall has got the wrong insurance, but it does mean the committee should make sure the insurance provider understands the types of activities taking place and whether they are being run by the hall itself or by independent hirers, as that distinction is very important. And it just links back to the specialist point. Village and community halls often host exactly these sort of activities. And if you have a provider who understands halls, they will usually ask the right follow-up questions and help and guide the committee through responsibility rather than treating you like a generic commercial premises.

Marc Smith 28:21

That's good,

Legal Expenses And Dispute Support

Marc Smith 28:22

yeah. I suppose with all these dangers, it can really take us on to legal expenses. So, yeah, legal expenses, what does that actually include for a village hall? So does it is it disputes with hirers, employment tribunals, planning matters, is it worth having for a small hall that you know it really face disputes at all?

Helen Hall 28:43

So I I would say legal expenses cover can be really useful because it is often about the access to the help and the legal cost support when disputes arise. It's not just the final outcome. In terms of what it covers, that varies by policy, but in general, it may support certain types of disputes or legal proceedings subject to the policy wording and conditions. Thinking about the value for a small hall, often it's less about how often disputes happen and more about the fact that when they do happen, they can be time-consuming, stressful, and expensive to deal with. So is it worth it? In my experience, many committees find it reassuring because again, village halls are run by volunteers. Having a route to support when something becomes formal can be very helpful. But as always, the important thing is to understand if you have that cover, what provisions are there? Don't assume every legal issue under the sun will be covered.

Marc Smith 29:52

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So in our survey, money cover also came up. So I suppose nowadays halls are probably increasingly taking payments online and bicard. Uh so is cash and transit cover still relevant or is it, you know, is it just less of a priority nowadays?

Helen Hall 30:09

It is probably less central than it once was for many halls, you know, echoing as you say, things have changed, more things are online. But I wouldn't say it's completely irrelevant. Whilst a lot of halls are increasingly cashless or mostly online, which is a good thing from a risk point of view, many community events still involve cash. You know, you've got your raffles, your tees, fundraising stalls, ticket sales, donation buckets, even. So that exposure hasn't disappeared completely. I'd say the practical question is how does your hall actually handle money now? If that cash is still used, even occasionally, check what cover you have in place, what conditions apply for storage, handling, transporting to committee members' homes, the bank, etc. But it does come back to the real usage. You know, don't insure your hole how you used to be, insure the hall that you are running now.

Marc Smith 31:13

That's good. See, I when I worked in a uh as a fuel station, whenever we took cash at the till, there had to be two of us there. Is that still a thing? And uh would you have to do that in a hallway? Two people there, take a hole. Say it's we've got a donation box in ours. If you were taking that money, do two of you have to be there.

Helen Hall 31:31

Um normally it will come down to the amount of money you're handling. If you talk about what's in a donation box, most likely tens of pounds or maybe two tens of pounds if you've done well. Um your policy is probably not going to warrant that. But if you have got larger amounts of cash, um maybe at a a bigger two-day event you might be running, then you know, do check exactly how that money cover works on your policy. Firstly, check have you included it, and if so, what are the limits? How much should you have at any one time as a maximum?

Marc Smith 32:04

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Helen Hall 32:05

And certainly, yeah, there are limits where uh there are expectations and requirements for more than one person to be involved in handling that if it goes above X amount.

Marc Smith 32:16

No worries. No reason to have a case and a handcuff to remove it from the hall.

Helen Hall 32:22

I don't think that's the normal requirement.

Cash Handling And Terrorism Cover

Marc Smith 32:24

Oh, that would be fun though. Uh so uh another topic that came up, which I never actually even considered, was uh terrorism cover. Uh so it is listed in most village hall insurance guides is optional, but sometimes required. So, what when would it actually be required and is it worth thinking about for a small rural hall?

Helen Hall 32:45

This is one of those topics that people can dismiss perhaps too quickly because the word itself sounds quite extreme. So, whether it's required can depend on things like your funding arrangements, your lease arrangements, lenders involved, or perhaps some specific contractual requirements you might have. In other cases, it may simply be optional cover the committee can choose. So for many smaller rural halls, the first question might be sorry, might not be, do we definitely need it? But really the first question, should we at least understand what it would cover and perhaps what it costs? And maybe that's the starting point for trustees to put that consideration in, not to assume it's either always necessary or never relevant, but consider it in the context, where are you located? What's your profile? Have you got any obligations for it? And what's your budget? And then you can put an informed decision together.

Marc Smith 33:47

Yeah. Because I would, if I was doing the insurance, I would never think, you know, like my house, I would never think, well, I better add that just in case. It's quite interesting it came up that someone was actually thinking about it. Yeah. Because I I would have just floated over that and never assumed at all. But that's it's really interesting to know that that it's actually just uh an option that you can you can add in there.

Helen Hall 34:05

Yeah, and you know, it it is down to an individual village hall. Um we speak with some village halls, and it it comes down to the history as well, you know, um where did you start? And that can sometimes push you into thinking, maybe given our history, given our location, yeah, maybe it's something we need.

Marc Smith 34:26

Yeah, yeah. So

Risk Assessments That Protect Your Cover

Marc Smith 34:28

our final topic is risk assessments and keeping cover valid. So risk assessments were a high interest topic in our survey. So, how directly do regular risk assessments affect whether a hold insurance is actually valid when a clean comes in?

Helen Hall 34:43

This is a big one. And again, we speak with a lot a lot of village halls about risk assessments, when do they need to be done, why do they need to be done? The fact is they matter a great deal. It's not because insurers expect perfect paperwork, but it's because risk assessments are how you evidence how your haul is being managed. So when a claim comes in, insurers and loss adjusters will often look at the circumstances, and it's likely they're going to ask what controls were in place, what checks were done, how did the committee identify the relevant risk? Now that doesn't mean a missing piece of paperwork automatically invalidates cover or you know makes the situation more difficult, but regular risk assessments can be very important in demonstrating that the committee took reasonable steps and was managing the hall responsibly. And often when we speak with village halls, it is asked, does it really need to be in writing? But the simple answer is yes, because otherwise, how can you evidence that you took steps to provide a safe venue or a safe event for the public?

Marc Smith 35:56

Say if someone has uh identified an issue and they've ignored it, well maybe not ignored it, that's probably the wrong uh phrase, or they've just maybe just not added it in to the next risk assessment and something goes wrong, what's the position there? Because obviously it's not everyone's it is everyone's job, but it's you know everyone's a volunteer, so mistakes happen or things like there's oversights.

Helen Hall 36:20

Yeah, we're all human at the end of the day. Um it it will come down to the exact circumstances, but ultimately if a risk was identified earlier and nothing was done, and that same issue later causes a loss, that could create some difficulty both practically and in terms of how a claim is viewed. So at the very least, it could potentially weaken the committee's position.

Marc Smith 36:50

Yeah.

Helen Hall 36:51

Um, your insurer is still there to support you, um, but it might reduce the chance of your insurer successfully defending a claim, for example. All right, right. So I'd say the message is simple. Risk assessments are not just forms to be filed away in a folder. Risk assessments should lead to actions, reviews, and a clear follow-up. And hopefully, if you are in that unfortunate situation, you receive a liability claim, you're in a position to hopefully help you ensure if they can to put some sort of defence together.

Marc Smith 37:23

Yeah, I think that was it was flagged quite a lot in the the Friar podcast we did, like the importance of risk assessments and just basically keeping them updated. Yeah, whenever there's a change, just update them and make sure you are you've done your due diligence basically, so you're not you're not left open.

Helen Hall 37:38

Yeah, absolutely.

Declaring Changes So Cover Stays Valid

Marc Smith 37:39

So a few listeners have flagged about being clear or how how a hall is used as a concern. So what kind of activities or changes in use, so if they're not declared to an insurer, can quietly invalidate cover? So how does a committee stay on top of this as their bookings evolve?

Helen Hall 37:57

Yeah, this is such a good question because the problem is often not one dramatic change, it can be a gradual drift over time. And home may start with one pattern of use and then over time take on new hirers or do more frequent events or some sort of different activities that might involve some new equipment, that might take on paid employees, might even get new licenses and start selling alcohol and that sort of thing. And each of those changes may feel small on its own, um, but collectively they could alter that risk profile quite a lot. And the danger is when it gets to your renewal time and you're having that conversation, you just assume everything's the same as last year when actually, on reflection, your hall might now operate in quite a different way to when that policy was originally set up. I would encourage committees to do a short review for how your hall is used now as you approach each renewal date. So just think think about what happens regularly, what happens occasionally, what's new, what may have stopped, who runs what, and have you got anything slightly unusual planned this year? And I would always say be open with your insurance provider, because to you what may feel like a small change for your hall could actually significantly impact your insurance and be deemed a material change. So again, it comes back to that point of a specialist provider can add their value in situations like this where your provider understands village halls, they know what to ask, they know where misunderstandings usually happen, and they should be able to help trustees and volunteers ensure that they've described the risk in plain English.

Marc Smith 39:57

Yeah. I suppose it's one of those things when the insurance comes in, renew, I I'm I'm guilty of it as well. You just look at the price, is it similar to last year, and you hit goal, which is I suppose maybe fine for car insurance because it doesn't really change that much, you know, unless you've gone blind, it won't really matter that much, you know. But with village halls, because there's such a difference, you know, like every year you could have different or you you could have plans for different events. Yeah. Uh so it's probably it's probably worth um actually just act really actually reviewing it every year and uh in what what your plans are, what your your goals are for the next five years to see like this is what we're gonna add in there.

Helen Hall 40:35

Yeah, absolutely. And I think there is that mindset for especially village hall clients that I don't really want to contact my provider unless it's renewal time, but yeah, yeah, in reality, your insurance provider is there for you throughout the whole policy period. So if you are making a change, planning a change, or something has changed, but now you're thinking, maybe I should have let my insurers know about that. Don't wait until your renewal date, you know. It yes, you're in a voluntary role, probably, and it is easy to forget about the insurance side of it until the renewal comes up. But in reality, your insurer may be wanting to hear about changes not just at renewal, but as and when they are happening.

Insurable Interest And Essential Paperwork

Marc Smith 41:19

Yeah. So I've got I've got one final question. So is there anything we haven't covered across the two episodes that you think that committees consistently overlook? So something that keeps coming up in claims that people just don't see coming.

Helen Hall 41:34

Okay, uh I would say two things tend to come up repeatedly. Uh firstly, uh assumptions, especially assumptions that someone else's insurance covers the whole, or that it must be covered because we've always done it that way. So what I'm really getting at is the insurable interest in relation to a policy. It's a huge topic and would warrant a podcast all on its own. Um, so I won't go into too much detail, but essentially think about your organization. What is hugely important is that you don't assume your position in relation to the hall as an asset, in relation to your responsibilities for that haul. Make sure you know exactly where your insurable interest starts and ends, and that should then dictate how you arrange your insurance. A second thing that comes up a lot is documentation. It's not glamorous, but it is important. Um, you know, we we've talked about the risk assessments, but beyond that, obviously there's a lot of other documentation that comes with running a hall, and one that we speak a lot with our village hall clients about is having clear higher agreement terms, and then simple things like minuting your meetings, make sure your minutes are clear and concise. And then finally, on the documentation side, make sure within your hall you have an accident incident book and that everyone knows where that is, and that is kept up to date. I would say, hopefully on a positive note, most committees we speak with we know they are not careless, but we know they are busy, they are volunteer-led, and they are doing the best. So the goal should not be perfection, but where possible, reduce any avoidable gaps.

Marc Smith 43:41

Excellent. Fantastic advice. Well, uh, thank you very much for your time from episode one and this episode as well. It's uh it's nearly 90 minutes of uh information. But it's it's amazing. This is why I I was uh I really wanted to do a podcast about insurance because I had a million questions. And a lot of the time when we stopped recording, maybe we'd be chatting to the guest and it would come up, you know, insurance would always come up in the just in our normal, you know, uh chatting either beforehand or after the recording. So it's really good we've actually got it recorded and everybody else can benefit from all these questions that uh I've had in my head and obviously from the survey as well. Uh actual listeners have have um written or added into that survey what they want to know. So yeah, it's really, really appreciated um your time there.

Helen Hall 44:28

No, well well, thanks for having me on, Mark. And uh, you know, unfortunately I can't really jazz insurance up, however.

Marc Smith 44:35

That's an impossibility. No one can do that.

Helen Hall 44:38

I hope that uh there's some value for for village halls across the UK somewhere in these podcasts.

Marc Smith 44:43

Yeah, I think the main thing is it's clear that and it in this and people know what they need to do. And I think that the the the end of it is if you're unsure, just phone your provider. Yeah. That's the best thing and ask them the question directly. But hopefully this podcast it does cover a lot of information, so hopefully that will uh that will tick tick many boxes for our listeners. So thank you once again for your time. No problem, thank you.

Final Thanks And How To Get Involved

Marc Smith 45:04

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 podcasts 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 services they provide. Don't forget, entries for the Village Halls Inspiration Awards 2026 are open from now until the 31st of October. So visit our website to find out more and get involved. We will be back again soon with another episode. For more information, visit the Village Halls Podcast.com where you'll also find the links to our social media pages. Thanks again for listening in, and until next time, goodbye for now.