Soph the vet Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The church we rent space from is probably going to require some type of liability insurance for our co-op next year. We are 33 families, not incorporated and meet twice monthly. I know HSLDA has some options but are there other ones I should look at? Thanks for any input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We don't, but the question has come up before, so I'll be interested to see what others do. We just have a liability waiver (for the church) and a rules or participation document that every family signs, saying they take responsibility for any damage caused by them or their children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Our group is a 501©3 (nonprofit) and yes, we carry insurance. Pretty much any place we looked at would have required it before renting us space. (Strangely, I think maybe the gov't owned facilities -- libraries, parks and rec buildings, etc -- were the ones who never asked!) Unfortunately I can't help with specifics, as I wasn't involved in purchasing insurance. I know it was done through a standard broker, not through HSLDA or any other homeschool-specific organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 another option is to see if you can turn your co-op into a 4-H group, dependent on what type of insurance your 4-H office carries. Have the kids hold a short business meeting every once in a while and turn their classes into 4-H projects. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy from WT Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Oh wow, do not even think of having the group without the protection of insurance! I have been co-oping for seven years now - you think you're never going to need the insurance...but I have seen/or experienced two instances now where we didn't actually end up needing the protection, but we came very very close to needing it. In this era of "everyone sues everyone for everything" you've just GOT to have coverage! Unfortunately, even if your group is a Christian group.....get. the. insurance. We have had insurance through a couple of different places, and our favorite so far is our current policy holder - through HSLDA. It's been the easiest to get and the easiest to maintain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy from WT Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 ...but I have heard they do NOT hold up in court. Nevertheless, we have everyone sign "Hold Harmless Agreements" when they join us for the Co-op as a group, the Co-op's Leadership Council, AND the Church that hosts us. The thought there is that regardless of whether or not they hold up as legal documents in court, the act of signing them in the beginning of the year will hopefully be enough to prevent anyone from pursuing legal action should they feel they have reason to do so later on. In other words, they might think: "Such and such happened....we need to sue! Oh wait - we signed that 'Hold Harmless Agreement. We agreed not to sue." That's our hope, anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Our group has insurance through a broker specializing in Christian ministries and they have been a blessing in many ways. We are a non-profit, but I also know of other groups around here who have insurance through them and they are not non-profits. I have been told, but have not personally compared them, that we are able to get a much better policy at a good rate through this broker than through HSLDA. ETA: we also have liability waivers for all involved, but I have also been assured by several lawyers that they really do not hold up in court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 ...we have everyone sign "Hold Harmless Agreements" ... Yes, we do this as well. (And also a standards of behavior agreement. Really *basic* stuff, but it gives us some standards should we be forced to remove someone from the group for dangerous or threatening behavior.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We are about the same size co-op (little smaller). I go through State Farm and pay $46 a month. Initially, they couldn't figure out "what" we were and how to insure us. Don't say you are a school! And don't let them say you are a school. HTH Holly The church we rent space from is probably going to require some type of liability insurance for our co-op next year. We are 33 families, not incorporated and meet twice monthly. I know HSLDA has some options but are there other ones I should look at?Thanks for any input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Thanks for the input so far. We have been doing co-op for ten years without insurance, just a liability waiver and a code of conduct. I am really looking for best alternatives to HSLDA (like the State Farm suggestion) or reasons TO use HSLDA. Any further input is welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I'm interested in this too, as the church where we meet has never required to have it, but I'm thinking it would be a good thing to have anyway. Specific insurers and approximate costs would be most helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 If you meet at a church, and enough of you are members of that church, could the co-op be considered an activity of the church and covered under their insurance? Anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 My understanding is that it all depends on what the church actually decides. They can make it a ministry of the church even if no one in the co-op attends the church, but they would need to make that clear decision. It is up to them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) If you meet at a church, and enough of you are members of that church, could the co-op be considered an activity of the church and covered under their insurance? Anyone know? I would think, as an activity of the church, it would only be open to church members and their guests, at least from the church's prospective liability standpoint... (In our case, none of us are members of the church who so graciously hosts us.) Edited January 19, 2009 by MyCrazyHouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Our insurance costs more than the State Farm ins! :) The church we are renting from requires us to carry a A++ rated policy so that helped to determine the route we took. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We do the insurance that's hooked up through HLSDA. They cover by the calendar year, and our cost for the amount of students/parents we have is about $600 a calendar year. This is for about 8 teachers/ all their parents and about 40 students. I have to say, the process for doing the other insurances I looked at was too overwhelming. The pro is that it's easy, the con is..whenever the last year is...we'll love the $$$ from being insured from the last day of class...(maybe March?) through December..... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) My current co-op director goes through them, and I called around quite a bit several years ago when I was a homeschool board member and we were wrestling with this issue and came to the conclusion that they were the best. You want coverage of the group both in the building where you meet and if there are any outside activities away from the church property organized by the co-op. The officers also personally are at risk and you probably want insurance that covers them if someone's lawyer decides to go after them.:glare: The homeschool group ended up getting around it by becoming a direct ministry of that church with the church where they met by putting one of their staff on the board, adding the requirement that a majority of the board be from that church, and requiring that all members sign that church's statement of faith. Apparently all that was required in order for the church's insurance to apply. We decided not to continue at that point, so I don't know what their current situation is. Edited January 19, 2009 by GVA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Thanks, everyone. The info you've provided has been very helpful!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 My current co-op director goes through them, and I called around quite a bit several years ago when I was a homeschool board member and we were wrestling with this issue and came to the conclusion that they were the best. You want coverage of the group both in the building where you meet and if there are any outside activities away from the church property organized by the co-op. The officers also personally are at risk and you probably want insurance that covers them if someone's lawyer decides to go after them.:glare: The homeschool group ended up getting around it by becoming a direct ministry of that church with the church where they met by putting one of their staff on the board, adding the requirement that a majority of the board be from that church, and requiring that all members sign that church's statement of faith. Apparently all that was required in order for the church's insurance to apply. We decided not to continue at that point, so I don't know what their current situation is. These are all good things to keep in mind. Our coverage is only good at the church where we attend. Last year we had a year-end ceremony somewhere else and forked out an extra $50. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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