Our PTO is covered under the entire district's General Liability policy. I have talked with the account executive, and we are covered for directors and officers in additional to general liability. All of our building PTOs/PTAs are covered under this policy, through a rider, and we pay approximately $200 per year, which is very affordable. In addition, we purchase separate insurance for theft, embezzlement, etc.
Not only will it protect you, but it will also protect all of the money you and the children have raised for the building. If the PTO is sued and there's no insurance, all of that will be lost, which is unfair to the kids. Perhaps that argument will help sway reluctant parents to accept the expense.
I am glad to hear that many of us are thinking about insurance. We have never had it because it was never done before. Past officers who started the PTO 20 years ago didn't see a need and it remained that way. I mentioned this to a former officer who sells insurance. When she thought about it, she was appalled to think we had operated for all these years with no insurance. We have many parents and employees who have sued the school district. what makes us think we are exempt?
I will bring this up at our first meeting and see what kind of response I get. But I would love to hear from others and what they have done.
I'd love to see that email. Was that for a PTO or a PTA? If you'd forward the note to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., that would be really helpful.
We've done a ton of research over the past year on PTO insurance (in preparation for our National PTO Network offering) and I haven't seen anything sounding like that. I'd caution you to be leery of "event" insurance. Or at the very least to really do your homework.
You'll notice in our feature story (www.ptotoday.com/0801insurance.html
) on insurance that there are several different types of coverage. General liability is usually a starting point. Our experts also strongly recommend a good officer's liability policy. And there's others, too.
We just got an email regarding insurance .We are able to purchase event insurance for $75 for the year. We at first thought this was for each event, however it is for the year. Extremely affordable!!! As a new president I was unaware that we did NOT have insurance already. We are putting it up for a vote at our first general meeting, however I cannot believe anyone would vote against it. I agree that in this day and age you can NEVER be too careful !!!!! :eek: [img]smile.gif[/img]
We do have insurance and cost us approximately $500.00 to have a year. Last year was our first year to have it and I will never take a position on a Board that will not purchase it. There are just too many things that can happen, that can bite you "big time". The insurance not only protects the Executive Board but also covers liability expences related to the PTO activities, as well as theft, fire, and vandalism to PTO property.
You need to check into this more carefully, I never thought we needed it either, but nowadays things are so diiferent. A lot of people are just looking for a reason to go after you legally.
Don't mean to sound so harsh, but think of all you do for the school, staff, and students. This is a much needed reassurance that you deserve!
