Country Dance & Song Society

How it Works

How It Works

The insurance year runs May 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022.

The premium is $585, $685, $785, or $885 for full year coverage (including Affiliate Membership dues), depending on how many events you are covering, or $65 per calendar day. Neither fee is refundable after your coverage begins.

Venues can be listed as "additional insured." There is no longer a cost associated with this. The purpose of "additional insured" is coverage for the hall or site and is not necessary unless the hall owner requests it, i.e., if they want the hall's name on the certificate of insurance. Some places insist on this; others don't.

Please allow two weeks for processing your application. If you require a certificate sooner than that, please let us know. Certificates of insurance will be forwarded as soon as we receive them from our insurance agent.

COVID-19 Info

Special COVID-19 Insurance Statement

Does the CDSS Liability Insurance Policy offer coverage for COVID-19-related claims?

Our policy beginning on May 1, 2021, will NOT allow for COVID-19 related claims due to an added virus exclusion—a change from the previous year’s policy. We are not aware of any general liability policy that will do so.  

Are virtual events covered?

Yes! As long as they are essentially the same as other events you would be holding (dancing led or taught by an instructor/caller). As usual, filing a claim would require someone who attended your online event to sue and prove your negligence.

Are regular events covered?

Events held at this time are covered by our insurance policy as they usually are, just not COVID-related claims.

Should we have people sign waivers when we begin dancing again?

Some insurers require waivers for certain activities, ours does not. A waiver won’t prevent you from being sued, but may provide additional protection if you are. Again, it may be worth consulting with a lawyer to discuss your particular situation if you feel it’s necessary. 

How to Apply

How to Apply

To apply for group liability insurance, please fill out the online form, or download and mail the PDF form.

FAQs

How does it work?

CDSS has a single, group policy that Affiliates and callers may join, and provides general liability insurance for those Affiliates and callers. The limits on the policy have been calculated to provide enough coverage for all covered groups.

What does the policy cover?

The CDSS policy is a general liability insurance policy, which generally covers the organization, volunteers, employees directors and officers, for their work for the insured entity if there is a claim of liability brought due to their operations. It potentially covers the legal costs, expenses, and settlement. In all cases, a claim would need to be submitted to the underwriter who will assign a council and determine payment. In addition to the $4,000,000 aggregate, $2,000,000 per-occurrence limits on liability coverage, the following is included:

$ 300,000 Rented To You Limit (Any One Premises)
$ 5,000 Medical Expense Limit (Any One Person)

Is someone breaking a leg, getting food poisoning, or emotional damage covered? 

A claim could be submitted for any of these scenarios if an allegation of negligence made against the group. The carrier/adjuster will review the specifics of the incident to determine if coverage applies. 

Do we need insurance?

Many venues require groups to have insurance before renting or holding events in their space. The CDSS policy meets and exceeds the minimum coverage amounts required by most venues. Further, many groups find the peace of mind afforded by the policy to be worth the cost when thinking about the long-term health of their organization.

Do you offer Director and Officers insurance (D&O)?

We are unable to offer D&O insurance because we are under a single policy, which cannot cover multiple directors and officers of different organizations. We’re happy to put you in touch with our insurance agent directly who has helped other Affiliates obtain this insurance in the past.

Do we need Director and Officers insurance (D&O)? What is the cost?

It’s difficult to give generalized advice on this subject - each organization is unique and has different needs. You’ll need to decide for yourself if the cost of D&O insurance is worthwhile. General Liability and D&O insurance cover separate things  The General Liability policy CDSS has covers Directors or Officers (or employees, volunteers, etc.) for their work for the insured entity if there is a claim of liability brought due to their operations.  A D&O policy covers you as Officers/Directors of the Organization.  

This article provides some information on the difference and what D&O covers, but you should speak with a lawyer or insurance agent if you have further questions. 

$500-$1000 is a very general estimate of the cost of a D&O policy. The exact amount will depend on the size of the organization and location.

Are virtual events covered?

Yes! As long as they are essentially the same as other events you would be holding (dancing led or taught by an instructor/caller). As usual, filing a claim would require someone who attended your online event to sue and prove your negligence.

Should we list our venue as Additional Insured?

Only list a venue as Additional Insured if specifically requested by the venue. This is additional coverage for the venue, and is not required unless specifically requested.

Do attendees need to sign waivers?

Some insurers require waivers for certain activities, ours does not. A waiver won’t prevent you from being sued, but may provide additional protection if you are. It may be worth consulting with a lawyer to discuss your particular situation if you feel it’s necessary.

If you are sued, is there a requirement to notify the insurer even before there is an outcome?

You are not required to notify the insurer of every incident, but the policy states that the insurer needs to be notified in a timely manner in the event of a claim.

Are board members personally liable in suits against 501c3s, or just the organization's assets?

This will probably depend on the details of the suit. Per our agent “The General Liability policy CDSS has covers Directors or Officers (or employees, volunteers, etc) for their work for the insured entity if there is a claim of liability brought due to their operations.” But there are other situations where board members wouldn’t be covered by our General Liability policy, or could be sued separately from the organization.

In a normal year, approximately how many CDSS affiliates are actually sued? Do you know the total number of cases?

There are usually between 0 and 2 claims under our policy per year. 

Is ____ situation covered?

We cannot offer definitive advice on what hypotheticals will or will not be covered by the policy. Each situation is unique and handled individually. Speaking to a lawyer or expert in the area is advised when exploring such hypotheticals. Feel free to contact us with questions and we can forward your question to our insurance agent if necessary.

Can we review the policy?

Absolutely! Email ben@cdss.org and we’ll be happy to provide a copy of the policy for your review.

Other questions?

Have questions or need more information? Call Ben Williams at 413-203-5467 x106 or email ben@cdss.org.