What it Covers
What It Covers
This is a general commercial liability policy. It is not accident insurance. Liability insurance is for when you are sued, and negligence of some sort on the part of the group has to be proven.
Coverage is $2,000,000 per occurrence, with an aggregate limit of $4,000,000 for the policy; Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance and terrorism coverage are not included.
How it Works
How It Works
The insurance year runs May 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021.
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
Download this statement as a PDF
Does the CDSS Liability Insurance Policy offer coverage for COVID-19-related claims?
Potentially. There is not an exclusion in our policy which would specifically prevent compensation for a COVID-19-related claim; i.e., a claim could be submitted for compensation of a COVID-19-related suit. However, there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration.
First, keep in mind this is a general liability policy, it provides compensation in the case of a lawsuit brought against your group. To file a claim, an attendee to one of your events would need to sue you for damages related to contracting COVID-19 and prove a.) that it was contracted at one of your events and b.) due to negligence on your part.
In the case that this occurred, a claim could be submitted to the policy underwriter, Philadelphia Insurance, who would review the claim and determine compensation.
We have been advised by our insurance agency that holding an event in defiance of local, state, or federal guidance/regulations is not advisable and would likely result in a claim being denied.
This is a unique situation, not only for us as groups and individuals, but for insurance companies. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to give a definitive answer because each case will be unique and is reviewed on an individual basis.
Groups seeking further guidance are encouraged to speak with a lawyer who understands these issues and can comment on the specific hypothetical in question.
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.
FAQs
Questions?
Have questions or need more information? Call Ben Williams at 413-203-5467 x106 or e-mail ben@cdss.org.