Insurance and risk management
You may be just setting up a new community organisation, or you may be about to join one, perhaps as a committee of management member, a director, an employee or a volunteer. No matter how you are involved, you need to understand the risks involved in the activities undertaken by the organisation, and your legal position should any of those risks happen to occur.
Thinking about 'risks', 'insurance' and related legal issues does not have to be a scary or negative process. All activities in life involve risk and, of course, there are some risks associated with the activities undertaken in all community organisations. If your community organisation understands these risks, there are many things that the people involved in your organisation can do to eliminate risks or minimise the chance of them occurring.
Where the potential risks can't be avoided, your community organisation can look at the insurance options that may be available to protect it.
Guide: Insurance and risk management for Victorian community organisations
The following resource Guide: Insurance and risk management for community organisations is designed to help Victorian community organisations to understand 'risk management' and legal issues relating to insurance, including:
- some of the processes and practices your community organisation can put in place to avoid or minimise the risks associated with running a community organisation;
- basic information about insurance;
- the circumstances in which a community organisation may be required by law or a contract to get insurance or should otherwise consider getting insurance;
- information about the different types of insurance available; and
- tips to consider before getting insurance for your organisation.
Related legislation
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This is a link to the legislation that requires almost all employers in Victoria to take out workers compensation for their employees.
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This is a link to the legislation that requires community organisations to have motor vehicle insurance for third party injury liability. The charge for this insurance is paid for at the same time as registration renewal.
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This is a link to Commonwealth legislation that regulates most insurance contracts in Australia.
Related links - risk management and insurance resources
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The Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at the Queensland University of technology has an online manual 'Developing Your Organisation' which includes a chapter on risk management for community organisations. Any references to the law may be to Queensland law and not relevant for Victoria.
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This publication outlines why it is important to manage risk and provides a simple 4-step guide to identifying and treating risks in organisations that have volunteers. It includes templates and other tools that your organisation can use as well as case studies.
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The 'Insurance' section of the Our Community website provides sponsored resources about insurance and risk management issues, including checklists and tools for different kinds of activities which often occur in the community sector.
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This Victorian Government website is to help people who are setting up a small business but the site has some useful information about risk management and insurance that may be relevant for a community organisation.
Related links - Worksafe Victoria resources
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This is a link to the WorkSafe Victoria website. Worksafe is the Victorian government authority with responsibility for occupational health and safety laws in Victoria. The 'Safety and Prevention' and 'Publications' section of their website has resources for identifying and minimising risks in the workplace. We have included two sample resources below.
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This WorkSafe publication is written for small businesses but can be adapted for use by community organisations to assess safety in the workplace.
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This publication covers health & safety basics, managing OHS in your workplace, checklists & tools, managing accidents & claims, and resources & links for the community services sector.
Related links - insurance contracts
Related links - local government community insurance initiatives