Scout, Guide & Youth Group Fundraising Insurance: Are You Covered?

The Short Answer: Usually Yes, But Not Always

Scout groups, Guide units, Brownies, Cubs, cadets and youth clubs run some of the most frequent fundraising events in any community: jumble sales, bag-packing, Christmas fairs, quiz nights, bonfire evenings, cake sales and the annual summer fair. The good news for the leaders and parent volunteers organising them is that the national organisations provide public liability insurance as part of membership. The less comfortable news is that this cover has limits and conditions, and a surprising number of events fall into the gaps. Knowing where those gaps are is the whole point of this guide.

One principle runs through everything below: the cover follows the activity and the rules, not the logo on the T-shirt. An event that is an authorised group activity, run according to the organisation's own rules, is generally covered. An event that strays outside those rules, or involves other organisations and outside venues, needs a second look.

What Scouts Provide

Scouts UK's headquarters funds a central Legal Liability Policy that covers public liability and property owners' liability for the whole Association, including Groups, Districts and Counties, along with their volunteers. According to the Scouts' Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR), it responds to claims from members, parents, guardians or third parties arising from authorised Scout activities or fundraising events. Separate policies cover accident and medical expenses for members and indemnity for trustees.

In practical terms, a Scout Group does not need to buy standard public liability cover itself, and the POR specifically tells groups not to buy the HQ-funded insurances independently. Three conditions matter, though. Cover is only valid if the POR rules are followed, especially those on how activities are organised and made safe. Some higher-risk adventurous activities, such as air activities or karting, need advance notice to the insurer, Unity, and may need additional arrangements. And external activity providers you bring in, such as a bouncy castle operator or an instructor, must hold their own public liability cover of at least £5 million.

What Girlguiding Provides

Girlguiding's public liability insurance protects the organisation and its members against negligence claims for injury or third-party property damage arising from a guiding activity, with legal costs included. Guiding uniform is not required for the cover to apply, and it extends to guiding buildings you own and to buildings you manage but do not own when they are used for guiding. Girlguiding states that it has cover of up to £50 million in total, though most units only need up to £20 million, and that there is a £100 excess on third-party property damage claims.

The same caveats apply. Members must follow Girlguiding's rules and policies for the activity or a claim may be invalid. Damage to guiding property and contents is not part of the public liability cover. And importantly for fundraising, members of other organisations taking part in a joint activity are not covered by Girlguiding's policy, so they need their own insurance. Girlguiding's guidance does not specifically address fundraising events, so if you are planning something large or unusual it is worth checking with their insurance team first and keeping the reply.

Where the Gaps Appear

Joint events with other groups

A Guide and Scout joint Christmas fair, or an event shared with a school PTA or church, is the most common gap. Each organisation's cover typically protects its own members and activities, not the other side's. Before a joint event, agree in writing who is the organiser, and check that every partner has its own public liability cover. The organiser should make sure nobody is relying on a policy that does not extend to them.

Hired halls and outdoor venues

Most groups meet in a church hall, school or community centre, and these venues are usually required to carry their own public liability insurance. Girlguiding's guidance suggests venue owners should hold at least £5 million of public liability cover, and many halls require hirers to show evidence of their own. Your national cover generally satisfies this, but ask your insurer or headquarters for a certificate of insurance rather than relying on assurances. If you are using a hired venue for a larger public event, our hirer's liability guide explains what halls expect.

Large public events and hired-in entertainment

A cake sale in the hall is one thing; a bonfire night with fireworks, a fun run on public roads or a summer fair with inflatables and a funfair is another. Fireworks, bouncy castles, rides, animals and alcohol all bring specialist risks. Bring in professional suppliers who carry their own insurance and ask to see it. Our guides on community bonfire nights and bouncy castle hire cover those in more detail.

Cancellation and loss of money

None of the public liability policies above will refund you if a summer fair is washed out or a hired hall floods. Cancellation, abandonment and money cover are separate products, and for a small group the sensible approach is usually to limit your up-front spend and avoid non-refundable deposits rather than insure against it. For a bigger event with significant costs committed, our cancellation insurance guide sets out the options.

Leaders, Parents and Volunteers

Youth groups run on volunteers, and parents who help on the day are usually treated as authorised helpers under the group's cover. The safest approach is to make sure anyone helping is known to the leadership team, briefed on their role, and not asked to do anything beyond the activity as planned. Where the group employs paid staff, such as a caretaker or a paid coach, employers' liability becomes a legal requirement, so check that it is in place, as the national policies do not necessarily address your local arrangements. Our volunteer and steward insurance guide explains where the line falls.

Safeguarding sits alongside insurance rather than inside it. Insurance does not replace the organisation's child protection rules, DBS checks for those who need them, and the ratio and supervision requirements that both Scouts and Girlguiding set. Following those rules is also what keeps the insurance valid.

Pre-Event Checklist

Check	Why it matters
Is it an authorised group activity?	Cover generally follows authorised activities run under the organisation's rules
Who else is involved?	Other organisations and their members usually need their own cover
Is the venue hired or public?	Venue owners expect hirers to hold public liability, often £5 million or more
Are you hiring in suppliers?	Ask for their public liability certificate, with at least £5 million for activity providers
Is it a higher-risk activity?	Fireworks, aerial or motorised activities may need advance notice or extra cover
Is money or stock at risk?	Public liability does not cover cancellation or cash loss

What Does It Cost?

For Scouts and Girlguiding units, the public liability element is built into membership, so there is nothing extra to buy for standard fundraising. For groups outside those structures, small-event public liability cover is generally modest: one-off policies for a community fundraiser are often available from around £50 to £100 for £5 million of cover, and annual policies for a small youth group usually run to a few hundred pounds depending on activities, numbers and the limit you choose. Premiums vary by insurer and by what you do, so get a written quote and compare the activities each policy actually covers.

The Bottom Line

Most Scout and Guide fundraising events are covered by the national public liability policies, provided they are authorised, run according to the rules and do not involve other organisations or specialist hazards. The risk sits in the exceptions: joint events, large public occasions, hired-in entertainment and anything that needs cancellation cover. Check in advance, ask for it in writing, and make sure every partner and supplier brings their own cover. Do that and your volunteers can concentrate on raising the money rather than worrying about the small print.