Streamkeepers VIP Insurance Program FAQ

I have written out the questions that have been sent in from other groups and the answers we received from Underwriters Insurance. Glen has been marvelous throughout this process and I look forward to working with them for years to come. Please review this carefully as it is important information.
  1. We have been using the Streamkeepers Insurance Program for over 6 years, do we have to re-apply through this form attached? We have, since we work with various other organizations (City of WL, PSF, DFO, local community group) several Endorsements on this insurance, will all this have to be re-set up? Do we send copies of the previous Certificate of insurance?
    Yes, we need application forms for every group. We will need a list of the organizations that need to be added to each group for additional insured and addresses for them. We will add these on endorsements issued by the company.
  2. As the spring/summer progresses, we often have additional volunteers that sign up to work with us. In the past, we’ve sent these additions directly to Glen (we limit it to once a month over the summer and cut it off in September). Will we still be able to make additions to the policy after the initial application?
    Yes, they will still be able to add the additional volunteers on reporting forms. If there is a huge increase over last years final numbers there will be an adjustment done at the end of the years. If they keep monthly report forms and submit to you we can keep track of it.
  3. A group has say 25 paid members of their society. Then they do a monitoring session at the stream and 4 friends come out to help for the day, but don't join the society. Then the next week the 25 members go out and do something else and 11 different friends / neighbours / come and help. At what point do they pay extra for insurance? (Public event is events over 50 people but insurance covers 30 on regular basis)
    Each group should keep a running total of their volunteers. I highly recommend and have suggested to a couple of ppl that have called, that they have a dated sign in sheet for each activity and add additional people that show up. Printed name and signature. If they are already covered under the listed members they do not need to sign in (unless the group wants them all to). This way, they can submit their lists of volunteers mid term and if they are over the amount originally stated, we can charge for it. If a "friend" comes out to help the group they are considered as a volunteer for the group and thus can be held liable in the event of claim. They need to be kept tally of so that the correct premium can be charged.

    A running total is key. So if they have 25 members and 4 "friends" come out one day.. They have 29... If the next week they have another 11 come out... Its 40 total members. They should base it on their registration and numbers from last year to get the best approximation and go from there.
  4. We have volunteers who from time to time get small contracts to do certain tasks. How can we insure them when they volunteer with our group seperate from when they "work" for the group.
    If the person is volunteering, they will be covered by the program. If they are paid workers then the streamkeeping group would require them to have a certificate of insurance and name the pskf group on the paid worker's CGL policy. When they "work" and are paid , they are not covered under the policy.
  5. Will this policy hold more risk for the PSkF and / or its board members?
    No
  6. Our small community salmon hatchery is on city owned land, can we get their policy to cover the hatchery and VIP to cover the volunteers and D&O etc? (same answer for hatchery on crown or public lands?)
    If the City is willing to cover the premises liability and name the streamkeeping group as additional insured then ye we can provide the VIP program to cover the rest including the regular liablity. If they will not, then the group needs to pay the premium for the hatchery to extend the liability to it.
  7. We are a Federal hatchery (DFO) and would like to take part in this insurance plan for the volunteers who come to help us.
    No - it has to be a Non profit society and a member of PSKF.
  8. "We will be needing 1 only public event rider for our annual public event. We have a public fry release annually - public is invited to help with the release"
    We need a completed application from them if over 50 ppl in attendance. If under 50 it is included on the policy.
  9. Can I insure our hatchery building / contents or even my home with the PSkF VIP?
    Property applications the insureds can contact me directly for as they will be a totally separate policy.
  10. If we are doing small hand projects ie: spreading spawning gravels, rock clusters etc we can have this covered correct? Only need to separate out when equipment is being used as this is contracted and the contractor should cover.  Yes if they are doing small hand projects no problem. The intent of the current coverages and premiums charged is for the small projects. See note below as to when hiring contractors and/or heavy equipment.
  11. How do you figure out the cost?
    Rating structures for the PSKF.
    Non-Hatchery:
    • CGL and D&O: $175 minimum per group up to 34 members, $5 per member after
    • AD&D: $1.50 per member, no minimum
    • no policy fee
    Hatchery:
    • CGL and D&O: $1,005 minimum per group up to 60 members, $5 per member after
    • AD&D: $1.50 per member, no minimum
    • no policy fee
    The CGL underwriters have also agree to add the following for us:
    • blanket waiver of subrogation (only as required by contract)
    • $250,000 sudden & accidental pollution liability (must be reported within 120 hours of occurrence)
    • $1,000,000 forest fire fighting expense
  12. What type of insurance were you offering on the hatchery? Or was it insurance to cover the volunteers working in the hatchery? Or was it insurance on the building & equipment?
    Insurance for the hatchery is liability insurance for the premises. (ie. slip and fall etc). We can offer property coverage but it would a seperate policy and subject to the companies min. premiums.
  13. I am still waiting for information from the city regarding the insurance on the hatchery, but as it is a city owned building and is in a city park...?
    If city owned building and is in the city park, the city should be able to cover the property/hatchery liability on it and name the society as additional insured on the policy.
  14. Is there limited insurance for the people riding IN the boat, but not for the boat ITSELF? I am just trying to put this into plain language so it’s easier to explain to our volunteers!! I guess the most important question is: what is covered with the policy (in terms of watercrafts)?
    For example, if Joe and Bob are out on their boat monitoring the water quality for us, and Bob falls overboard and drowns, does the insurance cover himself (ie. Payout to his family), and protect Joe from any liability from the accident? On the other hand, if there is an accident involving the boat (ie. The throttle sticks on the motor and the boat crashes into a dock), would Bob and Joe have coverage for their own injuries and/or liability insurance against the destruction of the dock? The way we read the information you sent is that the boat itself wouldn’t be covered and neither would the dock – is this correct?
    Please note that any limited coverage provided under this Commercial General Liability Policy for watercraft is considered secondary coverage. The boat owners must have their own primary policy in place for both property (the boat itself) and liability.
    1. There is no coverage for the watercraft itself
    2. No Commercial General Liability for watercraft that the PSKF owns or any of the societies who are members of the PSKF own.
    3. All personal boats must be covered on their own separate policies for property and liability
    4. this policy responds if the insured are proven negligent for bodily injury or property damage to a third party.
    The accident policy responds to 1st party claims (ie. members of the organizations, in your example, both Joe and Bob). As long as they are a member/volunteer and are working on behalf of the organization at the time of the accident, then the accident benefit policy would apply.
  15. This is the information that the groups should know about using independent contractors:
    Participation in Module 14

    If you are using contractors for some of the streamkeepers projects, groups should request a copy of the contractors certificate of insurance. They should also request to be added as additional insured to the contractors policy with respect to that liability for that project.

    We will not extend liability to those contractors or projects. The insureds can also take out a seperate insurance policy for those large projects if need be, but it is not the intent of our program to cover those contracted projects.

    The groups if they are building anything/construction damns etc and hiring contractors to do the work, need to do the following:

    1. advise that they are doing it
    2. find out if their contractors have insurance
    3. request to be added to the contractors policy as additional insureds.
    4. send you/us a copy of the certificate showing them as additional insureds.

This is the best way for them to make sure that they are covered and also keep costs down. I would highly recommend that the groups use only insured contractors to protect themselves against suits. Insureds can contact me to discuss this if they are unsure and want to run it past me.

Use of watercraft

There is a complete watercraft exclusion on the policy. No liability arising out of the use or operation of any type of watercraft is covered under the policy as is listed in the policy wordings. There has never been any watercraft coverage on this policy even under the Underwriters policy.