I was wondering what other SQN do for insuring the contents of there cadet centres?
I know the building is covered centrally under the MOD, but that doesn’t cover the equipment that the SQN has inside the building, like computers, books, DOE kit, sports equipment etc…
We have a policy in place, but the old Treasurer arranged this was a very long time ago, and I don’t think it’s really fit for purpose anymore.
What are other SQN doing to make sure everything has at least some cover and whom do you insure with?
Thanks for any help and Guidance, you can provide.
Speak to your Wing Chairman they will be able to advise as to insurers.
We have cover for £20K, which is ample for everything IT, AT kit on a total replacement basis, although I’m not sure how much this currently costs. However I’m not sure it covers for loss outside the squadron, unlike our home contents which does cover if we ‘lose’ something away from the home.
I would suggest going through the property book seeing what you have and don’t have listed and once that’s up to date do a rough tally of value based on replacement cost. I wouldn’t worry about books in the valuation, unless you have a rare first edition of something.
Remember that furniture unless it’s your squadron’s, is supplied by the RAF, so not part of the squadron owned assets.
Fair advice there … but don’t forget that this is all likely to be charitable assets and so needs to be insured as such.
In a large squadron, you may have as much as £50k to insure - soon adds up. By all means speak to your Wing Chair as suggested, but in our case we found the standard policy that is promoted and generally believed OK as ‘the organisation’ recommends it, falls well short and does not include directors insurance for the trustees.
If you get a decent policy, it may also give you cover when using equipment off-site (which I recall the recommended policy didn’t).
That is OK … but your treasurer is an independent trustee who will see the whole lot land on his/her plate if something bad happens.
So at least there ought to be a check that it is sufficient. As I say, when we checked, it was paying money out of habit for something that fell way short. I am not trying to besmirch Wing Chairs on the subject, only point out that every squadron’s needs are different and so the passed-down wisdom may be insufficient in many cases.
I am a new Chair to our Squadron and we are also needing insurance which our CO said he would look into but hasn’t bothered yet. I would be keen to know who you go with.
Indeed. While the squadron staff may be best to advise on what needs to be covered (unless a squadron property list, which excludes MOD assets, already exists), actually arranging that cover is down to the civilian committee.
Just to agree with the above your OC must have some form of inventory that is regularly checked and provide the Civ Com with a list of said property and its replacement value (and regularly checked and updated especially when new equipment is bought or old kit disposed of), arranging the insurance itself is down to the committee and is in my opinion the job of the Chairman to lead on - as are all committee matters. The Chair leads discussions and committee activities, the trustees discuss and vote, the treasurer pays and maintains Sqn accounts. The Secretary maintains records, minutes and correspondence. There are of course more duties but I am trying to be as general as possible.
Regardless of your problems with your OC which are covered in detail elsewhere (so I dont want to cause too much thread drift so discussion to that should remain there) we do have a lot of work to do and its not fair to put more onto them when it is a role of the committee. Having said that if they volunteered to do it (as you have stated they did) and then didn’t that is a very poor show all around. It seems to me you have a total breakdown in the OC / Civ Com relationship and the only way forward is to involve your Wing Chair or higher if that doesn’t resolve it. I am eternally grateful that I have a very supportive committee and we are all on the same page (mostly). They very rarely turn down financial requests but then I go in to meetings with well formed and costed arguments and plans. We do not always agree on things but when we don’t it remains amicable. If I volunteered to do something for the committee I would make sure I damn well do it! But then that equally applies to all - both committee and Sqn staff.
To answer the original question we use Centaur Insurance and have found them easy to deal with and relatively cheap for £25k of cover which covers all purchased and donated kit - but not RFCA items - its their property not ours. It was arranged by my Treasurer and Chair with little input from me other than to tell them equipment values so we ensured we had adequate, but not too much cover. If you wish to discuss privately please PM me.
Agree with all of spicester’s post - but just point out they are the charitable accounts (the squadron has no funds or assets of its own). From that perspective you may find it wise to also take out ‘Director’s Insurance’ . It is not expensive and, despite its title protects decision-making members of the CivCom (trustees) from reprisals or challenges given that they in law they are personally responsible and liable in a way that no one else is.
thanks