If your organisation is providing the vehicles then you should, of course, arrange appropriate insurance cover.
Volunteers using their own vehicles should inform their insurance company that the vehicle is being used for voluntary work. There should not be an extra premium. Some companies insist that the volunteer will have to change their policy to business cover, but usually if you make it clear that they are not making any profit from volunteering they will cover the voluntary activity under social use.
You should check that volunteers have told their insurance companies about the new use of their vehicles, as not doing so could invalidate their cover in the event of an accident. It’s also useful periodically to check that their cover is up to date.
Many organisations find it useful to issue volunteers with a standard form that can be sent to insurance companies informing them that the vehicle will be used in the course of voluntary work. Returned forms act as a confirmation that the volunteers are insured. The Information Team at Volunteering England has an example of such a form, and you can obtain a copy by ringing the Freephone helpline on 0800 028 3304 or by emailing information@volunteeringengland.org.
It is possible to arrange 'contingent motor liability insurance', which protects the organisation against any legal liability that may arise from a volunteer being involved in an accident during the course of their voluntary work. This could occur if a volunteer failed to inform their insurers.
