Insurance

Insurance is an important aspect of managing outdoor learning experiences. Care should be taken to match the type and level of cover to the situations expected, and to seek specialist advice as necessary.

This health and safety guidance explains the importance of the following issues to insurance for outdoor learning:

General

Few teachers have detailed knowledge of insurance but local authorities will be able to provide advice on what is appropriate.

This will allow the group leader to be confident well before the group departs that adequate insurance arrangements are in place.

Consider the balance of both the risks and benefits of an experience. 

Be ready to argue the case when a first response is that insurance cover will be difficult to arrange.

Insurance and parents

The group leader should follow local authority advice. Normally, this will involve informing parents of the extent and scope of any insurance cover that will be arranged by the establishment.

Parents should be informed of any opportunities that might be available for them to take out optional extra cover, or if it is advisable for them to take out their own additional insurance.

Insurance cover

Additional arrangements may be necessary to obtain insurance cover for activities abroad and activities of a potentially hazardous nature.

Third party providers

The group leader should follow local authority advice on determining the details of the insurance held by any third party provider.

Transport

Local authority advice should be followed in ensuring that insurance cover is adequate.

Visits abroad may need additional arrangements.

Care should be taken to ensure that local authority advice is followed when it is planned to use private vehicles.

Further guidance

This guidance is aimed primarily at teachers and other leaders providing outdoor learning experiences to children and young people. The advice is not comprehensive but aims to cover 90% of the most common outdoor learning situations

More extensive guidance can be found:

• by utilising specialist advice from your local authority
• in 'Health and Safety on Educational Excursions'.

Further information

See chapter 7 - Insurance:

• General (para 139)
• Insurance in local authority establishments (140)
• Other establishments (141)
• Insurance and parents (142)
• Insurance cover for excursions (143)
• Cancellations (147)
• Transport (148-152)