Running Your Theater: Insurance Problems

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Insurance Problems

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Theater Administration
Forum Name: Running Your Theater
Forum Discription: General questions about how to make it work
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4818
Printed Date: 11/22/24 at 4:08pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Insurance Problems

Posted By: QAAW
Subject: Insurance Problems
Date Posted: 9/23/10 at 12:21pm

Our small community theater was just told by our insurance company that if we keep doing productions with children in them we need "molestation" insurance. Getting this insurance means EVERY adult in a cast that has children will have to have a police check! Has anyone else gone through this?

Replies:

Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 9/23/10 at 3:49pm

We just got new insurance a year or two ago and I don't think there was anything like that required but I wasn't the one who read the policy.

There was a post here a while ago from someone at a theater that did a lot of shows with kids who found out that one of their volunteers was on the sex offenders registry. There was some discussion about the advisability of checking to see if potential volunteer and actors are on offenders lists.

It seems like a bit of buzz kill to start off a production but then again you're sometimes including people you really know nothing about. (at least I know we do.)

Any idea how much a police background check will cost you?

Posted By: SM_Ted
Date Posted: 9/23/10 at 7:25pm

A few points.

A) How much is this "molestation insurance?" If it will only cost one or two hundred a year, why not?

B) If it is expensive, shop around for another insurance provider.

C) Police record checks are not expensive ($35-75 in my neck of the woods depending which jurisdiction you're in) and aren't a big deal. You fill out a one pages form, hand over the money and a week or so later your employer (or whomever asked for the check) gets a letter. I'm sure your volunteers won't need checks for every production. Once per season at the very most is all that should be required.

Posted By: TZine
Date Posted: 9/23/10 at 10:03pm

I've never come across this. To me, it seems a little "out there", but every situation is different. Have you tried having a quick sit down chat with a couple other insurance agencies in your area? I'm sure the agents would be willing to talk to you if it meant the slightest chance they might get some new business!

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Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 9/23/10 at 10:26pm

If your theatre group is a member of the AACT {American Association of Comunity Theatre} they have an Insurance Packge for thier member groups, there again if the group is not, it may be an advantage to give them a bell;-

http://theatre.mysgp.com/jsp/template.jsp?menu=about&content=/jsp/aboutus2.jsp - http://theatre.mysgp.com/jsp/template.jsp?menu=about&content=/jsp/aboutus2.jsp

My mob here are included in the local City Council Insurance thus they don't pay for Public Liabitity or Volunteer Insurance, except that of insuring the groups equipment ect.

Also via our City 'Volunteer Resource Centre' the Police Background Record check [State & Federal] is done for free to VRC for registered members. therefore most of our members have availed themselves of this service.

I wonder if something similar may be available to your theatre localy?

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 9/24/10 at 9:32am

I believe that many Parks & Rec groups and kid's organizations get around this by agreeing that the kids stay with one or two certified people. So basically the Park employees are always present--and these two people are required to have the background check. If your insurance company accepts this then you should write up the rules and have signatures of the parents on forms when they sign their kids up acknowledging the rules (for instance perhaps the parents have to remain during rehearsals to make sure their kids get to the bathroom or to unsupervised areas. Then you get agreement from one or two people that you keep on site with the kids to be the responsible and police checked people..

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1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

Posted By: QAAW
Date Posted: 9/27/10 at 9:40am

We are in Canada and we do carry directors and officers liability insurance (which includes sexual harassment but not molestation/abuse) plus insurance on our non-profit society. To get this 'extra' coverage would be $300-$400/year extra. We only do 4 shows a year and barely make ends meet now. And no way for one of our large musicals would we get 20 or more adults to pay for criminal checks.

We are going to look into vickifrank's suggestion of having background checks for the Directors and stage managers (production team) and assign them to be responsible. Would have to get parents to sign permission forms (which they already do), but 'hold harmless' forms are usually not legal. You could get sued any way.

No other small community theatre in our area has had to have this type of insurance. Most of them don't even carry ANY insurance! Very frustrating for our Board.
Thanks for replies!

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 9/27/10 at 11:45pm

We don't carry any any Director or Officers insurance, as liability is limited under The Association Incorporation Act to that of the assets of the Incorporated Body, unless any individual act or collective action is taken outside the law, then it is deemed to be beyond the liabity of the association & the protection of the Act.

But it is required to have Public Liability & Volunteer Insuance which is generaly about $2500 [AUD] thru the Australian Community Theatre Association, if they a member group of the local Independant Theatre Association [WA]. This normaly is about four or five times as much via other Insurance packages available upon the open market.

However as mentioned in a previous post this is now all covered by the City Council.

The Pohms [Bitish] have extensive legislation when it comes to children performing in theatre, each child under 16 years has to be licenced & subject to strict guidelines set by the Childrens Act & in acord with varing Local Council regulations.

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}