INSURANCE
BETTER COVERED THAN SORRY
Public Liability
A host should consider the types of insurance cover needed to protect guest-workers that they welcome into their homes or small business. Typically, hosts need to extend their current public liability insurance to cover volunteer guest-workers.
Public liability provides cover if a guest-worker is harmed due to negligence while living in the accommodation provided by the host and during volunteer work for the host. It can also cover the host and the guest-worker if a third-party is injured through the guest-worker’s actions.
If a host delivers services such as advice, specifications, training or design work for a fee, professional negligence insurance might be required for the guest-worker. This provides cover for cases of physical injury or financial loss claimed by a host’s clients as a result of these services. Hosts are advised to speak to their insurers to make sure appropriate cover is in place.
What to consider when buying insurance?
When buying insurance cover, a host should:
- Make sure the policy covers volunteer guest-workers.
- Check that the policy documents explicitly mention cover for guest-workers.
- Find out if there are upper/lower age limits for guest-worker insurance.
- Ensure that the insurance policy covers the types of activities that the guest-worker will be doing.
Car Insurance
Very often it is required of a guest-worker to drive a car or even a larger vehicle. If the host owns the vehicle being used by a guest-worker, it is the responsibility of the host to arrange insurance on the vehicle so that the guest-worker is covered while driving. The host should inform the insurer that the vehicle is to be used as part of a volunteer guest-worker role.
If the guest-worker owns the vehicle, then the responsibility for arranging insurance lies with the guest-worker. The guest-worker should inform the insurer that the vehicle is to be used as part of a volunteer guest-worker role.
Travel Insurance
Most often there is travel involved when a guest-worker relocates to a host’s location. In most cases this relocation goes without a hitch. But if something does go wrong, like serious illness or injury in a foreign country, the last thing a guest-worker needs is a lack of support or financial means by which to get treated and flown home. By taking out travel insurance the guest-worker is essentially covered against travel risks such as lost or stolen luggage, cancellation cover (should travel be impossible due to unexpected medical reasons) and most importantly, unexpected medical costs abroad.
What does a travel insurance policy cover?
A comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide:
- Emergency medical cover
- Losses incurred due to unforeseen cancellation or having to cut your trip short
- Death and disability cover
- Personal liability cover
- Luggage cover
Not all travel insurance is the same. All travel insurance policies have specific benefits and exclusions so it’s common sense, imperative, and absolutely necessary for guest-workers to take the time to read the policy wording carefully. And it is important to note that these vary from country to country.