Affordable protection through CIMA and Volunteers Insurance Service — VIS®

Our unique organization was established over 50 years ago to address the risk concerns shared by volunteers and the nonprofit organizations that rely on their help. After reviewing the information below, you can complete an application here on our Website. Questions? Please call us at 800.222.8920.

Millions of volunteers generously donate services to nonprofits each year. We can pay them back in some measure, with volunteer coverage that protects them in case they are injured in an accident, they accidentally cause bodily injury to someone else, or they cause property damage. The injured party might be a client, or it might be a third party. All nonprofits have risks, and volunteers deserve a shield against risks incurred while they are carrying out their vital role.

In some states, a nonprofit organization may choose to buy workers compensation coverage for volunteers. However, that is much more costly than the volunteer accident insurance available through our program. CIMA’s volunteer accident insurance covers injuries sustained during the assignment, or even while traveling to or from the assignment.

As far as liability risk for volunteer activities is concerned, including that on the general liability policy actually reduces protection for a nonprofit, and in some cases eliminates it altogether. The reason: by including volunteers on that policy, the nonprofit is sharing its limits of insurance coverage with them — reducing the limits available to the covered entity itself in the event of a claim involving negligence. Also, the insurer likely has exclusions for claims against one volunteer by another, or by employees. But the choice to protect your valuable unpaid human resources separately provides them the support they need, without compromising coverage for the insured nonprofit.

Many nonprofit organizations have volunteers who use their vehicles on their assignments. Our excess auto liability program offers additional protection if the limited amount of their personal auto insurance policy is insufficient for the damage done.

Applying and securing coverage is easy…

If you are an insurance agent click here.

All others:

Forms – Coverage details, information sheet, claim form, sample volunteer roster.

Frequently asked questions

Leave an e-mail message for our staff to contact you.

Do you need other insurance products?  Email Jessica Pittman, or call her at 703.778.7339. We can address your unique needs.

Volunteers Insurance Service Commitment