This section addresses four topics regarding insurance and volunteering as a Pet Partners Handler:
General Pet Partners Activities
It is important for Pet Partners Handlers to understand the risks involved in being a volunteer, whether it be as a Delta Society Pet Partners Handler or in any other volunteer pursuit. As a Pet Partners Handler, you are personally and legally responsible for damages or injuries that are either caused by you or your animal, or suffered by you or your animal. Delta Society assumes no legal responsibility for the actions of you or your animal.
Volunteers can protect themselves against these and other risks with a type of insurance called liability insurance. Whether or not a claim submitted to one's liability insurance carrier will be covered depends on the particular facts and circumstances of the claim and the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. Nevertheless, making sure that you have insurance is an important step in protecting yourself against future risks. Benefits provided by liability insurance generally include the costs of defending against lawsuits, payment of damages and in some circumstances, payment of medical expenses.
We recommend that all Pet Partners Handlers carry a homeowner's, tenant homeowner's, or condominium owner's insurance policy. Those policies generally include coverage for personal liability. We also recommend that Pet Partners Handlers consult with their insurance agent to discuss the form and amount of insurance appropriate for being a Pet Partners Handler.
Delta Society carries a primary commercial general liability insurance policy (“CGLI”) for its employees, officers, directors and qualified volunteers for accidents that occur during the policy period. A Pet Partners Handler Team is covered by this insurance upon receipt of the team’s acceptance letter and ends at the expiration of the team’s Pet Partners registration. Delta's CGLI policy includes the following provisions, among others:
- Coverage under the policy is subject to the facts and circumstances of a loss and terms and conditions of the policy. Coverage is not guaranteed.
- Claims under the CGLI policy must be submitted promptly and could be barred if submitted late.
- If applicable, the CGLI policy might apply in circumstances where a Pet Partners Handlers' homeowners policy does not, or vice versa; or the two policies might both apply.
- The CGLI insurance policy has limits in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- Pet Partners Handlers are individually responsible for monetary awards not paid by the policy (a good reason to carry homeowners or similar coverage).
- Coverage is not provided for damages occurring between fellow Pet Partners Handlers or any other Delta Society volunteers.
- Coverage is not provided for damages caused by intentional acts or as a result of a Pet Partners Handler acting outside the scope of, or not in compliance with, the Pet Partners program and its policies and procedures.
- Pet Partners Handlers must maintain their volunteer status for the policy to be available, i.e. Pet Partners Handlers must receive no compensation for their volunteer services and must not use a Pet Partners animal while performing duties of their job. Reimbursement of nominal incidental expenses such as supplies can be allowed without jeopardizing volunteer status.
For a complete understanding of the CGLI policy coverage, please consult the full terms and conditions of Delta's CGLI policy. A copy of the CGLI policy can be obtained by submitting a request to petpartners@deltasociety.org.
Team Training Instruction and Evaluation
Subject to the terms and limitations of Delta's CGLI policy (including those discussed above), Instructors, Evaluators, and others who are assisting Instructors and/or Evaluators at a workshop or an evaluation are considered Delta volunteers and are also covered by Delta’s CGLI. The following persons, among others, are not covered by Delta's CGLI:
- Persons and/or animals who are seeking to be Pet Partners Handlers through the Pet Partners workshop and evaluation and who are at any point in that process prior to receiving their acceptance letter as Pet Partners Handlers,
- The general public,
- Independent contractors or staff of a facility where instruction or evaluation occurs.
Please note that the limitation set forth in item one above does not apply to registered Pet Partners Handlers who are being re-evaluated and whose registration remains current. Insurance coverage terminates at the expiration of a Pet Partners Handlers' registration period. If a Pet Partners Handler is being evaluated prior to expiration, CGLI coverage terminates at the earlier of either failing an evaluation or expiration of the registration period.
Even though the three categories of persons listed above are not covered, an Instructor, Evaluator, or person volunteering at the request of the Instructor or Evaluator might still be covered for expenses relating to injuries caused by any of the persons listed in the above categories (subject again to the terms and conditions of the CGLI policy).
Other Entities, Including Facilities
Questions arise periodically about whether Delta’s CGLI applies to other entities and their facilities. These other entities include separate businesses, governmental agencies, or organizations other than Delta. We recognize that Pet Partners Handlers often take the initiative to approach an entity for use of its facility, including whether the facility can be used for instruction and /or evaluation. Delta’s CGLI is limited to qualifying individuals (i.e., Delta employees, officers, directors and volunteers); it does not cover entities. Such entities are considered unrelated third parties just as a non-employee / non-volunteer would be. Delta and its CGLI insurer do not issue certificates of insurance to entities or add them as additional insureds to Delta’s CGLI. It is important for Pet Partner Handlers to understand these limitations, and we suggest that Pet Partners Handlers discuss the above with a responsible party at an entity whose facility will be visited or used.
Delta Society Affiliates
There are several important considerations for Delta Society Affiliates. As discussed above, Delta’s CGLI covers individuals, and not entities. Subject to the facts and limitations in the policy, Pet Partners Handlers are covered by Delta’s CGLI for damages or injuries they cause or suffer when performing Pet Partners' activities regardless of whether they volunteer individually or as a member of a Delta affiliate. Delta’s CGLI does not apply, however, to affiliate activities that are outside the scope of Pet Partners activities as described in the Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual, or activities that do not meet Pet Partners policies and procedures. If Pet Partners Handlers participate in either type of activity in connection with a Delta Society Affiliate, they will not be covered for any accidents that might occur. To the extent Affiliates do not already have a liability insurance policy, they should consider obtaining coverage applicable to entities and their activities.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please e-mail us at:
The preceding discussion is a general overview and is for informational purposes only. For a complete understanding of the insurance potentially available, please consult the full terms and conditions of Delta's CGLI policy, as well as any homeowner's, condominium owner's or any similar policy under which you are named as an insured. Any accident that results in damages or injuries will be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances subject to the terms and conditions of Delta’s CGLI. This discussion does not create a contract or other legal obligation of Delta, and may not be relied upon for that purpose. The detail and precise language of the insurance policy must be examined for a full understanding of the extent and limits of Delta’s CGLI.
