Public Liability Insurance is usually required by event and market organisers if you want to have a stall or display at their event. It may also be required by your local Council or other organisations if you want to hire a room or book a public space. It is common to be asked for a Certificate of Currency for $10 or $20 million Public Liability.

It protects your organisation, from financial loss if they are found liable for death or injury, loss or damage of property, or economic loss resulting from their negligence. 

This means that any person who suffers a significant loss through your organisation’s activities is assured that their losses can be made good (up to the amount covered) if they make a claim through the courts. 

More information is available at The Insurance Council of Australia website – https://understandinsurance.com.au/type … -insurance

This help sheet covers all the types of insurance a community group might need –  https://www.ourcommunity.com.au/insuran … cleid=263f

Insurance can be taken out directly by your group or you may be able to be covered through another organisation. If you are auspiced by another organisation then you should check that your activities are included in their insurance cover.

Note that insurance does not mean that your group doesn’t have to take safety seriously.

If you have recommendations for other groups on where to get Public Liability insurance please reply to this post.

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Response – Arian

Thanks for the info! We found that Garden Clubs of Australia is a great organisation which can help with insurance (as well as having excellent regular magazines! ) It might depend a bit on the focus and main activities of your seed saving group as to whether this suits you, but my local group has found GCA really great to deal with – professional, friendly and supportive – navigating what can be pretty confusing and tricky stuff. We’ve also found that local collaborations with bigger organisations can also be useful in being covered by their insurance for joint events or auspiced events. Happy to give more details if anyone would like 

 Garden Clubs of Australia: https://gardenclubs.org.au/

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Response – Lloyd

Our venue for the Blue Mountains Group has public Liability insurance cover for us at our meetings. 
The Bullaburra Hall has an insurance policy that was sourced through an insurance broker who found the best option for covering events and meetings within the hall.
I think the total annual cost is around $3200 for the hall and surrounds (out-side toilet block and separate shed etc) as it’s not a large venue.

This theoretically covers us for all the most obvious third party insurance issues like people falling over due to trip hazards etc.
We donate annually to the Bullburra Progress Association that officially owns and maintains the Hall venue.
This is a small portion of the total annual policy based on our proportional use compared with the other groups who also use the venue.

it’s worth checking if you use a public venue that the owners of the venue and grounds are covered – not necessarily just the people who let out the venue – but the people who own it.
This may not always be the case as I know of other venues that say they will not cover groups meeting inside them.
I think this is based on their policy when you officially ‘hire’ the use of the hall.