Hi Listers. We have a conundrum. Our nonprofit serves as a resource for local history organizations in our region and we’ve been debating whether or not we need to purchase Directors & Officers Insurance, which would protect individual board members (of which I am one) in the event we were sued (say, by someone who slips and falls while attending an event we have sponsored).  We put on workshops, conferences, outings and provide resources, but we have neither a building nor collections. In spite of that, we’ve been told we could still be sued.

The quote we’ve gotten for this coverage is $1,000/year, which is roughly half of our annual budget! If we purchase it, we will have to do fundraising to support it, and it won’t even provide programming to our community. Do we really need this?

Does YOUR organization have it? Why did you decide yes or no? Ways to pay less? Any anecdotes to help us decide? Please help!

--Perplexed in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts

--Kathie Gow