Last Friday, I attended a CAI luncheon in Foster City titled “Building Community.” Rolf Crocker and Nick Berg (no relation) did an outstanding job educating the attendees about how to foster community in homeowner associations. When the idea of community events came up, such as volunteer days, clubhouse events and holiday parties, one manager expressed that her boards were concerned that “their insurance wouldn’t cover it.” While I wouldn’t recommend the wine tasting / archery class they joked about, there are several events that associations can sponsor where insurance should not be a concern.

Volunteer Days – This is a great way to encourage ownership in the community. I’ve heard of annual planting days where folks got out and added colorful flowers to the landscaping, or did a clean-up day where they gathered trash. Nothing that requires machines or ladders, mind you. Make sure every volunteer is accounted for using, for example, a sign-up sheet. Then, at the next board meeting, log the list into the meeting minutes. Consult your attorney for hold-harmless wording if you have concerns about people being injured.

Clubhouse Events – Movie nights, book clubs, and social gatherings are great ways for neighbors to socialize. I would suggest staying away from bounce houses for community events, as they could result in injuries. If you have concerns about a specific event you are thinking of, consult your insurance professional and legal counsel.

Holiday Parties – There is nothing wrong with having a holiday party, and even allowing alcohol. The best way to protect the association would be to hire a catering company to provide and serve the alcohol. The caterer should have the proper insurance in place, and can name the association as an additional insured.

If you are thinking of adding events to foster community in your association, insurance aspects should be a consideration, but not a deterrent. If you have questions, talk to your insurance professional.

Terri Guest is the Northern California Sales & Marketing Representative for Berg Insurance Agency and can be reached at Terri@berginsurance.com. Have an insurance question? Ask Terri and your question may be the subject of next month’s edition of Coverage Corner! If your question is picked, you will win a gift card!