INSURANCE

The Australian Spiritualist Union of Churches (ASUOC) offers its members, organisation, businesses and individuals, Third Party Public Liability Insurance through AON Insurance Brokers and underwritten by Pacific Insurance.

Below is information provided to me by Mr Gynesh Mistry, the AON contact person who has been very patient and helpful with my many questions and queries.

Hi Richard,

 Trust this email finds you well.

 Following our phone conversation yesterday, this is to advice that the current Public Liability policy in place provide cover for all Legal Liability to pay Compensation in respect of Bodily Injury or Damage to Property caused by the insured members.

 Members are covered to operate anywhere in Australia and at various different locations as they requested for cover whilst completing the application forms. This is the reason why we request completion of the application form which requests for Full Description of activities performed by the members and the number of premises (situations) the members operate from. If all information is provided accurately, they will be charged correct premium and covered adequately. The members who visit various places for reading etc are also covered for these events provided they provide correct details of their activities on the forms. The forms are very important as these will be reviewed by the insurer when a claim arises and if the activities are not listed, insurers has the right to decline the claim.

 I also wish to advise that following are some of the important exclusion on cover;

 1) Sexual Risk Exclusion

This Insurance does not apply to liability arising out of sexual discrimination, sexual abuse, sexual

molestation or the transmission of sexually transmissible diseases.

 2) Treatment Risk Exclusion

 Exclusion 8 of the Policy is deleted and replaced by:

 8. This insurance does not apply to;

 a)      liability in respect of the rendering of or failure to render professional advice or service by the insured or any error or omissions connected therewith

b)      liability arising out of advice, design, formula or specification;

c)      Personal Injury arising directly or indirectly out of or caused by treatment prescribed or administered by the Insured.

 3) Major Events Exclusion

 This insurance does not apply to Personal Injury or Property Damage arising out of or in connection with

any ‘Major Event’ organised or supervised by or on behalf of the Insured.

 For the purpose of this Exclusion, ‘Major Event’ includes street fairs, markets, street closures, camps,

exhibitions, trade shows, displays or any event requiring security personnel.

If members wish to cover for the professional services of treatment risks, they are to have Professional Indemnity policy on their own as this policy cannot be extended to cover such risks.

 I trust this clarifies our discussion of yesterday and should you have any other queries, please feel free to call me.

 With Best Regards,

 Gynesh Mistry | Aon Risk Services Australia Limited

What does this mean?  Well, in a nutshell, it gives you coverage if someone is injured on the premises you are working in (e.g. your Church Hall), third party property damage, or claims against you or your organization for loss of materiel (e.g. - a camera is broken by you stepping on it). After consultation with AON’s representative, we are also covered for work done outside of the organization’s premises, by members of the organization who do readings and healings etc. It must be clear though, that there is a disclaimer for any therapies that include “hands on” work such as massage, Reiki, reflexology etc.; as these are classed as practitioner’s methodologies. In other words, if it’s covered under medical insurance for patients, it is not covered by the P/L insurance we offer. Nor is P/L coverage available if you give out remedies etc. Contact us if you require further information on the above.

If you do have representatives of your organization visiting homes of persons requesting readings, it is imperative that you also give a disclaimer regarding your readings. Below is an example of a disclaimer, used by our President:

·         I am not a fortune teller. I may, however, during the reading, give information pertaining to the future. If I do, it is not set in concrete, as you may make a very small change in direction in your life’s path that changes anything I may say pertaining to the future.

If your Church is holding a fundraising day, anyone who agrees to come and participate must have their own P/L insurance, if they are not an official representative of your organization. You must sight a current Certificate of Currency (CoC) for their insurance. Your own representatives are covered under your policy. If you or your representatives are doing readings at another organizations fundraising day, you must provide them with a copy of your CoC. For all of the events that are not noted on the Policy Proposal form, fourteen days written notice is required to ensure P/L cover is provided. If you’re not sure, send the ASUOC written notice, just to be on the safe side.

Any guest mediums, speakers etc, invited by you to speak at your services is covered under your P/L policy.

It must be remembered that P/L is not a comprehensive policy for property. If you wish to insure against loss or damage of your equipment, etc. you need to seek out such insurance of your own accord.

To help clarify third party personal injury, here is a comparison of injury scenario: - If you are sitting in a church and your camera strap is on the floor and you get up and trip on it, you are not covered by the organizations P/L policy. If the person sitting next to you gets up and trips over your strap, they are covered for personal injury.

Please feel free to contact us if you need further advice or clarification.

Rev. Min. Richard Milne
Treasurer & Interim President.