Insurance for fundraising BBQ?

unlucky67

Hi
I'm involved with a playgroup (charity) and we are planning on having a fundraiser with a BBQ...posters etc are out!
We have insurance and I have just seen 'provision of food' at a fundraiser is seen as a high risk exclusion and we need to contact them to ensure that we are insured...
Some members think we should go ahead and plead ignorance - but others are more concerned....
So does anyone have any idea (at all) how much it would cost to insure something like this? (Expecting a hundred or so people at most, BBQ will be outside)

Horace

You could get some one off event insurance which shouldn't cost much. I am unsure of the exact amount because I have my own public liability insurance and therefore don't have any insurance for specific one-off events.

Provision of food is high risk because it needs to be cooked and stored properly to ensure that folks don't get food poisoning.

paddyrg

How about getting someone who *is* qualified and insured to handle food to do that part of things - maybe someone with a burger van?

Just because the BBQ is fundraising for a charity doesn't mean health regs can be bypassed! You could talk to your local council and see what they suggest?

Suarez

paddyrg wrote: »

How about getting someone who *is* qualified and insured to handle food to do that part of things - maybe someone with a burger van?

Exactly what I was going to say. For the cost and bother of organising the food you could probably get a good deal with a local burger van who can give you a % of each sale...

unlucky67

Does anyone have any idea of the one off event cost?

I should have said that I used to be a chef, organised outside catering events and also my partner had his own restaurant...I fully appreciate the risks involved and what we would have to re-storing the food etc....showing due diligence. Also the staff have to have food hygiene certificates (they feed the children snack!)

My biggest concern is that if someone did get poisoned we wouldn't be insured....(and I know from experience that even doing all the right things that can happen - I gave 2 people salmonella and came out looking good - it could have easily been all 30 people who ate the same thing - or worse hundreds if I had cross contaminated!)

I know there is another local event that does burgers on a BBQ but they make you cook your own - guess that gets them away from some of the blame...

I guess I might have to phone the insurance people and get a quote....just worried that it will be more than we raise...

Not sure a burger van would work - they couldn't cook from the van ...so they would be cooking on a BBQ too...probably not covered by their insurance...

nickj_2

you are dealing with members of the public - therefore you need public liability insurance to cover all activities , not just those that don't cost much , if something does go wrong and you're not insured then you could be liable for huge amounts of cash
i would have thought that even making cutomers cook their own burgers would not stop any liability should anything go wrong

jexygirl

unlucky67 wrote: »

My biggest concern is that if someone did get poisoned we wouldn't be insured....(and I know from experience that even doing all the right things that can happen - I gave 2 people salmonella and came out looking good - it could have easily been all 30 people who ate the same thing - or worse hundreds if I had cross contaminated!)

1- I am slightly concerned how you managed to give people salmonella when you say you did everything right, not the best example!!! which leads me on to
2 - make sure you are properly covered - pleading ignorance is not an option in a court of law - you are supposed to read the terms and conditions and you should.
where is the event being held? Has the "field you are using or hiring" not got public liability, and by your hire agreement you are covered? If you are using a local park, make sure you have permission. There should also be handwash facilities as well as refridgerated storage, and it might even be worth contacting your local EH officer for advice, they are really helpful in this sort of thing, and will make sure you have crossed every T and dotted every I.

Suarez

unlucky67 wrote: »

Does anyone have any idea of the one off event cost?

I should have said that I used to be a chef, organised outside catering events and also my partner had his own restaurant...

Can you not ask your partner to phone his insurance company for a quote? They may do it cheaper?

paddyrg

Try calling Hiscox business - they do event insurances and may be able to discuss an appropriate policy with you :-)

BTW - I am all in favour of people paying 50p/item to use your barbecue and then you can invite a premium sausage shop to sell their range and give you a small slice of their profits - they get the benefit of selling sausages, people trying their range, and people buying to take home, everyone is a winner!