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With over 25 years experience in the non-profit sector, our insurance for community interest companies (CICs) and trusts offers comprehensive protection against the many risks facing charitable organisations.
Community interest companies (CICs) and trusts aim to deliver positive social impact while operating under formal governance and financial responsibilities. Whether you employ staff, work with volunteers, or manage public facing activities, your organisation may be exposed to a range of legal and financial risks.
With specialist cover tailored to not-for-profit structures, Markel Direct supports CICs and trusts with protection that allows them to focus on delivering their mission, confident that they are covered if something goes wrong.
Cover at a glance:
- Public liability cover up to £10m
- Employers’ liability for staff and volunteers
- Trustee indemnity for governance and operational decisions
- Cover for premises, contents and equipment
- Optional cyber and legal expenses cover
What is community interest companies and trusts insurance?
Community interest companies and trusts insurance is designed to protect organisations that operate for the benefit of their communities, helping safeguard people, assets, and decision makers.
These organisations often work closely with local communities and stakeholders, increasing their exposure to potential claims. Insurance helps protect against risks such as injury to members of the public, damage to property, allegations against trustees or committee members, and claims arising from advice or services provided.
Policies typically combine essential covers such as public liability and employers’ liability, along with professional indemnity and trustee liability where required. This tailored approach ensures protection for both the organisation and individuals responsible for its governance.
Cover starting at
£3 a month
Why do I need community interest companies and trusts insurance?
An injury caused to a visitor during a fundraising event, a volunteer alleging bullying by a committee member, or damage caused to expensive equipment used by your organisation could have significant consequences. Our community interest company and trust insurance offers protection against such situations, meaning that if the worst happens, you will be covered.
Without insurance, the financial impact of defending claims or paying compensation could be significant, potentially placing the organisation’s future at risk – trustees and directors may also be personally exposed if the necessary protections are not in place.
Example policy documents
If you have an existing policy with us, please sign in to view your policy documents.
Below you will find examples of the documents provided.
Insurance covers for CICs and trusts
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Public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance
To ensure comprehensive protection against claims, we group our public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance together.
Public liability insurance covers the cost of defending claims against your CIC or trust if someone is injured, or their property damaged, due to your negligence. Public liability protects against many common personal injury scenarios - for example, a visitor slipped and injured themselves during an event held by your organisation. Without cover in place, the legal fees and compensation payments could run into thousands of pounds. Cover for £5m.
Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ staff or volunteers. It covers against allegations of injury or illness suffered by staff during their employment. If your community interest company or trust has employees on a full time, part time or volunteer basis, this cover is essential. Cover for £10m.
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Professional indemnity insurance and trustee indemnity insurance
To ensure comprehensive protection against claims, we group our professional indemnity insurance and trustee liability insurance together.
Professional indemnity insurance covers the cost of defending your trust or CIC against allegations of professional negligence. This could be, for example, if you provide poor or negligent advice to a client. It covers the legal fees, as well as any compensation that may be payable. Cover from £250k to £1m.
Trustee indemnity insurance (also known as trustee liability insurance) covers the legal costs and expenses of defending against disqualification as a trustee, investigations or extradition proceedings. You should consider arranging trustee indemnity insurance for your CIC or trust's trustees to protect them against these risks. Cover from £250k to £1m.
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Property damage insurance
Property damage insurance covers:
- your buildings
- general contents (including stock)
- computer equipment
- tenant improvements and glass (for which you are responsible) against accidental damage (including theft) while on your group’s premises.
You can also choose to insure your group’s equipment, such as laptops and mobile phones, on a worldwide basis. In addition, you can insure against additional trading expenses following an interruption, for example, a flood that means your group has to operate from other premises.
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Legal representation and employment disputes insurance
Legal representation and employment disputes protects your community interest company or trust against employment disputes, official investigations and other serious matters, including crisis management, identity fraud, official investigations (excluding HMRC), corporate manslaughter, pollution and data protection issues. Cover for £100,000.
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Money and personal assault insurance
Money and personal assault insurance covers loss of money for fixed limits up to a maximum of £250,000 for non-negotiable money such as crossed cheques and £2,500 for negotiable money. In addition, if you, or members of your family, or employees, or members of their family, are injured during a robbery or attempted robbery, we will pay you either £5,000 or £50 per week for 104 weeks - depending on the nature of the injury.
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Cyber and data risks insurance
Cyber and data risks insurance protects your CIC or trust in the event of a targeted cyber attack. It pays the costs of restoring data and equipment, informing clients, meeting ransom demands and loss of your net profit. It also pays your legal defence costs and damages you are legally liable to pay to other parties. Ransomware attacks in particular are becoming more common and if your CIC or trust holds confidential information about its employees, volunteers or service users, you should consider arranging cyber and data risks insurance. Cover from £50k to £250k.
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Fidelity insurance
Fidelity insurance protects your community interest company or trust against dishonesty or fraud by volunteers or employees. This could be, for example, if the employee or volunteer who handles your accounts was found to have stolen funds from the organisation for their own personal benefit. Cover for £50k.
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Occupational personal accident insurance
Occupational personal accident insurance helps your CIC or trust's volunteers and employees maintain an income if they are accidentally injured in the course of activities. It pays a weekly amount for temporary total disablement, or a lump sum if they suffer loss of limbs, sight, speech, hearing, permanent total disablement or death. Limits from £100 per week/£25k lump sum to £500/week/£100k lump sum.
How it works
Choose the cover you require
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Buy online or contact one of our advisors
How much does community interest companies and trusts insurance cost?
With over 25 years' experience in the non-profit sector, our insurance for community interest companies (CICs) and trusts offers comprehensive protection against the many risks facing charitable organisations. At Markel Direct, you can secure community interest companies and trusts insurance from £3 a month*.
*Price based on a community interest group, with an annual turnover of up to £10,000, requiring £250,000 of professional indemnity and trustees liability insurance.
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Frequently asked questions
These frequently asked questions are designed to help you and include questions relating to policy cover, pricing and ‘technical’ terms.
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Can we get insurance if we’re not a registered club?
Yes – you don’t need to be a registered charity to get cover for your group. Many of our clients are small charities or community organisations that are new or are too small to be a registered charity.
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Does the policy cover volunteers?
Yes - the employers' liability and public liability section of the policy provides cover for your volunteers. As long as you purchase this section of cover from us, your volunteers will be covered.
To find out more on insurance for volunteers, read our article here.
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Does the insurance cover events?
Yes - the public liability section of the policy provides cover for charity events (such as fundraising) for up to 500 attendees.
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We don't have a regular meeting place - can you insure us?
Yes. We cover hundreds of small charities, community groups and clubs that don't have a regular meeting place and instead rotate between different venues, such as members' homes, village halls and community centres.
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Why should I insure with Markel?
Established over 25 years ago, we've gained an expert understanding of the risks facing small charities and community groups, and our policies are specially designed to protect you.
We actively support the third sector. Since 2008, we have donated more than £150,000 to our supported charity, Carers Trust, and have supported numerous charity awards including the Third Sector Excellence Awards and Britain's Best Volunteer in partnership with Small Charities Coalition.
We are a division of Markel International, a Lloyd’s and London market insurer that wrote gross premium totals of $2.4bn in 2023. Still not sure? Call us on 0800 640 6604 - one of our insurance experts will be more than happy to answer any questions you have and talk you through the insurance we offer so you can choose the right cover for your charity or group. Alternatively, get a quote now and call us later if anything needs clarifying.
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How are Markel Direct regulated?
Markel Direct is a trading name of Markel International Insurance Company Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Find out more on the Financial Services Register.
We are a division of Markel International, a Lloyd’s of London market insurer that wrote gross premium totals of £2.4bn in 2023
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