From: Christopher Guarniere [mailto:cguarniere@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 2:11 AM
To: announce@lighthouse-district.org
Subject: [Lighthouse Announce] Are you covered by Boy Scouts of America's Insurance?
Importance: High

Greetings Den Leaders, Cubmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, Scoutmasters and Committee Members,

There are a few things that you should be aware of in regards to the Insurance of the Boy Scouts of America, and you. There has been a lot of confusion as of late about tour permits, certificates of insurance and unit money earning permits. Hopefully we can sort out these matters in one quick e-mail.

1)  Tour Permits:    These are required when youth are traveling fifteen miles or more away from your meeting location. This means that if your Pack is going on a trip, if you are going more than fifteen miles away (from where your Pack meets), you need a tour permit. Meeting location is defined as the place where your unit meets regularly, usually the place where the certificate of insurance is issued to that comes with your charter. Furthermore, if you are heading on any activity that might be defined as “High Risk” you need a tour permit even if you conducting this activity right next door to your meeting location.  High risk activities include, boating, swimming, climbing, bike tours..etc.  The Council Risk Management Committee is discussing whether or not traveling to district events and council property (if outside of the fifteen miles) requires a tour permit. There will be a decision on this matter within a month or so and unit leaders will be notified.

Why file a tour permit?  Well the matter comes down to PERSONAL Liability…does your unit leader wish to be held personally responsible for situations that occur on an activity?  If something happens on an activity, and a claim is made, the council will immediately search for a tour permit. In order to be covered by the insurance of the Boy Scouts of America a tour permit must be on file for activities that met the criteria listed above. Den Leaders, this applies when you are heading on Den Field trips. Tour permits are necessary.

Tour permits are filed at the Council Resource Center.  They can be faxed to the council to the attention of Tara Rivera at the Council Resource Center.

2)   Unit Money Earning Permit:   If this is the first time you have heard about this form, you are not alone.  Any fundraising project that a unit undertakes must be approved by the District Finance Committee.  On the back of the Unit Money Earning permit are the rules that must be followed in your fundraiser. If your unit is conducting an unapproved fundraiser and something happens, personal liability falls to the unit leadership. If your unit is conducting an approved fundraiser and something happens, as long as the rules are followed (Rules to Fundraising and the Guide to Safe Scouting), your unit will be covered by insurance.

Unit Money Earning applications are available at the Scout Store, you can also find downloadable versions online. Please complete the form and have approval prior to your units fundraising project. Since the form is a carbon copy form, it must be mailed or hand delivered to the Council Resource Center, or special arrangement must be made with Chris Guarniere well in advance of your fundraiser.

3)  Certificates of Insurance:   Each year during re-charter time, a new certificate of insurance is issued to the units in the council. A certificate of insurance is for the use of your chartered organization and is proof of the $1,000,000 liability insurance coverage issued by the organization. Please be sure that your chartered organization has a copy of this information on file (it also might be wise to make a copy for yourself).  Each certificate is valid for a period of one year and expires and re-news in the month of March. When a unit is traveling to other locations for an activity, the location might ask for proof of insurance for the event. The council issues a certificate of insurance for that event. The certificate issued with the charter is designed to cover the meeting location (which is why a tour permit is needed to extend that insurance else where). Certificates of insurance demonstrate proof of insurance of your unit to another organization.

Certificates of Insurance are available by request at the Council Resource Center. Certificates are issued by Tara Rivera.  In order to issue a certificate of insurance the following information is required:   Name of the activity site, address of the activity site, date(s) of the activity, what the activity is (description).  Once this information is received a certificate will be created and returned to you.  Faxing or postal mail are methods of having the paperwork sent to you, please state your method at the time of your request.

4)  Youth / Adult Applications:   Intent to join is a clause that covers youth during your recruitment efforts. When there are events that are designed to bring new youth into the organization there is coverage for youth that are thinking of joining. However after two meetings this intent to join clause fades away. When a unit receives an application from a youth they have 48 hours to send that form to the Council Resource Center. Even though your unit has collected the application and fees, that youth is NOT registered in the Scouting program until that application has arrived at the Resource Center. Furthermore, any and all applications that are accepted by the unit where fees are also collected MUST be turned into the Council Resource Center even if the unit believes that the youth is not going to / or has not been participating in activities. There have been instances where parents contact the council to transfer their son to a new unit, where they have paid for registration, and are unable to do so because the unit has never turned their paperwork or money in. This places a liability on the unit leader and the committee for misrepresentation of services. People think they are joining and are never enrolled. All applications and $15.00 must be turned in, for each and every scout, within 48 hours of that application being received by the unit. Units may mail their applications and check to the Council Resource Center if necessary. Please ensure the Scouts are covered by insurance and that you do not misrepresent the services being offered for the fee that individuals are paying.  

Overall, please make sure that your unit is covered by the insurance of the Boy Scouts of America. Please make sure your unit is following the Guide to Safe Scouting and meets the requirements listed on the tour permits and the unit money applications. As long as your unit follows the rules the council and the National Council are there to support you one hundred percent in a time of need.

If anyone has questions about any of the items mentioned above please let me know,

-- Christopher Guarniere
    District Executive  |   Lighthouse District
    Staff Advisor        |   Owaneco Lodge, Order of the Arrow

Connecticut Yankee Council, Boy Scouts of America

   Office:  (203) 876-6868  ext.  275
   Website: http://lighthouse.ctyankee.org

    "Together, we are the Lighthouse District"

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