FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – BRITISH GUILD OF TOURIST GUIDES PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE COVER
Q. Who is covered? 1A. All members of the Guild, who are resident in the British Isles (Great Britain, Northern Ireland, The Channel Islands, the Isle of Man) are accepted into membership having been approved by the Guild’s Executive Council in accordance with its Constitution. “Members” shall mean: a) Individual members b) Group members (Association members) c) Fellows d) Life fellows e) Students currently training on an accredited course of which the Guild is training provider but only while under supervision.
Q. What is covered? A. As a member of the Guild, you are provided with PLI cover for your professional work as a qualified tourist guide. It covers you when undertaking tourist guiding. In effect this covers the guides for their legal liability to pay compensation to third parties i.e. people they are guiding (or anybody else for that matter) – for injury sustained or damage to property as a result of their negligence.
Q. If I am guiding a group that contains other members of the Guild and one of those members has a claim against me, is that claim covered by the insurance? A. Yes. But always subject to the terms and conditions of the policy as for other claims
Q. If I lose keys and/or fail to secure a site where I am working am I covered for any resulting damage and/or replacement of keys and locks? A. Yes but duty of care must have been exercised and the excess is increased to £500 for each and every claim. Total claims for this extension in the period of insurance (or pro-rata for the insurance period) are limited to £25,000.
Q. Is there an excess to pay? A. Yes, there is a compulsory excess of £250 for Third Party Property Damage excess. ie. if you break or damage something at a site the first £250 is payable by yourself. There is no excess for personal injury claims.
Q. Is there a limit to the number of people I am guiding? A. No. On occasions 60 seat coaches are used to transport the tours.
Q. Would people suffering from disabilities be covered? A. Yes. They would be regarded as a standard tour party.
Q. Would cover be in place if a visitor slipped and fell on an uneven path or track if I advised them it was in good order? A. Yes. However, you must remember that a duty of care should prevail at all times. Your advice to your clients should always be “Take Care”.
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Q. If an elderly visitor was advised that they could negotiate a dark stairwell and subsequently fell, what would be the consequence? A. The claim would be met, if it can be demonstrated that you had displayed negligence; however, duty of care again applies. If negligence cannot be demonstrated then the claim would fail, but you will have had the benefit of the insurance to provide your defence.
Q. If a wheel chair visitor was unable to see some external sights due to unsuitable ground, could I be held responsible? A. It would be very unlikely, nor would it be expected to provoke a claim for negligence. They must be aware that they cannot access some places/areas.
Q. Is there an age limit for insurance cover? A. No.
Q. Am I covered if I take a group abroad? A. Yes. All Guild members operating from the United Kingdom are indemnified against legal liability for damages in respect of accidental bodily injury to third parties or accidental loss or damage to material property not owned by you. The cover extends overseas for any member who is temporarily visiting a country outside the UK. (N.B.: not the USA/Canada)
Q. What does the policy NOT cover? A. The policy does not cover liability, damage or consequential loss directly caused by or arising out of terrorism. It is not an Employers Liability Insurance nor is it Personal Injury and Accident Insurance. It does not cover Hazardous Activities nor Outdoor Activities which are hazardous.
Q. What is the limit of cover? A. £5 million.
Q. Can I contact the Insurance company myself? A. ALL questions relating to PLI must be directed via email to [email protected]
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