UKC

I have recently done an SPA training course and am now eager to get out and volunteer with groups, which is a requirement of the qualification.

I have contacted various companies and instructors who bring groups to Portland but they have asked about my insurance cover.

I have basic BMC membership personal insurance cover (which is required to start the SPA training).

What insurance have others used whilst doing their SPA training and is there a preferred supplier of climbing insurance?

Please help as I am extremely keen to get out and start volunteering.

Any help anyone can offer would be much appreciated.

Adam

In reply to Adam Perrett:

Hi Adam

www.mountain-training.org/mta

Start here, membership is about £40 a year, gets you access to discounted insurance, training workshops, advice.

In reply to siwithington: to be fair the group should be providing insurance under the employers liability.

In reply to Adam Perrett:

You do have some cover through the BMC, but it is limited to when you are purely consolidating your log book by taking groups out. If you are acting as a casual, freelance or volunteer for someone else then it doesn't cover you. I checked this out with the BMC a couple of years ago, for a similar reason, but please do double check with them yourself to confirm.

There are a fair few companies out there that offer Freelance Instructor insurance. Perkins-Slade have a deal with the MTA so you can get preferential rates. Not sure if you can you join the MTA though until you qualify, but I might be wrong. Alternatively, you'll need the company that you are working for to include you temporarily under their own Public Liability policy.

Do a bit of research and confirm all this though - I'm pretty sure that this is the way still still works with volunteers, but I could be wrong.

Good luck with the award,

Si

In reply to siwithington:
You can join MTA as soon as you register for an award. However you do need to have completed and passed the award(s) before you can be a full member and access the MTA group insurance.

In reply to Adam Perrett:

There are companies out there who will have you as assistant on sessions under their own insurance. Unless I'm seriously out of date, I don't think the norm is for SPA trainees to need their own insurance (other than the BMC public liability).

How about looking further afield than Portland?

In reply to siwithington: You're correct in that the MTA group insurance is thye best and most comprehensive deal. I'd be suprised if there was any insurance company willing to insure an unqualified instructor.

To the OP- one way to organise your logbook consolidation is to form groups of friends and take them out climbing. You can also look at volunteering at local schools and accompanying a qualified teacher (who has a SPA).

I'm very suprised that any commercial company is asking about insurance for you to volunteer with them. The addition of you to their liability insurance is a small price to pay for your free help. Persevere and you will get there. All the best, Dave.

In reply to Adam Perrett:
I think you should be asking why they are not providing your insurance. As an employer I do not expect staff to have their own insurance cover unless they are self employed and we are sub contracting the work.

In reply to Adam Perrett: If you are looking for volunteering opportunities Bolton Council Outdoor Education Team are always looking for help and in return they may sub your assessment.

In reply to altadv: Thanks for the replies everyone. Very helpful.

I have contacted the local school with promising results.

I will search for groups who will add me to their insurance as a volunteer.

Adam

In reply to Adam Perrett:

They shouldn't need to add you, they will just have generic cover.