ARG UK offers an insurance scheme to provide public liability insurance for the group (with an excess of £500 on any claim) and personal accident insurance for individual members.  Further information on the scheme can be found in ARG UK Insurance Advice note 3 revised July 2011 (164.03 kB)

The scheme is free to groups formally affiliated to ARG UK.  To take advantage of this scheme a group should carry out the following four steps:

1. Confirm affiliation to ARG UK

To confirm affiliation an ARG should:

• Complete an  ARG UK Affiliation Form 2011 (26.27 kB), and return it to us
• Ensure that the group's constitution states that it is affiliated to ARG UK.

2. Incorporate health and safety considerations into all events

Most ARG events entail a very low risk of accident or injury.  However, health and safety measures should be a routine element of all ARG activities.  ARG activities must be planned to minimise the risk of accidents and group members must be adequately trained and equipped for activities.  ARG UK has produced Lone Working Procedures and a generic risk assessment form to assist ARGs in undertaking health and safety measures.

 ARGUK Lone Working Procedures revised July 2011 (59.47 kB)

 ARG UK Generic Risk Assessment revised July 2011 (22.89 kB)

3. Keep an accurate record of membership and fully insured members

Insured ARGs should have a clearly defined membership system in place and an up-to-date list of membership.  All group members requiring personal injury and member to member cover must complete a Volunteer Working Agreement on an annual basis.  Completed forms should be kept by the group as a record of its fully insured members.

 ARG UK Volunteer Working Agreement (59.95 kB)

4. Keep records of health and safety measures taken

Groups should keep records of training, attendance at events, risk assessments and measures taken to minimise the risk of accidents.

Volunteers from South Lancashire clear scrub from dunes in North Wales to restore sand lizard habitat. Not all of the volunteers were ARG members, but as the group was affiliated to ARG UK, the group itself was covered by public liability insurance.