Edmonton · Non-Profits & Associations

Non Profit Insurance in Edmonton.

Coverage built for Edmonton non-profits, from the risks of the work to the exposures Edmonton businesses face.

Licensed Alberta brokerage · IBAA member · most non-profits bound in a few business days

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Non-profit and association insurance is built for organizations run by volunteers and boards. It starts with directors and officers liability to protect the personal assets of the people who serve, general liability for members, the public and the events you host, property coverage for the hall you own, and crime coverage for the funds that pass through volunteer hands. For Legions and any group that serves alcohol it adds liquor liability, and for those working with youth or vulnerable people, abuse liability. Society, community league, trade association, service club or Legion branch, Velocity builds these programs for non-profits across Alberta.

Edmonton's non-profit and association sector is sizeable, tied to the capital's health, social-service, and government networks, and covers everything from grant-funded charities to community leagues and professional associations. Directors-and-officers coverage for the volunteer boards making funding and program decisions, general liability for events and outreach, and property for owned or leased space make up the core program.

Most non-profit programs are built around directors and officers liability for the board and general liability for members, the public and your events. Property coverage looks after the hall, crime coverage looks after the funds, and liquor and abuse liability are added where they apply.

Risks Edmonton non-profits face.

These exposures come with the work, and in Edmonton the local risks sit on top. A generic small-business policy rarely covers all of them.

Claims against your volunteer board

Volunteer directors make decisions about money, employment and how the organization is run. Members, staff or funders can name them personally when they disagree, and with no directors and officers coverage those board members put their own assets at risk to serve.

Injuries at events and on your premises

Meetings, fundraisers, tournaments and community events bring members and the public onto your property or into rented space. A slip, a fall or an injury at an event can become a liability claim against the organization.

Serving alcohol at a hall or event

Legions and many associations serve alcohol, whether in a licensed lounge or under a special-event licence. If a patron is over-served and someone is hurt, the organization can be held responsible. Liquor liability is the coverage that pays for that.

Working with youth or vulnerable people

Organizations that run programs for children, seniors or vulnerable people carry an abuse and molestation exposure that a standard liability policy limits or excludes, a difficult risk to talk about and an essential one to cover where it applies.

Theft or misuse of the organization’s funds

Non-profits hold membership dues, grants and event proceeds. Those are often handled by volunteers and rotating treasurers. Theft, fraud and forgery are real exposures, and a loss can set a small organization back years.

Damage to the hall, and lost use

For groups that own a hall or building, fire, water and weather can close the space that hosts your events and, for some, generates rental income. The building, its contents and that rental income all need protecting.

Severe summer storms and hail

Central Alberta sits in one of Canada’s most active hail corridors, and Edmonton sees damaging summer thunderstorms, wind, and hail most years. The August 2019 Edmonton-area hailstorm caused about $90 million in insured damage, with grapefruit-sized stones and winds near 91 km/h. Roofs, signage, fleet vehicles, and stock are the common losses, which is why property and equipment coverage matter here.

Winter freeze and water damage

Long, cold winters make frozen and burst pipes, ice damming, and roof-load a real exposure for Edmonton commercial buildings. The January 2024 cold snap held Edmonton at -40 to -45°C for four straight days, and burst pipes are among the most frequent commercial property claims that follow. Sewer-backup and overland-water endorsements are worth confirming.

The Protection

Coverages we recommend.

Directors & Officers Liability

This protects the personal assets of your volunteer board against claims arising from their decisions. That runs from finances and employment through to how the organization is governed. It is the coverage that makes it safe for people to serve on your board at all.

Commercial General Liability

Injury or property damage to members, guests and the public, at your premises and at your events. $2 million is now the standard minimum limit, and the facilities and municipalities you rent from will ask to see it.

Liquor Liability

For licensed halls and events, this responds when the organization is held responsible for injury or damage caused by a patron who was over-served, and Legions and any association that serves alcohol need it.

Abuse Liability

Cover for the abuse and molestation exposure that comes with running programs for youth or vulnerable people, which a standard liability policy limits or leaves out, added where your activities call for it.

Commercial Property

The hall or building you own, its contents and any equipment, protected against fire, water, theft and vandalism. Where you rent the space out, it also covers the rental income you lose.

Crime / Fidelity

Membership dues, grants and event proceeds, protected against theft, fraud and forgery. That includes theft by a volunteer, a board member or an employee handling the money.

Coverages shown are general examples, not a description of any specific policy. Policy coverages widely vary and should be confirmed with your broker.

How Pricing Works

What drives your premium

What your organization doesA quiet industry association meets a very different risk than a Legion with a licensed lounge or a club running youth programs, so your activities are the biggest driver of price.
Events and attendanceThe number and size of the events you host, and whether the public attends, raise the liability exposure a policy has to account for.
Whether you serve alcoholA licensed hall or regular special-event service adds liquor liability exposure, and how often and how much you serve moves the premium.
Your board, staff, and financesThe size of the board, whether you have paid employees, and the funds you manage all shape the directors and officers and crime exposure.
The hall or building you ownIf you own your space, its value, age and any rental use set the property side of the premium.
Working with vulnerable peoplePrograms for children, seniors or vulnerable people add an abuse exposure. Your screening and safety practices factor into both the coverage and the price.
Claims history, limits & deductiblesA clean record lowers your price while past claims raise it. Limits drive the premium up and deductibles drive it down, with the deductible landing on you at claim time.
Your Edmonton locationYour neighbourhood, the building you occupy, and the local exposures Edmonton sees factor into the property side of your premium.

Common Questions

Questions ownersreally ask.

We are a small volunteer non-profit. Do we really need directors and officers coverage?

Yes, and it is often the most important coverage a non-profit carries. Incorporating under the Societies Act does not fully protect a volunteer director from being named personally in a claim over a decision the board made, whether about money, employment or governance. Many capable people will not join a board without this coverage in place, so it protects both your people and your ability to recruit them.

Our Legion serves alcohol. What coverage does that need?

A licensed hall or lounge, and any event run under an AGLC special-event licence, creates liquor liability exposure. If a patron is over-served and someone is hurt, the organization can be held responsible. Liquor liability responds to that, and Alberta expects your servers to hold ProServe certification. We match the coverage to how and when you serve.

We run programs for kids. Is that a different kind of risk?

Yes. Organizations that work with children, seniors or vulnerable people carry an abuse and molestation exposure that a standard liability policy limits or excludes. Where your activities call for it, we add abuse liability coverage and help you understand the screening and safety practices that sit alongside it.

A facility we rent is asking us to add them to our insurance. What does that mean?

When you rent a community hall, arena or municipal facility, the owner usually wants proof your liability coverage is active and to be added as an additional insured, so they are protected for claims arising from your event. It is routine, and we issue the certificate quickly so it never holds up your booking.

Volunteers use their own vehicles for our events. Is that covered?

That is a common exposure, and it works differently than insuring vehicles the organization owns. A volunteer’s own auto policy responds first, and a non-owned automobile endorsement can extend your liability coverage to protect the organization if a volunteer causes a crash while acting on its behalf. We will add the endorsement where your activities call for it.

How much does non profit insurance cost in Edmonton?

There is no flat rate. Your premium depends on the work you do, your revenue, your Edmonton location, and your claims history, and higher-risk work costs more to insure. We price it around how you operate rather than a one-size quote, and most non-profits go from first conversation to bound coverage within a few business days.

What insurance do most Edmonton businesses need?

Most start with commercial property for the building, stock, and equipment, and commercial general liability for third-party injury and property damage. From there it depends on the trade: vehicles add commercial auto, contractors add tool and equipment coverage, retailers and offices add crime and cyber, and landlords add loss of rental income. We build the mix around your operation.

Are you a local Edmonton insurance broker?

Yes. Velocity is an Edmonton-based brokerage serving businesses across the region and the wider province. You work directly with a broker who knows the local market rather than a call centre.

Can you review my current policy before I switch?

Yes, and there is no obligation. Send us your current policy and a broker will review your coverage for gaps and overlaps and let you know whether we can improve the protection, the price, or both.

Protect your Edmonton organization.

Tell us how your organization operates and we'll build coverage around the work you do and the risks Edmonton sees. Most non-profits are bound within a few business days.

Protect our Organization Call (587) 842-1369

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