Boy Scouts of America

Certificates of Insurance

Adult Audience Only


SUMMARY

Certificates of insurance verify that the BSA and local councils have insurance for an event or activity. In most cases when Scouting and Exploring activities are held at locations other than Scout property, the location requires a certificate of insurance from the BSA. The other parties usually want to be added to the BSA general liability policy as an additional insured.

GENERAL INFORMATION

When another party wants to be an additional insured, this means they want to be insured on the BSA’s general liability policy. Selling popcorn in front of the local grocery store, conducting unit activities at parks, and gathering at the unit’s regular meeting place are just some examples where parties would require certificates of insurance from the BSA. Businesses or groups that donate services or goods that will benefit Scouting are other examples where the local council can issue certificates of insurance with the businesses or groups as additional insured.

There are times when the other organization provides a contract or facility use agreement for the Scouting event or activity and will include insurance requirements. These documents will need to be reviewed very carefully. Sometimes wording in these documents can put the Scouting organization, councils, and leaders into a situation where the insurance policy is accepting the fault of the other party or holding the other party harmless for their own negligent acts. If these documents have this type of wording, the certificate of insurance would not be issued and should not be signed.

  • Local councils can issue certificates of insurance for organizations requesting to be an additional insured.
  • If the event or activity has special requirements, the certificate of insurance must be issued by the Risk Management Team in the BSA’s national service center. Work with the local council for the certificate of insurance.
  • Many times, there are contracts or facility use agreements for the activity or event. These papers should be reviewed by the local council. Always allow time for reviewing, possibly revising, and issuing certificates of insurance.
  • Anytime contracts or facility use agreements require a signature, keep in mind that only the local council Scout executive, or his or her designee, can sign documents binding the local council.

RESOURCES

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.