The “Good Intentions” Liability Trap: When Helping Creates Risk

A volunteer offers to drive a client to a medical appointment. Another helps carry supplies into a building. Someone else steps in to calm an upset client. These moments feel routine and generous, but they also introduce risks.

Good intentions do not prevent accidents, allegations, or lawsuits. And when something goes wrong, nonprofits are often surprised to learn they may be legally responsible for what a volunteer did while trying to help. Yes, a nonprofit can be held liable for its volunteers’ actions, which is why volunteer liability insurance exists. It addresses a specific gap that many organizations do not recognize until a claim appears.

When Good Intentions Still Lead to Liability

Liability is not about whether someone meant well. It is about outcomes and allegations. If a volunteer causes bodily injury or property damage, or is accused of doing so, the legal system assesses responsibility, not motivation.

Most liability claims hinge on negligence. In plain terms, negligence means failing to do something you should have known to do, or doing something you should have known not to do, and causing harm as a result. 

Consider a few common examples:

• A volunteer helping a client into a vehicle misjudges their balance, and the client falls.
• A volunteer damages property while performing a simple repair.
• A tense interaction escalates, and a volunteer is accused of verbal or physical misconduct.

In each case, a claim may name the volunteer. The organization may also face a claim, especially if questions arise about screening, training, or supervision. Even when allegations are unfounded, legal defense still costs time, money, and focus.

Why Volunteers Create Unique Liability Risks for Nonprofits

Volunteers perform meaningful work, but they also operate in ways that differ from employees. That difference creates unique exposures.

• Transportation is a major one. Volunteers often drive their own vehicles on behalf of an organization. Accidents, even minor ones, can quickly turn into liability claims. 
• Working with vulnerable individuals presents another risk. Volunteers may assist older adults, children, or people with medical or mobility challenges. A simple misunderstanding or moment of inexperience can lead to injury or an allegation.
• Hands-on help also creates exposure. Volunteers sometimes step outside their formal roles to be helpful. Lifting, carrying, making minor repairs, or responding to emotional situations can all increase risk if expectations and boundaries are unclear.

When an organization fails to screen, train, or supervise volunteers properly, liability often reaches beyond the individual. Many nonprofits do not expect that exposure.

A common misconception is that adding volunteers to a general liability policy solves the problem. It does not. General liability policies are designed to protect the organization and its staff, not to address the full scope of volunteer-driven risk.

How Volunteer Liability Insurance Fits Into Smarter Risk Management

Volunteer liability insurance is explicitly structured for volunteer exposures. It provides legal defense and protection when a volunteer is accused of causing bodily injury or property damage while performing assigned duties.

Just as important, separate volunteer coverage helps protect the organization’s own liability limits. When volunteers share limits with the organization, defense costs and settlements can erode the protection the nonprofit relies on for its operations and staff.

This distinction is central to innovative nonprofit risk management. Insurance works best when paired with clear policies, training, and supervision. Organizations should regularly review whether volunteer risks are being reduced, transferred, or simply assumed.

VIS members enjoy 24/7 access to the VIS Vault, a collection of risk-management resources, including dozens of Preventer Papers on injury prevention and vehicle safety. These materials are practical tools for small-group training or one-on-one volunteer guidance. For details about the specialized volunteer insurance VIS offers, click the “VIS is…” tab at the top of the page.

Protecting Help Without Punishing Good Intentions

Volunteers are essential to mission-driven work. Protecting them and the organization does not undermine that mission. It supports it.

Intent does not eliminate exposure, but preparation reduces surprises. Volunteer-specific coverage, combined with thoughtful risk management, helps nonprofits continue their work with confidence.

Now is a good time to review how your organization approaches volunteer risk. VIS has structured its programs around the realities nonprofits face every day, not hypothetical scenarios. Learning how that structure works can help you protect your mission, your volunteers, and the people you serve.

FAQ on Volunteer Liability

Can a nonprofit really be sued for something a volunteer did?

Yes. If a volunteer is acting on behalf of the organization, both the volunteer and the nonprofit can be named in a claim.

Does general liability insurance cover volunteers?

General liability may include volunteers, but it is not designed to protect against the full range of volunteer-specific risks or to preserve organizational limits.

What types of situations does volunteer liability insurance address?

It typically addresses allegations of bodily injury or property damage caused by volunteers while performing approved duties.

Is insurance enough on its own?

No. Insurance works best alongside screening, training, supervision, and clear expectations for volunteers.

About VIS

Volunteers Insurance Service Association, Inc. (VIS) is a membership organization serving more than 3,500 volunteer-based nonprofit organizations and public entities nationwide. VIS is the only association that offers these three insurance programs designed specifically for volunteers: volunteer accident, volunteer liability, and volunteer excess automobile liability.

If you are interested in protecting your volunteers through the unique VIS insurance program, please click on the “Get volunteer insurance now” link on the home page, or call 800.222.8920. For more information on VIS’s risk-management resources for members and our vendor partners, click on the “Member Benefits” tab.