Insurance
Three contentious issues
Car Sharing
Ramblers insurance does not cover travel to and from walks, meetings or events. For chartered coaches, or public transport, insurance cover is a matter for the transport operator. If in doubt, it might be helpful to obtain confirmation from the operator that this is the case.
As an alternative to public transport some Groups operate car-sharing arrangements where walkers meet at a convenient point and then get to the actual start point of the walk itself in shared cars.
The Ramblers’ Association supports car sharing as a means of reducing the environmental impact of driving to walks. However, Ramblers insurance does not cover any incident arising as a result of car sharing.
Ordinary private motor insurance covers drivers giving lifts to others. But this cover is invalidated if a fare has been charged for the journey so volunteers must take great care about the way car sharing is arranged and publicised.
Many Groups suggest in their programmes and other publicity that passengers in a car share should make a contribution to the driver towards mileage costs. This is fine as long as it is absolutely clear that passengers are being requested to make a voluntary contribution. It is also fine to suggest a level of voluntary contribution that may be acceptable (eg xp per passenger per mile).
If the encouragement to pay drivers appears to be more like an instruction or a condition rather than a voluntary contribution, it is possible that this could constitute a fare, which in turn, would invalidate private motor insurance.
A suggested form of words for Group literature is:
Our Group encourages car sharing and walkers often meet at x car park. Drivers often appreciate it when a voluntary contribution is made by passengers. As a guide, xp per mile per passenger is considered an amount A which reasonably covers the costs incurred by the driver.