Insurance Coverage for Volunteers from the
NY-NJ Trail Conference and State/Federal Agencies  

as of February 2000

Trail Conference

Under the Trail Conferences insurance policy, all volunteers working on behalf of the Conference are provided indemnity against, and legal representation for, tort/liability claims (bodily and property injury to others) from third parties when the volunteers are within the scope of their work (trail maintenance, building, planning, and development) for the Trail Conference.

Requirements for coverage

• Be an approved maintainer (either individual or club member) on Trail Conference records

• Perform recognized trail maintenance, monitoring, development, and operations activities

• Report volunteer hours annually

• Minors (under 18) must have both parental authorizations and emergency medical treatment permissions signed before any work is done. The emergency medical treatment form should be with a crew leader or Conference supervisor at all times when a minor is out on the trail without parent/guardian present. Minors may NOT operate power equipment.

National Park Service

Appalachian Trail in both NY and NJ on Federal, state and private lands, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and Morristown National Historical Park.  

NPS Volunteers-in-the Parks (VIP) program provides indemnity to and legal representation for, volunteers against tort claim for damages or injuries claimed for improper trail maintenance or building. It supplements volunteers' own medical coverage for treatment of injury (could also be used as a primary medical coverage).

The Trail Conference advises that you should be prepared to use your own health insurance provisions if you are injured. A recent claim showed that settling of a claim could take a year - so much time that the outstanding medical bills are submitted for collection. If you have no medical insurance, though, the VIP coverage should ultimately provide medical bills payment.

Only NPS, US Forest Service, or NJ Forest Fire Service certified chainsaw operators may use chain saws on NPS lands. These requirements are changing to ONLY NPS/USFS certification is acceptable.

Requirements for coverage:

• Be an approved maintainer (either individual or club member) on Trail Conference records

• Perform recognized trail maintenance, monitoring, development and operations activities

• Report hours annually

• Minors (under 18) must have both parental authorizations and emergency medical treatment permissions signed before any work is done The emergency medical treatment form should be with a crew leader or Conference supervisor at all times when a minor is out on the trail without parent/guardian present. Minors may NOT operate power equipment.  

New York State Parkland (Non-AT) 

Catskills, Hudson Highlands, Fahnestock, Hubbard-Perkins,  Taconics, Minnewaska, PIPC properties, DEC lands along Long Path.

The State is required to provide legal defense and indemnify a volunteer if s/he is sued for bodily or personal damage, claimed by a third party as a result of work or omission of work alleged to have occurred in connection with state-authorized volunteer work. The State is also required to indemnify volunteer(s) if a legal judgment is obtained against him/her.  

The State provides medical treatment coverage through New York State Workers Compensation. Volunteers can use this as primary coverage for medical costs; payments are based upon the set payment schedule of Workers' Compensation laws.  

Requirements for coverage.

• Be an approved maintainer (either individual or club member) on Trail Conference records

• Perform recognized trail maintenance, development and operations activities.

• Submit Social Security number annually.

• Minors (under 18) must have both parental authorizations and emergency medical treatment permissions signed before any work is done The emergency medical treatment form should be with a crew leader or Conference supervisor at all times when a minor is out on the trail without parent/guardian present. Minors may NOT operate power equipment.

New Jersey Section of the Palisades Interstate Park

The State provides Workers' Compensation, if needed, to volunteers for personal injuries resulting from their volunteer work on approved projects (e.g. trail maintenance, building).

Requirements for coverage.

• Be an approved maintainer (either individual or club member) on Trail Conference records

• Perform recognized trail maintenance activities

• Submit Social Security number annually.

• Minors (under 18) must have both parental authorizations and emergency medical treatment permissions signed before any work is done The emergency medical treatment form should be with a crew leader or Conference supervisor at all times when a minor is out on the trail without parent/guardian present. Minors may NOT operate power equipment.

New Jersey State Parkland (Non AT)

The State only provides Workers' Compensation to individual volunteers who work directly under the supervision of a park officer/manager.

NOTE: The Trail Conference is aware of the implications of this omission and have been in discussions (which continue) with the State as late November 1999.