Are you Covered? Legal Issues to Consider When Planning Group Travel

As the person in charge of planning a group trip to Disney World, you have a lot of things to consider. First and foremost you should ensure that you’re covered from a legal standpoint. Check out these top tips to make sure you have your legal ducks in a row.

Make sure the vehicles you’re traveling in are insured

It’s imperative that your organization have a system to ensure that every vehicle used to transport members of your travel group is registered, well maintained, has comprehensive insurance, and that whoever is driving is licensed and experienced. It’s best to have these policies in writing. They should include:

• Requirements regarding whether or not your organization’s vehicles will be used
• Requirement that any vehicle used by your organization must have comprehensive insurance
• Time limits regarding the amount of time one person can drive to avoid fatigue issues
• Reinforcement of legal requirements and standards, such as seat belts must be worn, speed limits must be obeyed, no drinking alcohol, etc.
• Other non-legal requirements such as who pays for gas

Compile medical information

In addition to any waivers your organization requires to be signed, you’ll also need to have all medical information in a centralized location. This should include:

• Emergency contact information for everyone travel
• List of medications anyone is taken, along with instructions on administering them
• List of allergies to medications
• A signed consent form that releases medical information to necessary medical personnel

Consider the pros and cons of travel insurance

You may want travel insurance for your trip and your participants. This is not a health insurance policy. It simply protects you in the event that the trip can’t go on as planned due to medical issues or other things outside of your control. It doesn’t generally cover non-emergencies do it’s not simply a backup plan. If you choose coverage, note if it pays out if one or a few individuals can’t go, or if the entire trip must be cancelled for the coverage to kick in.

Insuring a privately owned vehicle

If your organization is using its own vehicle, or if one of the members of your group is using their own vehicle, then you’ll need to take steps to ensure it’s properly covered. This includes making sure it’s registered and has comprehensive insurance. You should also look into a specific policy that covers property damage to the vehicle if it’s used for official purposes.

If you’re using a vehicle from an external provider, like a charter bus, then you should make sure they have a public liability policy that covers at least $10 million in damages. It may take some leg work to get the proof you need, but you’ll appreciate the peace of mind it brings.