When volunteers drive for your nonprofit, more than one insurance policy can be involved: the volunteer's own auto policy, your organization's coverage, and any accident coverage for volunteers. Each answers a different question. This worksheet helps you write down how driving actually happens in your programs, so an insurance professional can tell you who is protected, and for what.
How to use this worksheet
- Print the worksheet, and ask whoever coordinates volunteers to fill in sections 1 to 6 by hand with the program staff who know the trips.
- Describe activities and vehicles in general terms, such as "volunteers drive their own cars to deliver groceries".
- Bring the worksheet and your current policies to an insurance review, and ask the questions at the end.
- Fill it in again whenever a program changes, for example when volunteers start carrying passengers.
What to gather (and what to leave out)
Gather:
Leave out: names of clients or participants; health, medical or disability information; drivers' license numbers; dates of birth; and individual volunteers' policy numbers. The worksheet records how the program works, not who is in it.
1. Driving activities
| Activity | How often | Who drives | Passengers carried? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deliveries of food, supplies or donations | |||
| Errands for the organization | |||
| Rides for clients or participants | |||
| Rides for other volunteers or staff | |||
| Events and outreach | |||
| Other |
2. Vehicles
Washington's insurance commissioner says a personal auto policy generally covers unpaid volunteer work, and that incidental, non-commercial use such as occasionally driving older or sick passengers is generally covered. The same page notes that many policies do not automatically include paid ride share or food delivery. [1] The volunteer's own policy wording still decides, which is why the questions below matter.
3. Organization and driver coverage questions
Protection for the driver and protection for the organization are separate questions. The federal Volunteer Protection Act limits some volunteers' personal liability, but that protection does not apply to harm caused while operating a motor vehicle for which the state requires a license or insurance, and the Act does not affect the organization's own liability. [2]
Use this table to note which coverage to ask about for each situation. It lists where to look, not who will pay.
| Situation | Coverage to ask about | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A volunteer's driving injures someone or damages their property | The volunteer's auto liability; any hired and non-owned auto liability on the nonprofit's policy | |
| Someone makes a claim against the nonprofit after a volunteer's accident | The nonprofit's non-owned auto liability; umbrella | |
| The volunteer's own car is damaged | The volunteer's collision coverage; any reimbursement policy the board has approved | |
| The volunteer is hurt | Volunteer accident coverage; the volunteer's own auto medical and health coverage | |
| A passenger is hurt | The driver's auto policy; the nonprofit's liability coverage; any participant accident coverage |
4. Volunteers who drive
Almost every state requires drivers to carry auto liability insurance, though the type and amount required vary. [3] Record that you checked, not the details themselves.
5. Passengers
Programs that transport minors or vulnerable adults often have additional safety and screening requirements. Ask qualified safety and legal advisors about those; this worksheet does not cover them.
6. Incident procedures
Questions to discuss with your insurance professional
- Which of the driving activities in section 1 does our current coverage address, and which does it not?
- Is the nonprofit protected when a volunteer drives their own car for us? Are volunteers themselves insured under our policy?
- What happens with damage to a volunteer's own car?
- Is there accident coverage for volunteers, and does it include driving?
- Does carrying passengers, crossing state lines or using rented vans change the answer?
- Does mileage reimbursement change how a volunteer's personal policy applies?
- What limits fit the trips we described, and what would an umbrella add?
- Which program changes should we tell you about before they start?
An illustrative example, and what it does not decide
A food bank's volunteers use their own cars to deliver groceries. Filling in section 1 shows that one volunteer also drives clients to medical appointments, a service the program never approved. That changes the questions: there are now passengers, a different activity, and possibly a different answer from the volunteer's own insurer. The worksheet does not decide what is covered; it shows the insurance professional what needs an answer. This is an illustrative example, not a coverage determination.
Next step
Our guides explain the background: volunteers using their own cars, volunteer accident coverage versus liability and hired and non-owned auto. The nonprofit insurance page covers the rest of a nonprofit's review.
NRG is an independent brokerage licensed in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Arizona. We can review the completed worksheet and your current policies with you, and compare suitable options from the insurers and programs we can access. Talk to NRG about your volunteer driving program, or call 206 · 363 · 1110. Sending a request does not bind or change any coverage.
Sources
[1] Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner: auto coverage for home health care workers and volunteers. Accessed October 30, 2026.
[2] 42 U.S.C. § 14503, limitation on liability for volunteers (Volunteer Protection Act), Legal Information Institute. Accessed October 30, 2026.
[3] National Association of Insurance Commissioners: uninsured motorists (last updated July 30, 2025). Accessed October 30, 2026.
Examples are illustrative. Policy wording, exclusions, limits, underwriting and applicable law determine coverage. This worksheet is general information, not a coverage determination.