Integrity is Priceless 

Emergency service organizations are built on trust. Volunteers and staff handle donations, equipment purchases, and public funds, often without the financial controls that large corporations have in place. Yet even in the most trusted departments, financial crimes can and do occur. 

A missing deposit, forged check, or misused credit card can quickly turn into thousands of dollars lost, and potentially years of reputational damage. That’s where crime coverage under the ESIP Program becomes essential. 

 
What is Crime Coverage?  

• Employee Theft or Embezzlement – Protection when a member misappropriates funds or assets.  

• Forgery or Alteration – Coverage for losses due to third-party forgery of checks, drafts or promissory notes. 

• Credit Card Forgery – Coverage for losses due to third-party forgery of written instruments related to credit or debit cards. 

• Money and Securities Coverage – Protects cash or checks lost due to theft, disappearance or destruction while on premises or in transit  

• Computer and funds Transfer Fraud – Covers losses due to fraudulent electronic transactions or hacking events, or fraudulent instructions given to your financial institution.  
   

Understanding Employee Theft Coverage Options 

ESIP’s crime coverage offers multiple ways to tailor protection for your organization’s structure: 

• Employee Theft Blanket Coverage – Provides department wide protections for dishonest acts committed by any employee or volunteer, without needing to list individuals. 

• Employee Theft Position Schedule – Ideal for departments that want to assign specific limits to certain roles, such as treasurer or chief.  

• Schedule Excess Limit of Insurance – Offers additional coverage above the blanket limit, providing higher protection for specific positions where larger financial responsibilities exist.  

These flexible options allow each organization to choose the right balance of affordability and protection.      

Why It Matters for Emergency Services 

Departments operate on trust and teamwork, but that trust can also be vulnerability. With limited administrative resources and volunteer-based operations, it’s easy for small financial discrepancies to go unnoticed until they become major losses. 

Examples include: 

• A treasurer quietly writes personal checks from the department account. 

• Unauthorized electronic transfers made from the department’s bank account. 

• Missing cash from fundraising events or dues. 

Without proper crime coverage, recovering these losses is often impossible – leaving departments to bear the financial and reputational cost. 

How ESIP’s Crime Coverage Stands Apart 

ESIP’s coverage is specifically designed for emergency service organizations. It extends beyond standard commercial policies with: 

• Protection for both paid and volunteer members. 

• Broad and customizable limits to fit your department’s needs. 

• Coverage that integrates seamlessly with other ESIP policies, ensuring smooth claims handling and fewer gaps. 

Safeguard More Than Assets – Protect Your Reputation 

Financial loss is only part of the damage; public trust and internal morale are harder to rebuild. Maintaining crime coverage shows fiscal responsibility and reinforces confidence among your members, donors, and community. 

Final Thought 

Even the most trusted teams can face financial crime. ESIP’s specialized crime coverage, from employee theft protection to computer and funds transfer fraud, helps emergency service organizations maintain integrity, stability, and peace of mind.