The "Leadership Manual on this site (click on tab above) contains guidance on this issue. Associations should be sure any potential insurer understands the law.
From the Leadership Manual:
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Potential board members must be identified. Some may have liability concerns. What liability does road association board membership bring? Does an individual forming or helping form a road association put his or her personal assets at risk or is there limited liability? Prior to 2009, unlike non-profits, associations formed under the statute did not have the civil liability protection of a corporation, namely that individuals such as directors and officers acting for the corporation were not personally liable if their actions were undertaken in good faith at the behest of the Board. This could be a stumbling block to the recruitment of people to serve on the Board.
A 2009 bill grants limited immunity in some circumstances to board members. The 124th Legislature passed a bill granting officers and directors limited immunity from liability by owners or lessees of other lots for activities carried out in performance of their duties, such as determining repairs and maintenance to be undertaken, materials furnished, collection of money, and awarding of contracts.
Road associations should take other measures to reduce personal liability. Associations formed under the statute should be able satisfactorily to reduce the risk of being sued if they are especially careful to hire contractors who carry their own liability insurance so that the association will not be liable for damages caused by defects in work done on the road.Volunteers working on the road are not immune and should be careful to confine their actions to routine maintenance work unlikely to lead to personal injury if not properly performed (grading, ditching and filling potholes.)
There is no immunity for violation of environmental laws. Associations are not immune from enforcement actions for violations of environmental laws under the jurisdiction of the DEP or a municipality.