Water Ski Club Insurance — Cover for Clubs and Their Members

Water ski and wake clubs in Australia occupy a particular niche in the insurance market — they combine watercraft operations, competitive and recreational activities, public access to club facilities, and in many cases food and beverage service, all under the one organisational umbrella. Getting the insurance right requires understanding which exposures sit where.

Public liability

Public liability is the foundational cover for any club. It responds to claims for bodily injury or property damage made by third parties — visiting spectators, competitors, members of the public at the waterfront — arising from the club’s operations.

For water ski clubs, the liability exposure includes:

• Injuries to participants during club activities
• Injuries to spectators or bystanders at the water’s edge or in club facilities
• Property damage to third parties — including boats, jetties or other waterfront infrastructure
• Claims arising from club events, competitions or social functions

The limit of indemnity should reflect the scale of club operations and the requirements of any local council lease or waterway authority licence. Some state body affiliations also specify minimum liability limits for affiliated clubs.

Member-to-member liability

One area that sometimes creates confusion is liability between club members. Standard public liability policies may exclude claims made by one club member against another arising from club activities. If your club has participants who could sustain serious injuries during organised activities — and water skiing carries that risk — it’s worth asking how member-to-member claims are treated under the policy.

Some sport and recreation policies include member-to-member cover as a specific extension. Others rely on participant waivers and accident cover rather than liability.

Hull and liability for club boats

If the club owns tow boats, safety boats or other watercraft, these need to be insured separately from the club’s general liability policy. Club boat cover typically includes:

• Hull cover — accidental damage to the boat, motor and trailer
• Marine liability — third-party liability arising from the operation of the vessel
• Driver conditions — who is authorised to operate club boats and whether they meet the policy’s driver requirements

Check whether all club boats are listed on the policy and whether casual drivers (members who may operate boats on a roster basis) meet the policy’s conditions. A boat operated by an unlisted or underqualified driver may not be covered in the event of an incident.

Club property and contents

Club facilities — whether owned or leased — along with equipment, tools, timing systems, safety equipment and club contents need to be insured for their replacement value. Common items to check:

• Are ski course buoys, timing gates and safety equipment covered?
• Is the clubhouse structure insured, and if the club is a tenant, who is responsible for building cover?
• Are bar or canteen stock and equipment covered?
• Is there cover for equipment used off-site at competition venues?

Event cover

If your club hosts competitions, tournaments or public events, event-specific considerations apply. Public events with spectators, entry fees or ticketing may require specific event cover or an extension to the club’s public liability policy. Check whether your standard policy covers events of the size and type you run, or whether a specific endorsement is needed.

Voluntary workers and committee members

Clubs rely on volunteers — committee members, officials, boat drivers and safety patrol. Voluntary workers insurance provides cover for injury sustained by volunteers in the course of their club activities, which is not covered by workers compensation (as volunteers are not employees).

This is worth considering for any club where volunteers perform physical tasks — driving tow boats, rigging ski courses, managing safety operations — where an injury could result in significant medical costs or loss of income for the individual.

State body and national federation requirements

Water Ski Australia and relevant state bodies may specify insurance requirements for affiliated clubs, including minimum liability limits and cover types. Check your affiliation requirements and ensure your club policy meets them — some affiliate insurances also provide a base level of cover that clubs may build on.

If you’d like to review insurance for your water ski or wake club, contact WebInsure. We can help you assess your exposures and find appropriate cover across the relevant lines.

This post provides general information only and does not constitute personal advice. Cover availability, terms, exclusions and premiums vary by insurer, product and individual circumstance. Always review the Product Disclosure Statement and confirm suitability before making a decision.

WebInsure Pty Ltd ABN 32 054 247 666 is an Authorised Representative 000271148 of Community Broker Network Pty Ltd ABN 60 096 916 184 AFSL 233750.