Protection against legal liability in respect of claims made for injuries to any volunteer or employee of the member club.
Who is covered?
This cover applies only to activities authorised or recognised by Surfing England.
The policy covers Surfing England Ltd, including affiliated:
- Individual members,
- Affiliated Enhanced Coaches
- Affiliated Surf Clubs.
Surfing recognised activities include:
- Surfing
- Belly Boarding
- Body Boarding
- Hand Planes
- SUP on sea
- Prone / Surf Foiling,
- Down Wind Foiling and SUP Foiling
- Wing Foiling
What insurance do you get as part of your membership?
As part of your membership with Surfing England, you automatically receive some degree of insurance protection, whether you are an affiliated member, surf coach, or club.
To understand what these covers are, and to see the main terms and conditions that apply, please make sure you refer to the policy summary and policy wording, which can be found in the downloads section below.
The annual policies run from 1 February 2023 to 31 January 2024.
Policy limits are as follows:
- Public Liability - cover for your legal liability of up to £10,000,000
- Professional Indemnity - cover for the club's or instructors legal liability of up to £5,000,000
- Directors and Officers – cover for club committee members of up to £1,000,000
- Employers Liability – cover for clubs in respect of claims for injuries made by employees or volunteers, up to £10,000,000
- Abuse (Clubs only) – cover for committee members, and club officers, against claims relating to safeguarding, including mental or physical abuse perpetrated by a member. No coverage is provided to the perpetrator.
- Personal Accident - This is a ‘no fault’ benefit that provides a specified amount to a member, if they are injured whilst participating in recognised Surfing England activities. This insurance can pay out a set amount if someone is injured in an accident and the pay-out can be a lump sum or a weekly amount. It ensures all participants have protection in the event of an injury and because this is a “non-negligence” cover it can help reduce litigation because unlike a liability policy you do not have to find someone to be at fault for an injury to receive compensation.
The covers explained
Public liability insurance provides protection against legal liability for bodily injury to third parties and damage to third party property.
Products liability insurance provides protection against legal liability to pay compensation including legal costs for death or bodily injury, or damage to third party property arising from products supplied.
Cover to protect affiliated clubs or coaches for claims made against them which allege that a third party has suffered an injury or financial loss caused by negligent acts, errors, or omissions during coaching activities.
Protection for committee members and club officers against claims arising from their decision or actions whilst managing the organisation.
Personal Accident cover provides a set financial payment in the event of an accidental injury, the benefits provided are as follows:
- Death £25,000 (over 18s) £5,000 (under 18s).
- Total and irrecoverable loss of use of sight in both eyes and or irrecoverable loss of use of both hands or both feet or of one hand and one foot £25,000.
- Total and irrecoverable loss of use of one hand or one foot togeregr with the total and irrecoverable loss of all sight in one eye £12,500.
- Total and irrecoverable loss of all sight in one eye or total and irrecoverable loss of used of one hand or one foot £6,250.
- Total and permanent disablement £25,000 (subject to the detail within page 8 of the policy wording).
- Medical benefits – Hospital accomodation, ancillary medical expenses, dental services to sound whole teeth only – up to £500 (subject to £50 excess)
Frequently asked questions
As an affiliated Surfing England coach you receive Public Liability insurance, Professional Indemnity insurance and Personal accident insurance.
As an affiliated Surfing England member you receive Public Liability insurance, Professional Indemnity insurance and Personal accident insurance.
You receive public liability up to £10,000,000 and professional indemnity (coaching and tuition cover) up to £5,000,000.
As an affiliated coach of Surfing England, you also receive the benefit of Personal Accident insurance as per the personal accident policy benefits.
Employers liability protects the employer in the event of an injury to an employee, for which the employer is liable.
Employers liability could apply to clubs who employ coaches or volunteers to work on their behalf.
Public liability protects a club/member/volunteer if another member, or a member of the public, sues them for injury or damage caused.
It is essential that you undertake risk assessments for the activities of your club to support you in your risk management. You and your club owe a duty of care to those around you.
If an allegation for negligence is made against you or your club the risk assessments will be needed to evidence what you have reasonably been able to do to prevent an incident occurring.
If the club is unincorporated, the officer (and its members) could be liable for any, and all financial losses incurred by the club. The directors and officers insurance provided by Surfing England is in place to support you and your club for claims in respect of allegations which may come against the officer whilst undertaking their role.
If the club is incorporated the directors may still find themselves personally liable and therefore directors & officers insurance is essential.
Please note this is a different type of cover to professional liability, which is a form of liability insurance which helps protect professional advice given by your club this is also known as errors and omissions cover.
Yes, clubs are provided with employers liability insurance, with a limit of indemnity of £10,000,000.
Yes, the public liability insurance provided will defend your position, should you be sued for injury to a third party or damage to a third parties property.
Please note any claims relating to deliberate or criminal acts are excluded.
Liability cover is provided for trips abroad that are authorised by Surfing England.
However, the membership insurance does not include travel insurance, which can be obtained from Marsh Sport.
If there are verbal or written allegations made against your club, you should record the information and notify Marsh Sport of the incident at your earliest opportunity. Please contact 0345 872 5060 or email marshsport@marsh.com.
In no circumstances should you admit liability or agree to pay for any damage caused as this may prejudice the position of insurers and could result in the withdrawal of any indemnity.
Please note this is a liability policy where Insurers decide if negligence attaches to you, meaning any payment you make to any third parties will not necessarily be reimbursed.
We recommend that a designated person within your club is made responsible to record any reportable accident/incident. Records must be kept for at least 6 years, and longer where it involves a person under the age of 18 years. Names and addresses of any possible witnesses should also be recorded. Please ensure your club has an accident book to record all such information.
In respect of safeguarding allegations records should be kept indefinitely.
If your query relates to the insurance policy please contact our insurance broker, Marsh Sport on either 0345 872 5060, or by email at marshsport@marsh.com.
We can also provide insurance for Surf Schools
Marsh Sport are delighted to be appointed by Surfing England as their insurance broker. As a result, we have implemented some changes that provides a new approach to insurance for their membership and surf schools.
This will help create certainty for Surf Schools when delivering the sport that they have a specialist Insurance broker on hand that can deliver competitive insurance protection against possible risks that may face.
Along with a specialist advice and support for you we can offer insurances for the following:
- Buildings Insurance
- Contents
- Sports Equipment
- Combined Liability Insurance
- Directors and Officers Insurance
- Cyber Crime
- Travel Insurance
We will provide bespoke insurance covers to meet the needs of your operation.
Please contact Ellie Doubleday on 07385 403847 or email eleanor.doubleday@marsh.com