Dear All,

The season is starting up again and memberships are being taken. So far it already looks like there is going to be a good following in the clubs so hopefully we can match or better last years figure of 126 members so the clubs can continue to offer the great events of the past season.

Unfortunately I need to ask that each and every one of you do a little housework so you know what you are covered for in the memberships as far as insurance goes.

This could be easily discounted but with all of the recent accidents involving speed sailing it is important that you know what you are and are not covered for so you can get external insurance organised if you need it.

Something you may not all be aware of is that the new insurance, although being a lot more comprehensive does not cover you for any event that happens outside of organised club events. The AWA is looking into the costs involved in getting general cover back into the policy but so far it appears to be cost prohibitive. This means we will all need to evaluate how we would cope with a situation in which we hurt ourselves or others or damage other people's property while sailing or otherwise using our windsurfing gear outside of club events, including if your equipment hits someone or their property while rigging or transporting it.

Tony Matta has kindly looked into what your household and contents insurance covers and surprisingly there appears that there may be more cover here than you may assume. I have talked to my household and contents insurer (Suncorp) and they have pointed me to their PDS which appears to offer a level of cover in this scenario. Again, I must state that I am no expert so you will all have to do your own research and talk to a professional insurance advisor but I will attach the link to the PDS so you can take a look and see what is covered on my policy and you can all ask your own insurers where you stand and how best to make sure you comply with their requirements so you are covered.

http://www.suncorp.com.au/sites/default/files/suncorp/personal/home_contents_insurance/pdf/pds_home_insurance_55up.pdf

The section to look at starts at page 101 regarding legal liability cover. You should read, in particular clause 18b, the section on "committee members or officials" and all of section 18, especially the last clause on watercraft.

I will keep you informed as to the results of the AWA's findings re general cover but for now this may be a possible alternative for cover while sailing outside of club activities.

Please also note that this appears to cover third party claims so if you need to cover yourself personally in case of an accident you may need to talk to an insurance specialist re income protection and or life insurance.

Sorry to be a bore and I sincerely hope that none of us ever needs to use any of this information but it is better that you all know about it so you can make your own minds up about how you cover yourselves.

Regards, Scot Farley (Secretary Windsurfing Queensland)

From my own recent investigationing;

Allianz and Suncorp appear to be the only two companies that cover qld residences and will include "Sailboards" under contents insurance, and also provide for 20mill liability as well but only if the total length of the equipment is under 3 metres. Allianz has a max of $5000 coverage for "sailboard" loss from your residence, if stolen


If I remember correctly, Suncorp will not cover the "sailboard" for liability or for damage/loss in any way if it used in the ocean. So there's the 20million dollar question of "where does one draw the line between what is the bay and what is the ocean"?

Thanks Haircut. When I spoke with Suncorp they didn't mention anything about it being used in the ocean but this is the problem, unless you know their policies backwards you only find out once the damage is done.

I will see if I can get a resolution on that one in writing.

Cheers,

My NRMA home and contents also covers my gear under "portable items" along side my laptops. Each board and sail is registered via S/N with them, covered for $5k at the moment, can go to $10k, and that covers it _away_ from home (when it's home it falls under the normal home contents allowance). The PL is also around $20mil too.

H

i'm still getting around to becomming a member of the wanderers(this year gesty), but this topic got me thinking about boards flying off the car roof racks while travelling to the beach, so i just spoke to my third party rego insurer- suncorp, they seem to think i'm covered if the board takes the head off the person travelling in the car behind me, motor vehicle accident caused by unsecured load. probably wouldn't know unless it happens, maybe thats why boards are shorter nowdays, they can fit inside small cars. for damage caused to the following car they said ask your comprehensive insurer, which is someone else.

strange, i couldn't get any cover of sailboard stuff under nrma contents insurance as it was considered "watercraft", and I questioned them over and over about it, and explained clearly what it was. They were ok with it while they thought it was a surfboard, but once i explained to them that when assembled it was powered by the wind, they wouldn't touch it under contents cover, and i would need a boating cover

good 4 u if u managed to get it in writing

it's like i can get a different response each time i call the same company [}:)]

but my home IS a watercraft !!!

I'll check with my insurer and see what they say about windsurfers.

sailboard seems to be the magic word, say the word windsurfer and the computer says no or does not compute

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Haircut said...

sailboard seems to be the magic word, say the word windsurfer and the computer says no or does not compute

Just had a look at the wording in my current policy under "Specified Portable Valuables" and it includes: "Windsurfing Equipment Board/Sails/Booms/Masts/Fins" etc

Guess it's luck of the draw who answers your call - I'm happy with my luck this time around

Hey guys, I think scot is more focussed on the liability from a 3rd party point of view. in the past our cover was for injuries to a 3rd party or damage to 3rd party property by our gear. I think you will find very few if any home and contents policies offering such coverage for equipment once outside your property, including those of us with portables cover.

We have never had insurance covering our own gear nor have we had insurance covering injuries sustained to ourselves, until last year. This by the sounds of it is no longer, unless injuries are occurred during a sanctioned club event.

Bit of a bummer, i suppose, but then again there are not too many sports that insure you for injury or damage you may cause in any form of unorganised social play. I'm sure they can get this policy back, but be prepared for a hike in fees.

Thanks Aus691. I'm going to call NRMA again and point out that someone else has it stated on their policy. Mine's just up for renewal

Isn't the 20mill stated in the home contents policy to cover the 3rd party if you injure them while riding your "sailboard" on the water? I'm not going to ride it over someone in my house the Alianz one states that it covers R/C aeroplanes and kites too, again they are unlikely to injure someone while sitting in the cupboard. I wonder if it's limited to just flying them in one's yard or sailing your windsurfer in your swimming pool?

i reckon there should be a discount for people who use fins under 25cm and sails under 6m as the risk of injury is substantially less

hi Aus691

I've sent you a private message as a result of my 4th phone call to nrma (insert banging head on wall emoticon). it might be worth a read

This is all very interesting now.

Just checked out suncorp PDS, and sounds wonderful. Looked at AAMI whom i'm with, and is owned by suncorp - they insure gear, but no legal liability coverage from my brief review. NRMA offers no legal liability for any recreational sport see attached http://www.nrmaqld.com.au/documents/policy-booklets/home-policy.pdf, got bored so did not check the gear component.

I agree with sentiments that everyone check their own insurance PDS, and if you find a plan similar to that of suncorp then let all know, so we can compare.

before we get too ecstatic, i'd still be calling suncorp and questioning them about the enclosed water v ocean clause

I'm on hold with them now. I didn't see it anywhere in the pds though, not that that means anything, other than they have managed to hide it really well.

I just spoke to Suncorp again and asked for a senior advisor and it looks very promising. The lady I spoke to said there is definately no issue with water v ocean and you are covered anywhere in Australia or New Zealand.

I have asked if they could put something in writing that makes it all clear and transparent but she didn't think it was going to be possible. I should know within the next few days what comes of that and will let you know.

From what she said though it would appear that with my policy I am covered. Wonders will never cease. Pity, they just went up $200.00 last year and I was looking to get another quote - now I will be sticking to them like glue...

Sorry HC - sarcasm doesn't work well with the typed word.

What will be paramount is, how much do you want to spend, and does the coverage of legal liability make you sleep safe at night. Keep in mind that no insurance company will cover your ass if you are deemed to be doing something illegal. For us that means you hit a swimmer within 30 m of a beach / swimming area or inside the flags and your toast!!

As a reformed juvenile delinquent I can hopefully reassure you somewhat that nobody is sourcing sailboards. Nobody would know what to do with a hot sailboard.

You brand new slalom gear probably has a street value less than $0.

To boot: Do you know of anyone that would buy hot gear? Where would they sell it that you couldn't find it? I'd like to think the windsurfing community is small, close-knit and reasonably moral.

I leave my gear rigged and drying on the front lawn very often because
a) it's cumbersome to steal
b) most kids don't even know what it is.

I couldn't say the same about kiting gear.

This is a very informative thread (not that the others aren't ). Others will appreciate it - Maybe throw it into the General Windsurf forum as well.

PS - Haircut - bet you thought your homework days were long over.

hi dam

sarcasm?

Can't you organize a club events that last the full year as we can get cover anytime?
A 365 races events like

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Haircut said...
i reckon there should be a discount for people who use fins under 25cm and sails under 6m as the risk of injury is substantially less

I'm sure they'd insert a 'proper use' clause that would count flicky-spinny-inverted people (you) out

And agree, this is a timely thread coming into decent sailing weather. Seems I've no liability either if I'm on the water under mine (dropping a piano on someone is OK but splash them during a gybe and whoa!), and my contents policy is the opposite of the current PDS re portable items (so they owe me a refund for selling me cover that doesn't exist over the last few years - yay, new toys!)

Could not agree more.
Most thieves could not even carry it off.

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evlPanda said...

As a reformed juvenile delinquent I can hopefully reassure you somewhat that nobody is sourcing sailboards. Nobody would know what to do with a hot sailboard.

You brand new slalom gear probably has a street value less than $0.

To boot: Do you know of anyone that would buy hot gear? Where would they sell it that you couldn't find it? I'd like to think the windsurfing community is small, close-knit and reasonably moral.

I leave my gear rigged and drying on the front lawn very often because
a) it's cumbersome to steal
b) most kids don't even know what it is.

I couldn't say the same about kiting gear.

A few years ago i tried to insure my gear when it was in the car being transported from home to beach, at that time it could have been about $10k worth of equipement, nobody would touch it.

There was an older gentleman down the Broadwater who trashed a sail whilst on the water i think he was with Nrma they replaced it as new no drama so on that bases i am guessing they would look favourably on third party insurance.


Winds trying on the Goldie at 0930!

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jusavina said...

Can't you organize a club events that last the full year as we can get cover anytime?
A 365 races events like

Hi JS, don't worry I thought of that but every event now has to be listed on the WQ site as a sanctioned WQ event. This makes it difficult to do because all WQ sanctioned events need to have safety rules in place, this means safety vests, safety boats etc. This would take the fun right out of the sport (possibly some evil Solicitors wet dream).

I know its hard to steel a windsurfer but there are some idiots out there who would trash it for spite.You really need to know what your looking for and have the transport(coming from close to Liverpool in the UK i feel i may have some incite into the crooks mind)

There was a case in Robina on the Gold Coast where a guy had his car stolen from his house and the gear was in the car, he never found his gear, not sure about the car.

On the Gold Coat mainly, my biggest worry is jetskis, we have had to many close shaves with the tourists blasting up and down i think sadly one day that will test how well we and they are insured.....touch wood!

HC - i thought anybody singing the praises of a proposed insurance policy was being sarcastic. Well i was anyway.

Just some other food for thought. Even though there are policies that claim to be all bells and whistles - check the claims background of the company if able. Having dealt with AAMI for a number of years with motor vehicles and house etc - the times that i have had to claim, they have been second to none with service, and making the whole claims process easier.