All clubs have to have Regatta Liability in order to host a championship or an elimination, but it may not cover as much as they think. The Burgee Program may be something that your club wants to look at as you plan ahead for the regatta and beyond.  Many of our clubs do subscribe to it because it is so comprehensive and will cover sailing programs too.  They also give a discount to US SAILING members!  

 
Regatta Liability Insurance
Hosting a regatta entails a unique set of responsibilities. Regatta Liability Insurance gives you the kind of specialized coverage you need against lawsuits brought by anyone injured on the water during a regatta. Most class associations  or clubs have purchased regatta liability, and are under the impression that this covers them for everything they do.

Regatta liability, as we know it, protects you if you run a regatta and are sued for a bodily injury that occurs on a participant’s boat. The injury must occur during the race, and the injured party must show negligence on the part of the class association or club and the manner in which they ran the regatta.
This coverage is very narrow in scope for a few reasons:
• It does not apply to injuries sustained on a race committee boat, support boat or spectator boat.
• It does not apply to an injury sustained on land, on docks, or in conjunction with hauling or launching boats. Historically, this is where the vast majority of injuries occur.
• If the injury does occur on a participant’s boat, the primary insurance is the boat policy which protects the liability of the boat owner. Chances are much greater that any negligence lies with the boat owner, not the regatta committee.
• It excludes liquor liability claims.

 

The Burgee Program is a comprehensive insurance program for class associations and clubs that provides coverage for running regattas, but extends to race committee boat, borrowed boats,  injuries on land, and even liquor liability claims.  More information can be found at www.gowrie.com/us-sailing-programs. If a club needs more information, they can call Gowrie, Barden & Brett at 1-800-262-8911 and ask for a US SAILING Team member .

US SAILING does recommend that a championship or elimination host have Burgee program-equivalent insurance.