Canoe instructor insurance is a requirement if you are going to teach people to canoe as a job. Crashing through rapids, skirting whirlpools and paddling up stream. All great fun! Teaching other people these skills can be very rewarding. If canoeing is your passion being able to teach it for a living is a dream.
Canoeing is dangerous, there are a number of fatalities in the sport every year. If you’re thinking about becoming a canoe instructor then you are going to need public liability insurance, possibly even specialist canoe instructor insurance. As a canoe instructor there are strict safety guidelines to follow, which reduce the risk factor and chance of an accident. Canoe instructor insurance policies have rules that cannot be broken. If the insurance policy rules are broken then your canoe instructor insurance could be void.
Does public liability insurance cover canoe instructors?
Being a canoe instructor is a tough and physically demanding job. You have to be motivated, fit and have great people skills. In order to teach people to canoe you will need public liability insurance, or the centre at which you teach will need to have a policy in place. Public liability insurance should cover you for all eventualities. It offers cover of up to five million pounds. Sometimes the level of cover can be raised if needed. Five million is normally enough to protect you from being sued though.
Specialist canoe instructor insurance
If you are a specialist canoe instructor sometimes public liability insurance will not be enough. In this case you will have to find an insurer that can offer specialist cover. The premiums can usually be negotiated with the insurer – dependent on what activities will be taking place.
For example if you were leading a canoe expedition down crocodile infested waters and skirting waterfalls the chance of an accident is great. Therefore the amount that you would have to pay to insure this activity would be high. It’s also very likely that standard public liability insurance would not cover this activity. If you were leading an expedition down a slow moving, shallow river the insurance cost would be lower. Standard public liability insurance should cover this activity and no specialist insurance would be needed.
Dangers of canoeing
Canoeing and kayaking are great fun, down low close to the water. Fast rapids and Eskimo rolls. A number of places in the UK teach people how to canoe. There are specialist centers with man-made courses and rapids. There are also many rivers and canals in the UK, which are great places to learn and teach canoeing in. Being an island Britain offers great sea canoeing adventures as well.
Canoeing has become very popular over the last few years; GB Olympic success has helped popularise the sport and seen the number of people participating increase. There are some serious dangers associated with canoeing which people need to be aware of. Obviously with any water activity there is a chance of drowning. Annually the amount of people that drown in canoe related accidents is into the hundreds. Life jackets should be worn in all circumstances to lessen the risk of drowning.
Safety equipment like gloves and helmets must be worn. If you capsize and hit your head on a rock or submerged tree then it could be game over. Being unconscious in water is not a good combination. You should wear gloves to protect from blisters and maintain a good grip on the paddle. Take the right precautions and check the teacher is experienced and hopefully there will be no problems. Canoe instructor insurance is essential if you are going to teach people how to use a paddle!