Understanding Insurance Coverage for Sail Canada Instructors
The Sail Canada Insurance Program with Gallagher Skippers’ Plan is designed to protect every aspect of your sailing journey — from your dinghy or keelboat to regattas, clubs, and even your home and auto. But it doesn’t stop there. Gallagher also offers specialized coverage for Sail Canada instructors and the vessels used for teaching, so you can focus on helping students master the art of sailing without worrying about unexpected risks. Let’s dive into what’s included, what’s not, and how you can get complete coverage tailored to your needs.
What Is Automatically Included?
When you become a certified Sail Canada instructor, you automatically receive General Liability insurance for your instructor activities. This coverage protects you if someone is injured or if third-party property is damaged during your instruction sessions. The total coverage limit is $5,000,000, provided through two policies:
- $2,000,000 Primary Liability Policy
- $3,000,000 Umbrella Policy
However, there are a few key conditions to keep in mind:
- Curriculum Requirement: You must be teaching Sail Canada-approved courses or curriculum.
- Coverage Territory: Coverage is limited to Canada and Canadian waters.
- Vessel Size: The vessel used for instruction cannot exceed 20 meters in length.
It’s essential to understand that this liability coverage does not cover physical damage to the vessel you’re using during instruction. That responsibility lies with the vessel owner.
What Is NOT Automatically Included?
If you use your own vessel for Sail Canada instruction, your standard pleasure craft insurance policy likely won’t cover business-related activities — including paid instruction. Most pleasure craft policies, including Gallagher Skippers’ Plan, exclude coverage once money changes hands.
To address this, Gallagher has partnered with Northbridge Insurance to create a specialized program for Sail Canada instructors. This program offers Hull & Machinery coverage for your owned vessel during instructional activities. While the liability coverage remains the same as described above, this additional policy covers physical damage to your vessel.
The best part? This policy also covers your vessel for recreational use, so you won’t need a separate pleasure craft policy.
How to Get Coverage for Your Vessel
Because every instructor’s situation is unique, this special coverage is not automatically included. If you’d like to explore coverage options, reach out to Brent Brandham, Sr. Vice President, Sports & Entertainment, at Gallagher: brent_brandham@ajg.com.
Learn more about Sail Canada Insurance coverage by visiting https://skippersplan.com/sail-canada/
Having the right insurance in place lets you focus on what you love most — teaching people to sail. If you have questions or want to discuss your specific needs, we’re here to help!
