RSLs, Sports Clubs & Sports Associations Insurance

Clubs run on volunteers, committees and community goodwill. Whether you have a licenced clubhouse, a bowling green, or a field full of junior players every Saturday, there's a lot to look after: members, visitors, volunteers, buildings, equipment, and the committee members who make the decisions.

We arrange insurance for licenced and unlicenced clubs and associations, from small community sporting clubs to RSLs and bowling clubs with bars and dining. We take the time to understand how your club actually runs, compare options across the market, and stand beside you if you need to make a claim.

Occupations we serve

• RSLs
• Bowling clubs
• Sporting clubs
• Social clubs
• Football and rugby clubs
• Cricket clubs

Key covers to consider

• Property Damage: repair or replacement of your clubhouse, bar and kitchen fit-out, contents, stock and sporting equipment
• Business Interruption: replaces lost income and helps with ongoing costs if an insured event forces the club to close
• Machinery and Electronic Breakdown: cool rooms, bar and kitchen equipment, POS systems
• Glass: clubhouse windows, doors and signage
• Theft: loss or damage of club contents, stock, and equipment resulting from forcible or violent entry onto your premises
• Money: theft of takings on the premises or in transit
• Public and Products Liability: injury to members, players, spectators or visitors, including at club events and in licenced areas
• Personal Accident: injuries to players, coaches, officials and volunteers during club activities
• Workers Compensation: compulsory cover for businesses with employees and apprentices
• Cyber Liability: member databases, online registrations and card payments
• Commercial Motor: club buses, courtesy vehicles and trailers
• Association Liability / Management Liability: employment disputes, OH&S, and claims against the club or association, its board of directors, and managers for alleged mismanagement

Common questions

Do we need public liability insurance for our club?

Many councils, ground owners and sporting associations ask clubs to hold public liability, and it's often a condition of hiring a ground or facility. It covers the club if a member, spectator or visitor is injured, or their property is damaged, because of club activities.

Are our volunteers covered by workers compensation?

Usually not. Workers compensation generally covers employees, not volunteers. Personal accident cover for volunteers can help fill that gap.

Could our committee members be personally sued over club decisions?

They could. When a club is incorporated, its committee members are the people responsible for running it. They owe legal duties to the association under their state's associations incorporation laws, much like company directors. If someone alleges a committee decision caused them harm, the claim can name individual committee members as well as the club.

Common examples include:

• a coach or staff member claiming they were unfairly dismissed
• allegations of bullying, harassment or discrimination
• claims that club funds were poorly managed or misused
• a regulator alleging the committee failed to meet its legal obligations

Being an unpaid volunteer doesn't take these risks away. Volunteer protection laws offer some shelter, but they don't apply in every situation. A management liability policy (sometimes called association liability) can pay for legal defence costs and settlements, so a volunteer treasurer or president isn't left to fund them personally.

Are visiting teams and guest players covered by our insurance?

It depends on which policy you're talking about.

• Public liability: If a visitor is hurt, or their property is damaged, because your club was careless, your public liability policy is generally the one that responds. A poorly maintained playing surface or faulty equipment at your venue are typical examples.
• Personal accident: This is where gaps often appear. Personal accident cover usually applies only to the people the policy names as insured, often registered players and sometimes registered volunteers. A guest player or member of a visiting team who is injured during ordinary play may not be covered by your policy.

If you regularly host visiting sides, fill-in players or trial participants, check who your policy counts as an "insured person". Then ask your broker whether you can add cover for non-registered players, either for specific games or for the whole season.

Does our regular club policy cover a tournament or event we're organising?

Not always. Club policies are generally designed for the everyday activities of the club, such as training, home games and routine club functions. When you run something bigger or different, the risk changes and your cover may not stretch to it. Examples include a carnival, a multi-club tournament, a fundraiser or an event that's open to the public.

Before the event, work through these questions with your broker:

• Does our policy cover this type of activity and the number of people expected?
• Are spectators and members of the public who aren't club members covered?
• Do we need to note other parties, such as a council or venue owner, on the policy?
• If bad weather, venue problems or other disruptions force us to cancel, will we lose money we've already spent? Would event cancellation cover be worthwhile?

If the answers aren't clear, you may need an endorsement to your existing policy or a separate event policy.

Is cyber insurance worth it for a sports club?

For many clubs, yes. Clubs now hold a lot of personal information: names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and payment details, and sometimes medical or injury details. A lot of this is collected through online registration systems, websites and card payments, and all of that can be targeted by hackers or scammers.

If your club's data is exposed, the costs can add up quickly:

• working out what happened (IT forensics)
• telling affected members and managing the fallout
• legal advice, and any claims made by members
• restoring systems, and income lost while they're down
• repairing the club's reputation with members and sponsors

On privacy law: the Privacy Act generally applies to organisations with annual turnover over $3 million, but smaller organisations can be caught in some circumstances. Examples include providing health services, trading in personal information, or signing agreements (for example with a governing body) that require compliance. Even where the Act doesn't strictly apply, members still expect their information to be protected.

Cyber insurance can cover breach response costs, member notification, forensic investigation and related legal claims. It's most relevant for clubs that use online registration, take card payments or keep health information about players.

How Much Public & Products Liability Cover Do I Need?

It depends on the work you do and who you do it for. Many head contractors, councils, property managers and commercial sites set a minimum amount in their contracts before you can start. If you lease your premises, your lease will usually set a minimum level of public liability you must hold as a tenant, and often asks for the landlord to be noted on your policy. So check your contracts, your lease and any tender or site requirements first. Also think about the worst injury or property damage your work could realistically cause.

Cover level	When it's usually needed
$5 million	Small or hobby-sized businesses with lower-risk work, few or no visitors to their premises, and no lease or contract asking for more.
$10 million	Suits most trades and businesses working on client premises or dealing with the public. Often the minimum set by commercial leases, markets and event organisers, and many subcontract agreements.
$20 million	Suits higher-risk work such as specialist trades, construction, mining, transport operators, or working at heights. Often required by head contractors, government bodies, councils, shopping centres, mine sites and larger commercial clients.

We can look at your contracts, your lease, and your work, and help you choose a limit that fits.

Why would I choose Lake Macquarie Insurance over another broker?

We believe in giving back to our local sports clubs and associations. We value your contribution to the community, and any business referral received from your organisation (whether your sponsors or otherwise), we give a portion of the proceeds back to the organisation as a donation or event day sponsorship.

Talk to a broker who knows clubs

Tell us about your club and we'll do the comparing, the paperwork and the advocating.

Request a quote for your club