Golf Course Business Insurance
Getting insurance for your golf course is essential.
Golf courses need to be protected against things like claims of premises liability, personal injury, and violations of environmental regulations.
For example, a golfer sustains injuries due to poorly-maintained grounds, or a storm causes significant flooding to your course.
We’ll help you find the most personalized and affordable coverage for your unique business.
Recommended: Next Insurance is dedicated to matching small businesses with the right policy at the best price.
Best Insurance for a Golf Course
General liability insurance is — generally speaking — one of the most important insurance policies for golf courses.
Some of the risks general liability insurance covers are:
- Bodily injury
- Property damage
- Medical payments
- Legal defense and judgment
- Personal and advertising injury
Golf courses are faced with a range of risks, some of which are not covered by general liability. As such, it is very common for courses to invest in some of the following additional policies:
- Workers’ compensation insurance to cover any employees you hire
- Commercial property insurance to cover your course, any buildings you have, and your equipment
- Commercial umbrella insurance to cover any costs that go beyond your other policies’ limits
- Commercial auto insurance to cover any vehicles you use for business purposes
When in the process of purchasing business coverage for your golf course, it is important to remember that insurance providers can be divided into one of the two following types:
- Traditional brick-and-mortar insurers
- Online insurers
Which one of these categories better suits your business depends on its individual situation. However, small businesses may prefer online insurers due to their convenience and low cost.
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Cost of General Liability Insurance
On average, golf courses in America spend between $400 - $1,100 per year for $1 million in general liability coverage.
Compare the average cost of general liability insurance for a golf course to other professional industries using the graph below.
Several factors will determine the price of your policy. These include your:
- Location
- Deductible
- Number of employees
- Per-occurrence limit
- General aggregate limit
You may be able to acquire general liability insurance at a discounted rate by purchasing it as part of a business owner’s policy (BOP) rather than as a standalone policy.
A BOP is a more comprehensive solution that includes multiple forms of coverage, such as business interruption and property insurance.
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Common Situations That General Liability Insurance May Cover for a Golf Course
Example 1: One of your caddies leans a player’s clubs against his car, and they fall over just as another car is passing by. The car runs over and crushes the clubs. The client demands that your business pay to replace them. Your general liability insurance policy would cover this expense.
Example 2: A section of pathway washed away in a storm the previous night. A visitor to your course fails to see the damage and stumbles, falling and breaking her wrist. She demands that your company pay for her medical treatment. A general liability policy would likely cover her medical bills.
Example 3: One of the players on your course is hit in the eye by a golf ball and sustains serious injuries. He sues your golf course for damages. While you may ultimately be exonerated, since players assume a certain level of risk as part of their participation, you still need to defend yourself legally. Your general liability insurance would pay for your legal fees, including the cost of a settlement if one is necessary.
Other Types of Coverage Golf Courses Need
While general liability is the most important type of insurance to have, there are several other forms of coverage you should be aware of. Below are some of the most common types of coverage:
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Most states require you to carry workers’ compensation insurance if you have employees. If an employee is hurt performing job-related duties and requires medical care, workers’ comp will pay for that care. It will also help to pay for lost wages while the employee recovers from their injuries.
Commercial Property Insurance
You have likely invested significant capital in the equipment and supplies you need to run your golf course. If you were to lose most or all of your commercial property, it would be expensive to replace. But if you have adequate commercial property coverage, your insurer will help to cover the cost of replacing your property if it is damaged in a covered event like a fire.
Commercial Umbrella Insurance
The general liability insurance you carry is sufficient for most circumstances, but there are times where the limits of a general liability insurance policy can be exceeded—like if you lose a major lawsuit. A commercial umbrella insurance policy is designed to pick up where your general liability insurance leaves off. Once the limits of the general liability insurance are exceeded, the umbrella policy will kick in.
Commercial Auto Insurance
If you have a vehicle that you use primarily for business purposes, you need a commercial auto policy. Most states require you to carry commercial auto for business vehicles. With your policy, you will have protection in the event of an accident. The policy will pay for repairing or replacing your vehicle as well as for injuries sustained in an accident. It will also pay for damages and injuries for others if you are at fault in an accident.
Additional Steps To Protect Your Business
Although it’s easy (and essential) to invest in business insurance, it shouldn’t be your only defense.
Here are several things you can do to better protect your golf course:
- Use legally robust contracts and other business documents. (We offer free templates for some of the most common legal forms.)
- Set up an LLC or corporation to protect your personal assets. (Visit our step-by-step guides to learn how to form an LLC or corporation in your state.)
- Stay up to date with business licensing.
- Maintain your corporate veil.
Golf Course Business Insurance FAQ
Yes, absolutely. You will need to first get a quote from an online business insurance provider like Next Insurance. Next allows you to then purchase a policy immediately and your coverage will be active within 48 hours.
A typical business owner’s policy includes general liability, business interruption, and commercial property insurance. However, BOPs are often customizable, so your agent may recommend adding professional liability, commercial auto, or other types of coverage to your package depending on your company’s needs.
"Business insurance" is a generic term used to describe many different types of coverage a business may need. General liability insurance, on the other hand, is a specific type of coverage that business owners need to protect their assets.
Yes. It is essential that your golf course protects itself with an appropriate amount of business insurance before it opens up because it could face potential liabilities from day one (e.g., guest injury, property damage, etc.).
Moreover, exposure to these liabilities without adequate insurance can seriously damage the financial assets of your business.
Not necessarily. Certain exceptions may be written directly into your golf course insurance policy, and some perils may be entirely uninsurable.
Yes, an LLC is meant to create a legal barrier between your business and your personal assets and credit. If you haven’t formed an LLC yet, use our Form an LLC guide to get started.
An LLC doesn’t protect your business assets from lawsuits and liability– that’s where business insurance comes in. Business insurance helps protect your business from liability and risk.