Whitewater rafting is exhilarating — and risky. Even rafting in easier water comes with exposure to risk. Whitewater rafting liability insurance ensures that this activity stays fun, without worry over what happens if there’s an accident, injury, or incident.
Every whitewater rafting company has a unique business model and requires different insurance for the best protection. For example, some companies offer transport to and from the water, which would call for additional coverage. Whatever the specific offerings of each company, whitewater rafting comes with risks for bodily injury, property damage, and professional liability. When you can offer insurance that meets those risks, you will write more business and better serve your clients.
The Benefits of Whitewater Rafting Liability Insurance
Most would-be rafters will not work with a company that does not carry whitewater rafting liability insurance. Adventurers want to know that rafting companies take their safety seriously. Insurance is proof of that. Beyond the business implications, whitewater rafting liability insurance compensates for damages incurred by your clients in the course of business.
Lawsuits are frequent and expensive as whitewater rafting can lead to injury and even death. In Aspen, the widow of a man killed while rafting sued the company claiming that the employees misrepresented the risk of the activity. They sought damages exceeding $75,000, and the suit was eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. A Montana suit was also settled for an undisclosed amount. The man’s wife filed a wrongful death lawsuit after he died on a whitewater rafting trip. She alleged careless and negligent operation.
People can become injured outside of the whitewater raft, too. Clients tripping and falling on the way to the raft and other injuries sustained on-site are very common. Without insurance, whitewater rafting companies may be on the hook for medical payments and other damages resulting from these injuries.
Property insurance can also help whitewater rafting companies operate successfully. Rafting equipment and supplies are expensive. Insurance protects against the loss of this vital equipment.
Commercial auto insurance can help keep businesses afloat if transporting customers is part of the business model. Some companies operate under the mistaken assumption that personal auto insurance is enough coverage. This is a costly mistake if an accident happens while transporting customers.
Write More Business with Insurance for Whitewater Rafting
You can write more business by meeting specialty needs. Prime Insurance Company is your partner in providing the flexible, customized coverage your clients need. We work to meet the specific needs of your clients in every situation, even if they have been deemed too risky or turned away by other insurance companies.
We have extensive experience, having placed specialty risks for decades. We employ industry professionals who carefully and efficiently evaluate each potential insured and their business model. We work to find unique solutions to every insurance need. If there is a way to offer your client insurance, we will find it.
As you will learn next, we also work hard to mitigate risk, but if a claim arises, we work just as quickly. Our team is available with 24-hour assistance, staying in close contact with you and your client while the claim is managed.
Risk Management and Whitewater Rafting Liability Insurance
A key aspect of Prime Insurance Company is our extensive risk management process. We consider ourselves partners in your success and that of your insureds. Risk management is a big part of that. Because we have been in this field for so long, we know what steps to take to reduce the potential for a costly claim.
Our in-house risk management team will look at your clients’ operations and recommend any changes or actions to reduce exposure. For whitewater rafting companies, ensuring proper maintenance, inspection, training, and certification can make a big difference. Properly advising rafters of risks, enforcing requirements for age, height, and weight, and understanding the hazards of inclement weather is vital too.
We will look at employment conditions, safety equipment, and safety plans. Our team can help your client create and use a waiver and release form, making liability insurance go further. In an Aspen lawsuit, a judge dismissed the claim after finding the signed waiver valid.
These are just a few examples of how whitewater rafting risk can be managed with help from our team. While it does not always stop an accident or claim, our extensive risk management process greatly reduces avoidable incidents.
To learn more about our whitewater rafting insurance, contact us today. Use our online application to get started with a quote. You can also call Prime Insurance Company at 800-257-5590 or email at info@primeis.com. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or read our blog for more.
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Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, CEO, President, and Chairman of Prime Insurance Company
Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. Prime Insurance also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are Prime Insurance can help.
