Learn how to protect your pickleball club from risk with expert tips on minimizing liability, including strategies for surveillance, waivers, and choosing the right insurance partner.
Opening a pickleball club can be an exciting and rewarding venture, but it comes with its fair share of risks. As a business owner, understanding how to protect your investment, minimize liability and avoid common pitfalls is crucial.
Here, Cameron Linder, the CEO of Pickleball Insurance Program, highlights key strategies club operators should consider when it comes to risk management.
For those opening a pickleball club, what should they keep in mind regarding risk management and liability? How can they minimize their liability and risk?
The biggest thing a new club owner can do to manage risk is invest in a quality, commercial grade video surveillance system that covers the courts, entrances, seating areas, and anywhere there are steps. Without video, it’s their word against your insurer’s, which means you lose. With that, you want a minimum of 30 days of DVR backup to catch the situations you didn’t know about or the ones you didn’t think would ever turn into something.
Are there any special considerations for waivers?
A waiver’s usefulness will be dependent on the state your club is in. Definitely make them electronic and have them crafted by an attorney in your state.
What should operators look for in a risk management partner or insurance company?
The reason most people hate insurance is because exclusions, limitations and penalties routinely screw businesses over, and often drive them out of business completely. In the last month, we’ve come across four pickleball clubs whose local agents sold them policies which excluded “bodily injury to participants in athletic and sporting events” — which is the main reason they bought the insurance.
So what should a club owner look for? Someone who knows their industry and takes the time to educate the customer instead of selling. It doesn’t really matter how much you “like” your agent. You ultimately have to trust your agent knows what claims happen at pickleball clubs and even how the liability laws differ in your specific state. The insurance carrier almost doesn’t matter — the partner you choose to procure the policy for you makes all the difference.
Bottom line? Choosing the right insurance partner is worth far more to the success of your business than “saving” money with a cheap policy.
What are common risk management pitfalls you see operators make?
I’ve seen too many operators, including highly successful ones, go completely without property insurance. Many of them tell me they don’t need it because the “landlord covers the building.” What they need to be worried about, however, is the absence of loss of income coverage. Loss of income coverage is the only thing that’ll keep a club owner in business if a storm, fire or other covered losses keeps them from opening. If an operator can’t operate, that doesn’t mean the bills quit billing. Loss of income coverage pays those bills even when revenue drops to zero because of a covered loss.
Is there any other advice on this topic you can share with our audience?
Join a pickleball specific mastermind to learn best practices from those doing exactly what you do — that’s how you craft a solid, money making offense. When it comes to risk management, an insurance partner who specializes in pickleball or similar sporting/recreational businesses is priceless for keeping the target off of your back and having a strong defense.
In conclusion, navigating the world of pickleball club ownership is full of excitement and opportunity, but it’s important not to overlook the risks involved. As Linder emphasizes, investing in the right tools, like surveillance systems and state-specific waivers, and partnering with an insurance expert who understands the pickleball industry, are how to protect your pickleball club from risk.
From ensuring proper liability coverage to securing loss of income protection, the steps you take now will help safeguard your club’s future. With the right approach to risk management, you can focus on growing your business and delivering a great experience to your members, knowing you’re well-protected against the unexpected.
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With over a decade spent covering the business side of sports and fitness, Rachel Chonko brings a wealth of experience and a true passion for active communities to Peake Media. As Editor-in-Chief, she’s focused on helping pickleball clubs and fitness facilities thrive, from guiding growth strategies to showcasing the latest industry trends. Rachel also hosts the Club Solutions Magazine Podcast, where she interviews leaders in fitness and pickleball to share insights and success stories with the wider community to give her listeners a competitive edge.
After taking up pickleball herself, Rachel has come to appreciate the sport’s unique blend of social connection and active living — a mix that’s perfectly in line with her editorial philosophy. Connect with her on LinkedIn, or check out her articles below for a deep dive into the energy and culture driving pickleball’s rapid rise.
