Climbing walls Insurance
When it comes to the safe and successful running of your climbing wall, climbing centre or bouldering facility, getting the right advice and risk management support can be challenging.
We’re here to support and reward climbing wall clients who undertake the ABC Accreditation with an arrangement which includes premium rate stability, full reimbursement of the ABC Accreditation costs over a three-year period and specialist “All Risks” policy wording along with access to our specialist team of insurance advisers. Read more here
Who we support
Top roped climbing centres
Lead climbing centres
Un-roped bouldering centres
Dry tooling
Slack lining
Advice that makes a difference
Claims defensibility: prevention is better than curePartners& and ABC join forces to support safety in the climbing wall industry
Top tips to building a robust claim defence for your climbing wall business
The impact and implications of route setting in commercial climbing centres.
We're specialists...
Through our collective experience, we’ve observed many of the best and worst practices in the insurance advisory market. We’re here to challenge the status quo and aim to establish a new level of service. We’re combining the best traditions of technical advice and client centricity, with modern thinking and smart use of systems and technology to enhance the client experience and create a dynamic workplace for our team.
Challenges in your industry
As with any business, no two climbing walls are the same, which means the risks they face are unique. That’s why our specialist team takes the time to understand the particulars of your business to ensure you have the protection you need and that it will respond when you need it.
How we support
We don’t make assumptions. We prefer to visit the premises and see the risk for ourselves – that gives us the insight we need to identify any gaps or overlaps in cover and provide the right advice to help reduce future exposures.
Our advice is based on 20+ years of collective experience and in dealing with and defending allegations and claims.
Your business performs
Our approach is to provide face to face support and ongoing risk management advice throughout your policy term – not just at renewal date. We’re here whenever you need us and stand shoulder to shoulder with you in the event of a claim being made, giving you peace of mind and focus on the smooth running of your climbing wall business.
Why do you need climbing wall insurance?
As with any business, no two climbing wall centres are the same, which means the risks you face are unique and complex.
Climbing walls by their very nature involve obvious risks such as accidents and injuries as well as damage to your specialist equipment. Standard business insurance cover may not provide the protection your business needs if someone makes a claim following an accident or injury or if your climbing wall equipment is damaged.
But simply having insurance in place for your climbing wall centre may not be enough to protect your business.
The rise in claims made against climbing walls is shining a spotlight on the importance of claims defensibility for businesses operating in this sector.
Whilst having the right processes in place can help prevent climbing wall accidents happening in the first place, it’s vital to have a robust claims defence plan in place should an allegation of negligence be made.
That’s why our specialist team takes the time to understand the particulars of your business to ensure you have the protection you need and that it will respond when you need it.
Take a look at our Top tips to building a robust claim defence for your climbing wall business to find out more.
Why choose Partners& for your climbing wall insurance needs
We’re working with The Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC) to support members to obtain the newly launched ABC Accreditation programme. With the help of our climbing wall insurance specialists you can be sure you have the protection, support and guidance to keep your customers, members and employees safe and your business running smoothly.
We place our clients at the heart of our business – and we‘re here to stand shoulder to shoulder with you and deliver advice that makes a difference.
We’re a dedicated team of specialist sports and leisure insurance advisers with a combined total of more than 135 years’ experience in the insurance industry, bringing a wide range of experience, knowledge and expertise across all sectors to benefit our clients. And we‘re climbing and bouldering enthusiasts ourselves, so we understand your world.
We take a personal approach. We don’t make assumptions. We prefer to visit your premises and see the risk for ourselves – that gives us the insight we need to identify any gaps or overlaps in cover and provide the right advice to help reduce future exposures.
Our advice is also based on our experience in dealing with and defending allegations and claims.
Kudos Liability Adjusters (part of the Partners& family) brings unique and valuable expertise for our clients whereby they can investigate and support the handling of liability claims made against insurer client customers, inclusive of those made against climbing wall centres.
Our approach is to provide face to face support and ongoing risk management advice as your business grows and develops.
What does insurance for climbing walls cover?
The insurance cover your climbing wall needs to be tailored to the size of your business and the activities you offer.
We will help you understand the risks your business is exposed to and design a robust insurance and risk management plan including:
- Cover for liability claims:
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- employers’ liability is a legal requirement and protects your business from the impact of legal costs if an employee is injured and alleges negligence.
- Public liability provides cover for claims arising from your visitors for accidents, injuries or damage to their property.
- Property and equipment insurance – providing cover for your premises and your equipment such as ropes, safety equipment and the climbing wall itself.
- Business interruption – if your centre has to close due to an unforeseen event, such as a flood or fire, business interruption insurance can provide cover for lost income to your business.
- Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) liability – also known as management liability protection (MLP), can protect your key decision-makers from claims arising from decisions and actions taken within the scope of their normal duties in running the business.
We have created a new and exclusive insurance solution designed specifically for climbing wall businesses, providing you with choice in this complex market.
The Partners& cover includes the following enhancements:
- Increased cover for change of locks, metered water, trace and access, theft damage to buildings
- Automatic £5k cover for kit, sports equipment, personal possessions, audio visual equipment UK wide plus £5k worldwide cover for laptops and phones.
- Automatic cover for exhibitions and trade fairs, increased failure of utilities, murder and suicide, and prevention of access
- Cover is written on an “all-risks” basis rather than specified perils
Climbing wall insurance should be tailored to your specific business – whether you operate a group of climbing wall centres across the UK or a bespoke bouldering gym. Climbing wall insurance can provide cover for the specific risks you face including public liability and property and equipment loss or damage.
The insurance your climbing wall business centre will depend upon the size and structure of your business and the activities you run and therefore the risks you could be exposed to. Cover will usually include:
- Public liability
- Property and equipment
- Business interruption
- Employers’ Liability
Employers’ liability insurance will usually cover all your employees, including instructors and volunteers. However, if you use sub-contractors or self-employed, freelance instructors, you will need to check that they have their own insurance in place and ask for copies of the relevant documentation.
All climbing wall centres need to have robust health & safety procedures in place to protect both visitors & staff. A good place to start is the eight key principles noted within the ABC Accreditation. If you need help with any aspect of Health & Safety, please reach out to your Partners& Broker who will gladly assist.
It will depend on the insurance cover you have. Partners& has an exclusive agreement with Virtu Underwriting that automatically covers Sports Equipment, Kit, Personal Effects & Audio-Visual equipment anywhere in the UK for £5,000. We can also cover your Laptops/Computers/Tablets & Mobile Phones Worldwide for £5,000 giving you piece of mind every time you conduct business away from your venue.
The cover your climbing wall centre needs will depend factors including location, business size activities offered and any claims history. This will enable us to establish the type and level of cover you need and to calculate the premium.
Public liability insurance is designed to protect your business in the event that a visitor makes a claim for an injury following an accident. However, having records of all key documentation such as regular safety checks and inspections can help prevent a claim being successful.
