Automatic AUSTSWIM Teacher Insurance FAQ's

Automatic Insurance Cover FAQ's

• DEFINITIONS

  Resident Of Australia: Anyone who is Permanent resident. Overseas Students with a valid study visa.  

   

  Contractor: Anyone engaged to work by providing labour under contract to provide services providing an invoice and ABN for payment by a swim school operator ie no direct clientele and no direct payment by clientele.  

   

  Swim School Operator/Self-employed: Anyone engaged in providing swim lessons with their own clients and receiving direct payment or favour.  This can range from conducting one lesson in a backyard pool through to an operating swim school.  

   

  Note: Where you receive direct payment/favour from student YOU are considered a swim school operator.  

   

  Favour refers to indirect payment, example could be a local pool shop owner says to an AUSTSWIM Teacher - “How about you teach my child to swim in your backyard pool and I will supply your pool chemicals”.  In this instance, the owner/swim teacher is working as a self employed person not as a volunteer.

• 1. Who Is Covered?

  
  
  

  Full cover applies to
  

   

  All employed and volunteer AUSTSWIM Licenced Teachers and contract* AUSTSWIM Licenced Teachers while engaged by a swim school.
  

   

  You must be a resident of Australia or Singapore* and the holder of a current AUSTSWIM Teacher Licence issued in Australia.
  

   

  In addition the policy will cover an Australian resident while working in a swim teaching role overseas. (Refer to Q 2 for more information).
  

   

  *Refer to definitions below.
  

   

  Cover does not apply in the following circumstances  
  

   

  • You are engaged as a Contractor * working over 30 hours per week or earning in excess of $30,000 p.a. In this case you will need to purchase your own separate policy.  

   

  • You are a Swim School Operator* or have your own clients who pay you for swim lessons. In this case you will need to purchase your own business insurance policy. If you require to purchase your own individual insurance or wish to discuss your own individual situation please contact Insurance Made Easy to discuss your needs on 1800 64 1260.

  
  
  

   

  *Refer to definitions above.
  

   

   

   

• 3. Why is the insurance that is included with an AUSTSWIM Licence so important?

   

  This Insurance has come about after many years of experience working with the aquatics industry on both Insurance and Risk Management issues. This has enabled us to identify gaps in current situations and provide a backstop – a safety net – just in case.  

   

  When working as a teacher in a swim school as an employee or contractor you don’t know whether or not the swim school has Public Liability & Professional Indemnity insurance in place to protect you should an incident occur that would be covered by this type of insurance.  

   

  Even if you are covered, most likely you are not covered for any volunteer teaching you do outside of your place of employment. The insurance policy with your AUSTSWIM Teacher Licence covers you for this.  

   

  In many cases, allegations of negligence that lead to legal action in both Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance claims ultimately turn out to be baseless. However to assess and defend any legal action, the Legal Costs can be significant, these costs are also included as part of the Insurance Coverage.

• 2. Does the insurance cover me if I work or volunteer overseas

   

  Yes. Cover is worldwide, however it is subject to Australian Laws which means that any legal action would need to be taken against you in Australian Courts.  

   

  You will be covered under the policy if you are an AUSTSWIM Licenced Teacher working/volunteering overseas providing you are a resident of Australia and are working overseas as an employee, volunteer or contractor

• 4. How much am I covered for?

   

  $20Million Public Liability any one occurrence

  $20Million Product Liability any one occurrence

  $10Million Professional Indemnity Insurance any one claim and in the aggregate

• 5. How long am I insured for?

   

  You are insured whilst your AUSTSWIM Teacher Licence remains current.

• 6. Could you please explain what the different insurances are?

  Public Liability Insurance is protection for those who are held legally liable for causing personal injury or damage to property.                       

   

  Products Liability Protection for products that you may sell on behalf of the swim school, that are directly related to swimming, such as googles, swim wear, flotation devices etc              

   

  Professional Indemnity Insurance is protection for any error or omission that you may give in advice or instruction to another person.

• 7. I work as an Employee. Why do I need this insurance?

   

  As an employee you may be sued personally for your actions and the insurance provides you with a wide range of protection.

    

  As an employee you expect your employer has Liability insurance but do they?

  • What happens if they don’t?
  • Did they remember to renew their insurance?
  • Are they correctly insured?  

   

  Do you do voluntary teaching with

  • Local clubs, scouts?
  • Senior citizens?
  • Overseas in disadvantaged countries?

   

  This insurance can provide protection if someone alleges you have been negligent in some way.

• 8. What is the ultimate aim of this insurance program?

   

  As mentioned in the very first question, risk management is very important. In association with AUSTSWIM, many gaps in current insurance programs have been identified and AUSTSWIM have decided to become the world leader in aquatic education by providing a guarantee to the children and adults entrusted in to the care of their AUSTSWIM Licensed teachers. This guarantee can be proudly promoted to all concerned - All AUSTSWIM Licensed Teachers are accredited and insured.

• 9. Pool Owners, could there be gaps in your insurance program or in fact exclusions that you are not aware of:

   

  The AUSTSWIM teachers policy should give you ‘peace of mind’ that all your AUSTSWIM teachers are “Accredited and Insured”. This alone is something to boast about or can even use this quote to promote your swim centre and it's something to be extremely proud of.

• 10. I am teaching infants, people with disabilities, however I haven’t as yet obtained the relevant Extension qualifications. Does this insurance cover me?

   

  No, the Insurance Policy will only respond where you hold the relevant Extension Qualifications. Therefore you are encouraged to obtain the relevant upgrade in your qualifications, thus ensuring that this insurance policy will hold you covered.

• 11. What should I do if I think I might need to make a claim?

   

  At the hint of any situation where a claim may be made against you, YOU should immediately contact Insurance Made Easy and give them details.  Failure to notify could jeopardise your entitlement to cover under the policy.

• 12. What if I am also a Swimming Coach?

   

  The policy also covers you if you are a current swimming coach if you meet requirements set by Swimming Australia Ltd (SAL) under the National Coach Accreditation Scheme (NCAS). A SAL accreditation is only valid while the coach had membership through a professional organisation that has a code of conduct for coaches and is affiliated with SAL.