AUSTSWIM Teacher Insurance Policy

Resident Of Australia: Anyone who is a 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 to an operating swim school. 

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

 

Favour: refers to indirect payment, an example could be a local pool shop owner saying 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.

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 Licensed Teacher working/volunteering overseas providing you are a resident of Australia and are working overseas as an employee, volunteer or contractor.

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.

You are insured whilst your AUSTSWIM Teacher Licence remains current.

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 to have 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Emma is doing her in pool practical hours to complete her qualifications under supervision of Joan (10 years as a qualified Swim Teacher). The class is 5 x 3-5-year-old children, mostly beginners. Emma is in the pool with the children and Joan is on pool deck. Emma has the children jumping into the pool and unfortunately, with bad timing, one child jumps in on top of the other and both children are injured. Emma is neither an employee, contractor nor volunteer to AAB Swim Centre. Both children seek compensation for their injuries via their parents against Emma. Austswim’s Corporate Policy covering Trainees and will indemnify the Swim Teacher and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf.

Wendy is a qualified Learn to Swim and Wets Instructor. She works as an employee for Amazing Learn to Swim and occasionally also takes a Wets class at Betty’s Swim as a Contractor using her ABN and invoice for service. During the WETS Class one of the participants badly injures themselves. Betty’s Swim Public Liability insurance policy does not have cover for Contractors. Therefore, the participant seeks compensation for their injuries against Wendy. The Austswim License Policy covers WETS Instructors and will indemnify Wendy and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf.

Fred is a qualified TSW. He works for a large multi-site Learn to Swim Centre. His nephew is in scouts and the Scout Group ask Fred would he provide a Learn to Swim Class. He is blissfully unaware that should any of the children become injured, he may be held responsible. One of the children hops out of the pool to jump back in, but does a short run slipping over and breaking his arm. Fred is held responsible for all the medical and transport costs and the parents claimed time off work for all the medical appointments. The Austswim License Policy will indemnify Fred and the Insurer will defend the claim on his behalf.

A Swim Teacher who is concentrating on the kids in the pool whilst a parent is standing near the pool talking on their mobile phone. The Swim teacher accidently knocks the mobile phone from the parent’s grip, and it falls into the pool. Murphy’s law, it happens to be a top of the range new iPhone. The Austswim License Policy paid $1,000 for replacement phone.

A Swim Teacher Jenny is directing from the Pool Deck and walking backwards, inadvertently knocks a parent over. The parent suffers bruises, concussion, and time off work. Jenny is unaware that her employer SWT Swim has not renewed their Public Liability Insurance. The parent seeks compensation in the thousands directly against Jenny personally. The Austswim License Policy will indemnify Jenny and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf.

Paul is a long time qualified Austswim Teacher and works for Premium Learn to Swim. One of his friends works for Viva Swim School and they are running a Holiday Program. Paul calls in to see his friend and as they are short on Teachers for the number of children attending and he decides to help. He is neither an Employee nor Contractor. A child is injured during the program. The Swim School’s insurer will not accept any claim. Paul unfortunately finds himself responsible. As a volunteer, The Austswim License Policy will indemnify Paul and the Insurer will defend the claim on his behalf.

Class One swim school are hiring lanes at a local council pool for 15 hours per week, and is owned by Ruth. Ruth has a Swim School insurance(sole operator) policy to cover herself. Ruth needs a couple of days off work and arranges for James to take her classes. With a 50-metre pool, the Council often divide the pool by a large portable beam into 2 x25 metre sections. James is using the beam as the pool end and as one of the children’s surfaces in the water, knocks their head, and it is suspected that the child has broken a vertebra. Rushed to hospital via ambulance, good news, no significant injury. Ruth only has Swim Teacher insurance to cover herself and James, (a qualified Austswim teacher), is considered a casual employee. Parents seek compensation for ambulance and hospital costs from James. The Austswim License Policy will indemnify James and the Insurer will defend the claim on his behalf.

Mary attended a swimming lesson at ‘Top Stars Swim School. When leaving the centre, she tripped in a pothole in the carpark. She broke her leg and sustained abrasions to her arms and legs because of the fall. The injuries are also preventing her from working as a tennis coach, reducing her income during recovery. The Austswim Swim School Insurance Policy will indemnify Mary and the insurer will defend the claim on her behalf.

Helen, (an Austswim qualified Swim Teacher), oversaw a group of 13–15-year-old boys during a swimming lesson at BW Swimstars. As Helen was preparing for the lesson, 2 boys were playing at the side of the pool. They slipped in the wet and one of the boys hit his head on the ground resulting in a concussion and stitches to his forehead. His parents blamed Helen for his injuries and the costs associated, including the ambulance fee. The Austswim License Policy will indemnify Helen and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf ,( if her employer does not have relevant insurance.)

Sea Splash Swim School were topping up the water in their pool overnight and the staff member forgot to turn the tap off before leaving. Water overflowed from the pool, spilling under their door and through to the property next door. No damage was sustained by their business, but the water flowed into a neighbouring rug store damaging stock on the shop floor . The Austswim Swim School Insurance Policy will indemnify the Swim School and the insurer will defend the claim on their behalf.

Jenny is a qualified Learn to Swim Teacher . She works as an employee for First Place Swim School and occasionally takes a class at Wonderful Swim as a Contractor using an ABN and invoice for her services. During a Swim class at Wonderful Swim one of the participants slips and injures her back. Wonderful Swim’s Public Liability insurance policy does have cover for Contractors. However, Wonderful Swim and their insurers believe Jenny was at fault, therefore they are denying liability. The participant seeks compensation for their injuries from Jenny. The Austswim License Policy will indemnify Jenny and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf.

Andy is an AUSTSWIM qualified Swim Teacher working for a small Swim Centre. His friend Joan asks Andy if he could provide a Learn to Swim Class for a Cycling group, she is a member of. He agreed to help with one lesson. A participant in the class tripped over equipment he left by the side of the pool. Andy is held responsible for all the medical costs of this participant. The Austswim License Policy will indemnify Andy and the Insurer will defend the claim on his behalf.

Linda is a long time accredited Austswim Teacher and Presenter. She occasionally presented swim teacher courses on behalf of Austswim using an ABN/Invoice (Contractor to Austswim). Just prior to the course starting, Jenny is putting up an Austswim banner and due to the height of the banner, is struggling to get the aluminium pole in place. One of the course participants Rachel comes over to help. However, Jenny was not paying full attention and accidentally pokes Rachel in the face with the pole. Rachel is bleeding extensively and is recommended to go to hospital. Rachael needs some stitches and a small amount of cosmetic surgery. As Linda is working for and on behalf of Austswim. Austswim’s Corporate policy will indemnify Linda and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf.

Nick works for Market Street Swim School as an employee. Market Street Swim School is supportive of Nick, undertaking final assessments of trainee swim teachers. However, Nick is volunteering his time to Austswim to do these assessments and is not acting as an employee of Market Street Swim School. Jemma is the trainee swim teacher doing her final assessment. During the final assessment one of the children in the class without warning gets out of the pool and then jumps back in, injuring one of the other children in the pool. The injured child seeks compensation for medical bills both against the trainee swim teacher -Jemma and the Assessor -Nick. Austswim’s Corporate Policy will indemnify Nick as an Assessor and the Insurer will defend the claim on his behalf. Austswim’s Corporate policy will indemnify Jemma as a trainee and the Insurer will defend the claim on her behalf provided, she does not already have Personal Liability insurance with another insurance company.