Teaching and Workshops

The Duck for Cover Public Liability policy automatically includes cover for claims arising from workshop/teaching activities in most activities. You can only be covered for teaching and workshops in the listed, approved activities. Teaching and workshops for activities outside the policy are not covered.

However, there are some activities covered by Duck where you will need additional cover in order to teach. This is possible with the High Risk Teaching extension which is an optional additional policy.

Activities requiring the High Risk Teaching extension in order to teach are:  Aerial, Angle Grinding Acts, Bed of Nails, Fire Acts, Sword Swallowing and Own Body Piercing. 

Cooking Demonstrations, Parkour and Roller Skating / Skateboarding are the only approved performing activities for which members cannot be covered for Workshops and Teaching under the Duck for Cover Public Liability policy.

NOTE: The Teaching and Workshop cover only covers you for teaching and workshops in your specified performance activities. It does not cover you for any other teaching and workshops.

some examples:

• If you are covered as a Public Speaker, your teaching and workshop cover covers you for teaching Public Speaking. It does not cover you for teaching a workshop in the subject you are speaking about. Eg. You give talks on fly-fishing so you can be covered as a Public Speaker for giving a talk on fly-fishing, but you would not be covered for running a fly-fishing workshop.
• You run corporate workshops/training in a particular subject or field. You cannot be covered for these workshops with the Duck policy.  Duck members are only covered for teaching and workshops in their performance activities. Eg. a musician is covered for teaching music.  You would need to seek cover elsewhere outside of Duck for Cover for what you do.
• You are running a fitness/meditation/zumba/pilates/soccer/yoga/personal development workshop or something similar. You cannot be covered for these workshops with the Duck policy.  Duck members are only covered for teaching their performance activities. You would need to seek cover elsewhere to cover you for the risks associated with your workshops.

The best thing to do would be to contact the office if you are unsure if Duck will be appropriate for what you do.

Here are some comments from our brokers regarding teaching and workshop cover which may help clarify how teaching and workshop cover works for you.

workshop injury

Question: If a workshop participant gets injured are they covered?

Answer: No

Question: If a workshop participant gets injured and they blame me, am I covered?

Answer: Yes

Explanation: It is important to understand that a Public Liability Insurance policy defends claims made against a member for bodily injury or property damage. If a workshop participant is injured and there is no allegation that the injury was caused by your member, then sympathy is all that can be offered.

performance of a workshop group

Question: A workshop usually takes place in a classroom setting but also involves some performance of the group at festivals. Would I be covered under your policy?

Answer: Yes

Explanation: Your Public Liability policy has an EXTENDED definition of member which automatically includes Workshop Participants participating in end of Workshop Performances. If the Workshop participant is injured and blames your member then the policy will respond to defend the claim. If a Workshop participant injures someone else while performing and is blamed personally, then your members policy will extend to defend the claim made against the Workshop participant (it will also defend your member if they are joined in the action).