Peace of mind

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/07/2022 (794 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There isn’t much you can do to safeguard yourself against a missed putt or an errant shot into the rough, but there is something you can do to protect yourself against lost or stolen golf equipment and other golf-related incidents.

The Golf Canada Incident Protection (GCIP) plan is available through Golf Canada, the governing body for golf in Canada, and its provincial partner associations including Golf Manitoba. It was first introduced in 2018 and is available to anyone who is a member of Golf Canada and most of its provincial partner associations and their member clubs. Public or non-club golfers can sign up for the program by joining Golf Canada or Golf Manitoba for $59.95 for 12 months.

Jared Ladobruk, executive director of Golf Manitoba, says the incident protection plan was established to provide an additional value to anyone who is part of the provincial or national membership programs.

The GCIP plan provides golfers with up to $6,000 in annual coverage. That includes up to $2,500 for damaged, lost or stolen golf clubs as well items such as range finders and golf watches. It also provides up to $1,0000 in window protection coverage should a stray shot hit a home or automobile window. In addition, it offers up to $2,500 in coverage in the event of a golf cart-related accident.

Ladobruk says one of the best aspects of the GCIP plan is that it is applicable regardless of where a plan-holder may be golfing. That means the plan goes wherever a golfer goes and they are still covered even if they are on a long-awaited golf trip to Arizona or Florida.

“For anyone who travels, this is really beneficial. It just gives you more options and a little more protection and peace of mind. You have some coverage that travels with you,” he explains, adding many airlines no longer pay for clubs that are damaged during a flight.

Filing a claim through the GCIP plan is relatively simple. Plan holders start the process by contacting the third party insurer who manages the program. They are then asked a series of questions including the date and amount of their loss and may be asked to provide proof of loss where possible. All claims must be filed within 90 days of a loss or incident.

Once a claim has been initiated, plan holders are required to pay a modest deductible fee in order for their claim to be processed. The deductibles are set at $50 for window protection, $75 for golf equipment protection and $100 for golf cart protection. The amount someone receives as part of their claim is based on replacement value or the cost of the damages incurred.

Ladobruk says another advantage of the GCIP plan is that it can potentially save individuals hundreds of dollars because they may not have to go through their home insurance provider to file a claim.

“Traditionally, most golfers would go through their homeowner’s insurance provider. If you have a claims-free discount, that is eliminated because you’ve activated a claim which could cost you some real dollars for a number of years,” he says, adding deductibles for home insurance policies can be substantially higher than through GCIP.

As most golfers can attest to, a good club doesn’t come cheap. A single driver can cost $900 or more. That means you could be looking at a loss of as much as $6,000 if someone makes off with your set of clubs from the bag drop at your local club. Ladobruk says with GCIP, if the value of the lost or stolen equipment exceeds the $2,500 maximum value, the plan will cover the deductible of a home insurance policy so they can then qualify for a higher replacement value.

For more information on the Golf Canada Incident Protection program, visit golfcanada.ca/incident-protection.