How to get the right insurance for your outdoor business

Back in the spring of 2019, I saw a YouTube video that blew my mind.

During a time when I was just planning to explore all of the abandoned ruins in my region, it was drone footage of the abandoned ships graveyard off the coast of Staten Island.

Here’s the video.

I had to go.

It was 100% dangerous. And it felt like I was breaking some rules. So naturally, I brought along a few reliable friends.

Here’s my own YouTube video from that trip.

We were extremely lucky. We got there at low tide. I had no idea it would be low tide. We found a way over to the ships and were pretty much able to check everything we wanted. We had no idea we were indeed trespassing.

And as you’ll see in the video, this trip wasn’t without risks. I got clawed by crabs. We were immersed in toxic sludge. And we were one wrong move away from being impaled by rusty nails and steel.

I would not do this trip today. Why? My insurance.

After hosting trips like this for years, I had finally decided to step up my game and professionalize my outdoor adventure habit. After registering my business and setting up a bank account, the 3rd thing I did was get insurance.

Why? Because in my opinion, insurance is more important for an outdoor host than licenses or certifications. It allows you to hire. It allows you to grow your business.

My first policy was a very standard General Liability policy through The Hartford. The premiums were affordable (approx $1200/yr) and payable monthly online. Piece of cake.

I had that policy for years, even as I decided to expand into other markets and outdoor verticals, including kayaking.

One day, I asked a friend, now advisor, if they could take a look at my policy. They administered international policies for very large, global corporations, so it never occurred to me that they’d have anything to say about mine.

I was so wrong. And I was trouble.

Tomorrow, I’ll explain why.