Sea kayaker on open water
Paddlesports Program

Coverage Built
For The Paddling
World.

Specialty insurance for paddlesports operators, clubs, race series, and the brokers who place them. Three programs — participants, facility, equipment & property — built for the way real paddle programs run a season. Quote in minutes; bind with a real underwriter.

50States
Coverage availability for the Sports Program
$5MExcess
Available excess liability layer for events & operators
24hrQuote
From clean submission to specialty quote in your inbox
$2MEquipment
Total insured value available across paddle fleets
Start Here · Recommended

Book a discovery call
with our paddle team.

The fastest path to the right placement is a 20-minute call with the underwriters who run the paddle book. We'll walk through the operation, the season, the gear, the participants — and design the right coverage stack for each client, top to bottom.

Have a quick, well-defined risk? We also have quick quote applications below — short questionnaires that route to a real underwriter for a same-day appetite read.

Book a Discovery CallOr get a quick quote
What We'll Cover
  • Your operation

    Fleet, locations, season, sanctioning bodies, and how a real day on the water actually runs.

  • The right stack

    Participant liability, facility, equipment & property — layered to fit, not bundled to bill.

  • The numbers

    Limits, deductibles, sublimits, capacity, and a real appetite read — no template declines.

  • Next step

    If we have appetite, you'll leave the call with a clear path to a quote and a named underwriter.

20 minTypical call
Real UWOn the line
1 dayAppetite read
Why Paddlesports Needs Specialty

Standard markets
don't paddle.

Most carriers see "watercraft" and stop reading. Paddle operations get bucketed with marinas, charter boats, or worse — declined outright because nobody on the desk has ever rented a SUP or set a regatta course. Matterhorn writes paddlesports as its own class, with underwriters who understand the difference between a Class III rapid and a flatwater downwinder.

For Brokers

We are a real specialty MGA that quotes the class, binds the deal, and stays on the renewal — no mystery declines from a national underwriter who has never been in a boat.

For Operators

Coverage matched to how you actually run a season — annual for the livery, short-term for the festival, equipment for the trailer that hauls thirty SUPs to the put-in.

For Coalitions & Clubs

Member programs, member-pricing structures, and association-level umbrellas — built so the coalition can offer real coverage to the operators in its network.

For Race & Event Promoters

One-off regattas, multi-stop downwind series, and demo days handled with the same underwriting discipline as annual operations — without the standard-market pricing hangover.

Three Programs · One Workflow

Coverage for the people,
places, and gear of paddling.

Pick the program — or layer all three — to assemble a complete book on a single account. Quote in minutes; bind with a specialty underwriter inside one business day.

01
Program 01 · Sports Program

Paddlesports Groups

Annual or short-term coverage for paddling teams, leagues, regattas, race series, clubs, associations, organizations, schools, clinics, lessons, camps — or any paddlesport activity that requires participant coverage.

Read the Detail

Tailored to U.S.-based paddlesport teams, clubs, race promoters, outfitters, and event organizers conducting youth or adult amateur paddling activities. Includes Participant Liability for the Named Insured, employees, volunteers, coaches, race officials, safety boaters, and athletic participants — covering bodily injury, property damage claims, and litigation costs. Accident & Medical Coverage for participants is included.

Covered operations include scheduled, sanctioned, supervised instruction, practices, time trials, race series, regattas, demo days, group paddles, paddlesport clinics, and finals — plus related non-athletic events such as registrations, captains' meetings, banquets, and award ceremonies.

  • General Liability up to $1,000,000 per Occurrence / $3,000,000 Aggregate
  • Athletic Participant Liability Coverage
  • Excess Liability up to $5,000,000 per Occurrence / $5,000,000 Aggregate
  • Abuse & Molestation up to $1,000,000 per Occurrence / $2,000,000 Aggregate
  • Accident Medical Expense Benefit up to $100,000
  • Hired & Non-Owned Auto Liability $1,000,000 per Occurrence available
  • Liquor Liability $1,000,000 available
  • Waiver of Subrogation available
Coverage available in all 50 states.
Apply Here
02
Program 02 · Facility

Complex / Facility Coverage

Liability and participant coverage built for paddling complexes, training facilities, marinas, livery operations, riverfront docks, boathouses, and host venues.

Read the Detail

General Liability and participant coverage for the dock-to-water surface — purpose-built for whitewater parks, urban paddling centers, rental concessions on lakes and rivers, university crew programs, and event-day venue operators. Optional accident & medical layers fill the gap when state event sanctioning isn't enough.

Optional Additional Coverages include Abuse & Molestation, Hired and Non-Owned Auto, Liquor Liability for venue tap-rooms or post-race events, and higher participant accident benefits when required by sanctioning bodies.

  • General Liability $1,000,000 per Occurrence / $3,000,000 Aggregate — including participant coverage
  • Excess Liability up to $5,000,000 per Occurrence / $5,000,000 Aggregate
  • Abuse & Molestation: $25,000 / $50,000 included; up to $1,000,000 / $2,000,000 (background checks required)
  • Hired and Non-Owned Auto: $1,000,000 single limit
  • Liquor Liability: $1,000,000 single limit
  • Excess Accident Medical up to $100,000 Medical Expense Benefit
  • $10,000 Excess Accidental Death & Dismemberment Benefit
Designed for paddling complexes, marinas, boathouses, and hosted-event venues.
Apply Here
03
Program 03 · Property

Equipment & Property Coverage

Comprehensive protection for the boats, boards, paddles, trailers, buildings, and business income that keep your operation on the water.

Read the Detail

Covers the gear that defines paddlesport operations — kayak fleets, SUP boards, racing shells, dragon boats, OC outriggers, racks, trailers, and on-water rescue craft — alongside the buildings, docks, and business income that keep doors open through the season.

Equipment coverage extends to water-based gear including SUPs, kayaks, canoes, outriggers, dragon boats, paddles, PFDs, throw bags, and instructor radios. Property coverage protects buildings, docks, ramps, classrooms, and storage facilities.

  • Equipment Coverage up to $2,000,000 total insured value
  • Available in all 50 states
  • Water-based equipment coverage available (SUPs, kayaks, canoes, dragon boats, outriggers)
  • Property Coverage up to $3,000,000 total insured value
  • Business Income coverage sublimit of $1,000,000
Property coverage not available in Hawaii or Alaska.
Apply Here

Have questions or want help choosing the right program? Reply to support@matterhornprotects.com — we'll walk you through your options personally.

Stand-up paddleboard yoga and instruction class on a glassy backwoods lake at golden hour
From The Water

Eight students. One instructor.
A backwoods lake at golden hour.

This is the operation our Sports Program was built around — certified instructors, glass-water mornings, real participants on real boards. We underwrite the people who make this happen, from the first lesson of the season to the last sunset clinic in October.

See the participant program
Who We Serve

The full paddle community
— operators, coalitions, crews.

From coast-to-coast race series and tech-driven crew platforms, to industry advocacy networks and member coalitions, to the local livery on a Class II river — if you live and work on the water, we have appetite for the class.

Kayak & SUP Liveries
Annual Program
River + Lake Concessions

Kayak & SUP Liveries

Multi-location rental fleets, beach concessions, dock-rentals, and seasonal outfitters — full-season GL plus equipment & property.

SUP Schools & Beach Concessions
Sports Program
Coastal & Inland

SUP Schools & Beach Concessions

ACA / PSUPA-certified schools, group lessons, demo days, and resort beach concessions — instructor + participant coverage in one program.

Dragon Boat & Outrigger Clubs
Club Program
Urban + Coastal Crews

Dragon Boat & Outrigger Clubs

OC-1 through OC-6 club programs, dragon boat training crews, and competitive race teams — practice-through-regatta participant liability.

Whitewater Outfitters & Guides
Facility + Property
Class II–V Rivers

Whitewater Outfitters & Guides

Commercial rafting and kayak guide operations, outfitter fleets, and shuttle vehicles — guided-trip GL with H&NO auto and equipment cover.

Plus the full breadth of paddle operations
🛶
Kayak & SUP Liveries

Multi-location rental fleets and seasonal beach concessions.

🏁
Paddleboard Race Organizers

Open-water races, downwinders, and paddle festival series.

🐉
Dragon Boat & Outrigger Clubs

OC-1 through OC-6 club programs and competitive crews.

🌊
Whitewater Outfitters

Class II–V rafting and kayak guide operations.

🚣
Crew & Rowing Programs

University crew, masters rowing, and youth scull programs.

🎓
Paddle Schools & Instructors

ACA / PSUPA / BCU certified schools and independent coaches.

🤝
Paddle Coalitions & Associations

Industry coalitions, advocacy groups, and regional member networks for the paddle community.

📡
Crew Tracking & Tech Platforms

On-water performance apps, GPS tracking platforms, and crew communities for paddle teams.

🎪
River Festivals & Demo Days

Brand demo events, paddle expos, and one-off riverfront activations.

Are You Working In The Sport?
Operator Intake

Working in paddlesports?
Tell us how you run a season.

This form goes straight to the underwriter who runs the paddle book — not a contact-form inbox. Tell us your operation, your fleet, your season window, and we'll come back with a real appetite read inside one business day.

1 business day
Appetite response from a real underwriter
All 50 states
Sports Program coverage availability
$5M excess
Available capacity for events & operators
Direct + broker
Place direct or through your retail broker
Prefer to talk first? Email support@matterhornprotects.com or call us about your operation.
Tell Us Your Operation

Operator Submission

By submitting, an email draft will open with your details. We respond within 1 business day.

Currents

News & field notes
— from the paddle program desk.

Carrier capacity moves, coalition standards updates, and field intel from the underwriters running the paddle book — published as it happens.

ProgramApril 2026
Carrier Capacity

Excess paddlesports capacity expanded to $5M aggregate.

Our reinsurance partners increased excess limits across the Sports Program for 2026 — opening up appetite for larger paddle festivals, downwinder series, and multi-state livery operations that previously stacked layers across three carriers.

Read appetite update
IndustryMarch 2026
Industry Brief

Updated 2026 safety standards published for paddle operators.

Industry safety guidance for the new season now includes PFD protocols for SUP race series, downwinder boundary planning, and dragon boat capsize drills. We're aligning underwriting questionnaires to reward operators who meet the new bar.

View standards update
Field NoteMarch 2026
Field Note

Crew-tracking app integrations now eligible for an underwriting credit.

Operators using on-water crew-tracking platforms during practice and racing can now receive an underwriting credit. Real-time crew location and capsize alerts demonstrably reduce search-and-rescue exposure on open water.

Talk to underwriter
Pick Your Path

Two doors.
Same underwriting team behind both.

For Brokers

Place the paddle book your retail competitors won't touch.

Specialty paddlesports submissions get killed by standard markets — too many participants, too much water, too few comparable accounts. Matterhorn's program is purpose-built for the class. Quote in minutes through the broker console, bind through a real underwriter, and own renewal year over year.

  • Specialty appetite for outfitters, race promoters, schools, and clubs
  • Real underwriter on every file — no template declines
  • Annual or short-term event coverage in one workflow
  • Commission on bound business, dedicated marketing collateral
Apply on the Broker ConsoleGet Appointed
For Operators & Clubs

Coverage built around how paddlers actually run a season.

Whether you're a kayak livery on the Hudson, a dragon boat club racing the Charles, a SUP school on Lake Tahoe, or a downwinder series on the Gorge — your insurance shouldn't make you choose between participants you cover and gear you protect. Tell us how you operate and we'll match a program in days, not weeks.

  • Annual programs for year-round operations
  • Short-term & event coverage for one-off regattas and demo days
  • Equipment + property + business income in one program
  • Optional liquor & H&NO auto for hosted events and shuttles
Talk to an UnderwriterFind Your Local Broker
Underwriting Team Available Now

Connect With
Your Specialty Expert
Today.

No gatekeepers. No waiting. Reach our specialty underwriting team directly — get real answers about appetite, structure your deal, and move your placement forward.

Nationally Licensed
A-Rated Carriers
24hr Response
Specialty Markets
Book A Discovery Call

Paddle Programs, Bound Right.

Outfitters, liveries, instruction programs — we'll walk through the schedule, the loss profile, and the markets we'd take it to. Fifteen minutes.

Or email the team
01Map Your Risk

We listen first — sector, size, prior carriers, what's pushing the deal forward.

02Get A Real Plan

Markets we'd approach, expected pricing band, data we'd need to bind.

03Walk Away With Next Steps

A clear path: who quotes, what to gather, who follows up — no fluff, no commitment.