Visitors, Temporary Members & Insurance Coverage
A club raised a question about how visitors and temporary members are defined and what the insurance rules are. Peter addressed this at the meeting. Here is a summary:
Visitor — the plain-English term for someone who participates in a club activity without being a financial member.
Temporary Member — the insurance classification. A visitor becomes a Temporary Member the moment they sign the Acknowledgement of Risk form. That signature is what triggers insurance coverage. Without a signed form, they are not covered.
How many visitors are you allowed? Advice from Bushwalking Australia: the expected number of visitors is a question in the annual insurance survey. Your actual number of visitors should not significantly exceed what your club reported. There is no set percentage — it is based on your club’s own history. If you anticipate a one-off significant event (such as a Women’s Week program), contact BNSW and we can discuss with the insurer in advance.
Important: Each club must have and enforce a rule about the maximum number of times a particular visitor can attend before being required to become a member.