General News
17 August, 2023
Future uncertain for local motorcycle club
Maryborough Motorcycle Club may have to permanently lock its gates because it can’t get affordable public liability insurance. The club has been closed since June last year after its regular insurer unexpectedly said it would no longer provide...
Maryborough Motorcycle Club may have to permanently lock its gates because it can’t get affordable public liability insurance.
The club has been closed since June last year after its regular insurer unexpectedly said it would no longer provide cover.
Since then, club committee members have been working to find an alternative insurer.
“We understand that things have not changed at your end but due to a change in guidelines by the holding insurer this is now outside their acceptance criteria,” an email from their insurer said.
Maryborough Motorcycle Club president Beau Collicoat said the club had never made an insurance claim.
“We just kept renewing and renewing [with the same insurer each year],” he said.
“We provide a motorcycle track for families and riders to ride on at their own time. We’re one of very few clubs where you get a key to the track when you sign up. You can come and go as you please.”
Depending on the year, Maryborough Motorcycle Club had between 50 and 150 members who signed up to use the track at Alma.
They also offered day passes, with people coming from all over Victoria to use the track.
Club secretary Craig Steel said the club had been using the same insurer for “about 10 years or more”.
“Then all of a sudden, they weren’t going to renew our public liability insurance,” he said.
“There’s an organisation called Motorcycling Victoria, they provide public liability insurance but it’s $18,000 or something a year.
“We were paying approximately $7000 a year.”
Mr Steel explained the insurance was purely public liability.
“It doesn’t cover accidents on the track. That’s not covered and never has been covered,” he said.
Mr Steel said the club had a difficult decision about a way forward.
If the club proceeds with insurance from Motorcycling Victoria, the club will have to operate very differently.
It would no longer be accessible to members whenever they please. The club and Motorcycling Victoria would have to agree on set days when the club would be open.
And people who used the track would have to pay for a Motorcycling Victoria licence as well as paying a daily club fee or be a member of the club.
“What it means is it almost becomes unaffordable for everyone. We think people won’t come,” Mr Steel said.
“It will cut out the social aspect and the fun aspect of it.”
Maryborough Motorcycle Club is still open to finding affordable insurance so that it can re-open.