The prize
What it is and its value, for example a car at its retail price or a cash amount, and who is supplying it.
EVENT INSURANCE
Hole-in-One Insurance for Golf Days in Australia
A car on the par 3 gets people talking about your golf day. Hole-in-one insurance means the club, charity or sponsor pays a premium, and the insurer pays for the car if someone aces it under the agreed conditions.
Par 3The usual prize hole
~130 to 150 mTypical minimum hole length
1st strokeOnly the first shot counts
HundredsPublished market pricing for smaller prizes (indicative, not a Tank quote)
Premiums and outcomes described are specific to this client and indicative only. Your own terms will depend on your circumstances and the insurer.
THE SHORT ANSWER
How does hole-in-one insurance work, and what does it cost in Australia?
Hole-in-one insurance lets a golf club, charity or sponsor offer a car or cash prize on a nominated hole, usually a par 3, paying a premium instead of the prize. If a player aces the hole with their first stroke under the agreed conditions, the insurer pays the prize value. Conditions vary by insurer but typically include a minimum hole length of around 130 to 150 metres, a supervisor and witnesses, and with some insurers continuous video of each shot, and exclusions for staff and previous insured prize winners. Published pricing starts in the hundreds of dollars for smaller prizes.
The premium rises with the prize value, the number of players and attempts, and a shorter hole. Apply once the prize and date are set, because the premium must be paid before the competition and some insurers need the supervisor approved in advance.
- Usual hole
- Par 3, around 130 to 150 m minimum
- What counts
- First stroke only
- Evidence
- Supervisor, witnesses, sometimes video
- Cost
- Published market pricing from the hundreds for smaller prizes (indicative)
Our events specialist
Shaneel Gounden
Account Executive
Hole-in-one cover is one of the prize covers Shaneel placed for golf clubs in the Entertainment and Sports team at Marsh. It is written by specialist contingency markets, and each one sets its own conditions on hole length, supervision and evidence.
Previously in the Entertainment and Sports team at Marsh, placing event liability, cancellation and prize cover, then in events at Aon.
General information only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the relevant PDS and TMD before deciding, and cover is subject to the policy terms.
Golf clubs running a club championship, a members' day or a sponsor day with a headline prize on a par 3.
Charity golf days, where a car on the prize hole helps sell teams and sponsorship. Some charities also charge players per attempt at the prize hole.
Corporate golf days run by a business or sponsor for clients, where the prize is part of the day's marketing.
The golf day itself is a separate risk. If you are running the event, it still needs its own public liability, which the course may ask for, and volunteer-run days often consider cover for their own helpers. See community and association events.
| Condition | What it usually looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum hole length | Published examples range from around 130 to 150 metres from tee to flag, and some insurers set different lengths for amateurs and professionals, or for men and women. | Measure the hole as it will be played on the day and tell us both tee positions if relevant. |
| First stroke only | Only the first tee shot by each player at the prize hole counts. Mulligans, replays and practice shots do not. | Brief players and the starter before the round. |
| Supervisor and witnesses | A supervisor watches play at the prize hole, and playing partners witness the shot. For larger prizes the supervisor may need to be unconnected to the organiser. | Line up the supervisor before you apply. |
| Video evidence | Some insurers ask for continuous video of each shot. | Check whether your terms require it and who will film. |
| Eligible players | Staff, officials and previous insured prize winners are commonly excluded, and professionals may be excluded or need to be declared separately. | Check your entry list against the conditions. |
| Apply ahead | Premium is due before the competition, and some insurers need the supervisor approved at least two weeks in advance for bigger prizes. | Apply as soon as the prize and date are set. |
Published market pricing starts in the hundreds of dollars for smaller prizes. A car or a larger cash prize, a large field or more than one attempt per player will cost more.
What pushes it up: a higher prize value, more players, more attempts per player, a shorter hole, and a history of aces on that hole.
What keeps it down: a longer hole, one attempt per player, a smaller field and clear supervision arrangements.
Published market figures, not Tank placements. Indicative only.
The hole
The hole number, par and length in metres from each tee that will be used, for men and women.
The field
The expected number of players, the amateur and professional split, and how many attempts each player gets.
The date and course
The competition date, the course, and whether there is more than one round or more than one prize hole.
Supervision
Who will supervise the prize hole, who will witness, and whether you can film each shot.
History
Whether anyone has had a hole-in-one on that hole in recent years. Some insurers ask for the last five years.
You can also complete our prize indemnity and hole-in-one proposal form online. It asks only about the prize. If the event also needs public liability cover, use the event proposal form or tell us when you enquire.
Running a different kind of prize challenge, such as a putting or longest drive prize with a large payout, or a promotion away from the course? See prize indemnity insurance.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Hole-in-One Insurance FAQs
The organiser pays a premium for a nominated prize on a nominated hole. If a player makes a hole-in-one with their first stroke under the agreed conditions, the insurer pays the prize value up to the limit. The organiser pays the premium, not the prize.
Published market pricing starts in the hundreds of dollars for smaller prizes. The premium rises with the prize value, the number of players and attempts, and a shorter hole. We need the prize, the hole length and the field size to seek a firm price.
It varies by insurer. Published examples range from around 130 to 150 metres from tee to flag, and some insurers set a different length for amateurs and professionals, or for men and women. The hole must be played as normally set up on the day.
A supervisor at the prize hole and witnesses are common conditions. For larger prizes, insurers commonly want a supervisor who is unconnected to the organiser, and some ask for continuous video of each shot. Check the conditions in your terms before the day.
Yes, that is a common use. Charity and corporate golf days often put a car on a par 3. Send us the car's value, the hole, the field size and the date, and we will take it to specialist markets and come back to you with the options available and the conditions you would need to meet.
Check the wording before the day. Some prize wordings pay one prize only and exclude a second or subsequent winner, so the number of prizes, and what happens if two players hole out, needs to be agreed with the insurer before play starts.
As soon as the prize and date are confirmed. The premium must be paid before the competition, and for bigger prizes some insurers need the supervisor approved at least two weeks before the competition.
QUOTE REQUEST
Get a hole-in-one insurance quote
Tell us the prize and its value, the hole number, par and length, the number of players, the date and the course, and who will supervise the prize hole.
Specialist broker review Australian business insurance
Put the Car on the Par 3
Send us the prize, the hole and the field. We approach specialist markets that write hole-in-one cover and will come back to you with the options available, and the conditions to brief your supervisor on.