Have you ever wondered what kind of insurance it takes to protect a place with six golf courses, ten restaurants, two marinas, and thousands of residents?
And what if that place isn’t just a golf club but a full-fledged luxury ecosystem with complex governance, environmental responsibilities, and commercial operations?
In this article, you’ll learn how The Landings Club on Skidaway Island approaches enterprise-level insurance, and why its strategy matters if you manage or insure any high-value, master-planned community.
We’ll break down:
- Why The Landings operates like a small city, not a golf club
- How its unique governance model shapes its insurance portfolio
- The most critical insurance coverages required to defend its assets and board members
- How cascading risks demand an integrated, multi-entity approach
The Landings: More Than a Golf Club, A Self-Contained City
The Landings on Skidaway Island isn’t your typical golf community. It spans 4,200 acres and includes:
- 108 holes of golf designed by legends like Arnold Palmer and Tom Fazio
- Two deep-water marinas, ten restaurants, and a 52,000-square-foot wellness center
- Over 8,500 residents and miles of private roads, lagoons, bridges, and gated infrastructure
With amenities this extensive, The Landings resembles a municipality more than a neighborhood. That scale creates a rare insurance challenge, one that blends commercial, residential, environmental, and executive risk into a single, integrated fortress of coverage.
A Governance Puzzle: Why Insuring The Landings Takes a Three-Pillar Approach
At the heart of The Landings’ insurance strategy is a unique three-entity governance model, each with separate responsibilities and liabilities:
| Entity | Key Responsibilities | Primary Insurance Focus |
|---|---|---|
| The Landings Association (HOA) | Common property including roads, lagoons, bridges, marinas, security, and covenants | Community Association Policy, D&O Liability, Environmental Liability, Marina Liability |
| The Landings Golf & Athletic Club | Golf courses, clubhouses, dining, fitness, and sports facilities | Commercial Property, General Liability, Liquor and EPLI, Tee-to-Green Coverage |
| Individual Homeowners | Private homes and personal property | HO-3 or HO-5 Policies, Golf Cart Endorsements, Personal and Flood Liability |
Each pillar is insured separately, but risks rarely stay confined to one entity. A chemical spill from the Club’s maintenance facility could contaminate HOA-managed lagoons and reduce nearby property values, triggering claims across all three insurance structures.
The Most Critical Policy: Protecting the People Who Lead It
Among all coverage types, Directors and Officers Liability Insurance may be the most essential. The Landings Association’s board consists of resident volunteers who make high-stakes decisions on budgets, capital improvements, and community governance. Their exposure is significant.
One lawsuit alleging mismanagement or breach of fiduciary duty could jeopardize their personal assets unless strong D&O coverage is in place. At this scale, policy limits often exceed 15 million dollars. Because both the Association and Club employ large staff teams, this coverage must also be paired with Employment Practices Liability Insurance to protect against claims related to discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination.
Specialized Risks Require Specialized Coverage
Each part of The Landings ecosystem brings unique liabilities that standard policies cannot fully address. Their insurance program covers:
1. Environmental Liability
With 151 lagoons and six Audubon-certified courses, environmental responsibility is real. A dedicated pollution policy protects against risks from pesticides, fuel storage, and runoff into coastal habitats.
2. Marina Operators Legal Liability
The deep-water marinas store residents’ boats, which creates custodial responsibility. Marina-specific liability coverage protects the Club from damage claims involving vessels, docks, or fuel-related incidents.
3. Hospitality and Food Service Risk
With ten restaurants and bar service, liquor liability and food contamination insurance are essential. A single incident could result in lawsuits or reputational damage if not properly covered.
4. Comprehensive Property Insurance
From clubhouses to a massive wellness center, high-value assets require high-limit property insurance. Coverage typically includes full replacement cost, equipment breakdown, and Tee-to-Green protection for golf infrastructure.
A Counterintuitive Insight: Bigger Communities Carry Bigger Risk
Many assume that large communities are inherently safer. In reality, their complexity increases exposure. Overlapping legal entities, environmental obligations, and diverse operations raise the chance of multi-policy claims.
While smaller clubs might rely on a general umbrella policy, The Landings requires a layered portfolio, each tailored to its specific liabilities and responsibilities. A one-size-fits-all policy structure would be insufficient and risky.
Why Risk Strategy Is the Foundation of Community Resilience
Insuring a place like The Landings means understanding that true protection comes from precision, not generalization. You’ve seen how a layered, entity-specific insurance strategy can safeguard everything from board members and buildings to natural resources and hospitality operations.
If you’re involved in managing, governing, or advising a large residential or club-based community, the risks you face are likely just as complex. What may seem like a small oversight—an outdated policy, a missing endorsement, a coverage gap between entities—can lead to massive consequences.
Now is the time to look closely at your own insurance strategy and ask: are all the pieces connected, or are you leaving exposures on the table?
If you’re ready to build your own version of a fortress strategy, one tailored to the realities of your property, now’s the right time to take that first step.
