O.N. from Middlesex County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Is cornhole considered an insurance liability? Several homeowners and their guests have been told that they cannot play cornhole on association property including the parking area.
Mister Condo replies:
O.N., while cornhole is certainly one of the safer outdoor recreational activities I can think of, only the association’s insurer can offer an opinion as to the insurance liability to the association if someone were to file a claim against the association. In general, governing documents describe how owners may enjoy use of common areas, such as grounds and the parking lot. The parking lot in particular would likely not be an allowed place for recreation of any activity because there are moving vehicles involved. You wouldn’t want to encourage children playing in the parking lot. The common grounds may be a more likely place to allow cornhole although, if someone were to trip or a unit owner not playing the game might object to the area alongside their home having foot traffic that might damage grass or disturb their own peaceful use of their home, the association would now have some additional problems that are easily avoided by not allowing the common areas to be used for anything other than as prescribed in the governing documents. As I stated earlier, it is best to check with the association’s insurer as what liability is involved for the condominium. All the best!