Introduction to Sports Insurance - This type of Insurance usually relates to Sports Personal Accident Insurance and not to the insurance of sports equipment itself which should normally be covered as an extension of a Home Insurance Policy. If you require Sports Equipment Insurance, you should contact your Home Insurance provider and request an extension under the All Risks section of your policy

Personal Accident Insurance polices are quite easy to purchase but most will exclude injuries that occur whilst taking part in amateur sports. What is an Amateur Sport? perhaps you play for the local cricket club maybe you are in the office football team. Whatever your circumstances, injuries during amateur sporting events are quite regular occurrences and if you are worried about not being able to carry out your occupation because of an amateur sports injury, then you should consider the purchase of an amateur sports insurance policy. In some cases it may be possible to buy insurance to cover a whole team and sometimes a package of covers can be purchased that include Public Liability Insurance.

Then types of cover available vary from insurer to insurer and with the amount that you are prepared to pay. As per typical Personal Accident Insurance policies, amounts insured are usually on a per unit basis.  Basic cover should include the following:-

• Loss of one or more limbs

• The permanent loss of use of one or more limbs

• A scale of benefits for loss or loss of use of individual or multiple limbs( The amount paid out depends of the limb injured

• Temporary total disablement from following usual occupation caused by loss of use of one or more limb

In addition to the above, it may be possible to obtain partial disablement cover and travelling expenses etc if you have to stay in hospital.  If you are worried about Dentist bills always check that you plan will include dentistry Insurance.  The covers will vary from insurer to insurer and you should always reads the “ Key Facts” leaflet before you decide if a certain cover is right for your needs.

As with all insurance policies not everything will be covered, certainly any injury that was diagnosed before the policy was taken out will be exclude, insurers call this a pre- existing condition clause. Anyone that willfully injuries themselves or becomes injured whilst under the influence of drink of drugs will also have their claim refused.

Insurers will consider most sports as long as that are purely amateur pursuits, if you are professional or semi professional, you will need specialist sports Accident insurance and this should be disclosed to the insurer or intermediary at the outset.   Most sports can be covered although it is true to say that some will cost considerably more than others