To help you understand the difference in insurance cover, we have supplied below an explanation on what cover you have/need for your requirements
What is Public Liability Insurance (PL)?
Your club can be held legally liable if it is proven that it was negligent or failed to take ‘reasonable care’ to prevent injury to a member of the Public or members of the club or damage to property. This liability arises because the club and its members have a duty of care to avoid carelessly causing injury to members of the public or damage to their property through the negligent act of the club and/or its members. This insurance is designed to pay compensation and legal costs that arise if your club or any of its members are found to be at fault.
This insurance provides protection against clubs’ legal liability for bodily injury to third parties and damage to their property. If members of the public come to your club or you take part in activities away from your club (away games, presentation evenings) then your club should have Public Liability Insurance.
It is not enough for the other party to state that injury or damage had been caused and expect compensation. They have to prove that members of the club have been negligent in some way. In today’s growing compensation culture there is an ever increasing chance that a member of the public, or even a member of your own club, will attempt to find someone responsible for injury or damage to themselves or their property.
Example: A member of a club was hurt after colliding with a goalpost suffering severe injuries. The goalposts were in a poor condition, therefore the injury to the player was more serious than it should have been and the club was negligent because they had failed to ensure that the equipment was in a safe condition.
Group Personal Accident Insurance (GPA)
Personal Accident insurance is designed to provide compensation for players and officials following injury whilst playing, training and travelling to and from organised club activities. The club does not need to have been negligent for a successful claim to be made.
Benefits of such cover include quick settlement for injured players and officials which, in turn, helps discourage no win/no fee courses of action and also illustrates that the club has taken extra measures to protect its players/officials. The policy can provide a range of weekly payments, and lump sum benefits for Accidental Death, Permanent Total Disablement, loss of limbs, eyes, sight and hearing.
Example: A club player breaks his leg during a league match and as a result is signed off work for 6 weeks. By providing personal accident cover the player claimed for a weekly benefit whilst off work.
Is there anything more we can do as a club?
Yes. Insurance companies will expect clubs to behave in a reasonable and proper manner and to take adequate precautions so that the likelihood of accidents is reduced as far as possible. For insurers to defend a claim successfully they will most likely ask if risk assessments have been carried out.
Risk Assessment can apply from the state of the clubs equipment to planning a large event. Clubs need to be able to demonstrate that they have undertaken risk assessment in relation to all factors that could present a hazard to health and potentially cause injury or death.
1) Identify potential hazards
2) Establish who might be harmed and how
3) Assess the risks, decide whether existing precautions are adequate or whether more steps are required
4) Record your findings
5) Regularly review your assessment and revise if necessary.
A helpful publication is ‘Five Steps to Risk Assessment’ which can be found on the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk