Insurance FAQs
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What is the difference between Public liability & Personal Accident Insurance?
For the Public Liability Insurance to respond to a claim there needs to be an element of ‘blame’ attached to the incident. The insurance protects the person who caused the injury/property damage against legal claims for negligence.
With Personal Accident insurance the cover is there in the event of a complete accident (no blame) and pays a limited capital sum to the insured injured person.
What does Public Liability Insurance cover members/Clubs for?
The BFA arrange Public Liability Insurance for you/your club. Essentially it will protect you if you are deemed negligent in injuring another person or causing damage to a Third party property.
Do I require any other forms of Liability Insurance?
Your membership of the BFA provides you with additional cover for Professional Indemnity (protection for your coaches)
Is there anything excluded from the Public Liability Policy?
Damage to own property
Medical Malpractice (first aid is covered)
Criminal or deliberate acts
Damage to any Data
Does the Insurance cover guests to my club?
Social Guest are covered
Non members visiting to try out the sport would be covered for a maximum of 10 taster sessions after which they need to become a member. These taster session non members will need to be signed in with a time/ date / contact details.
Are there any age limits for the Insurance?
There is no upper or lower age limit in respect of the Public Liability/Civil Liability cover for members. This is the most important cover that a fencer needs. It will pay legal costs of defending an action for negligence and pay any damages awarded against the member arising out of BFA sanctioned fencing activities.
In addition to the liability cover, the BF membership package also includes very low capital sums personal accident cover (for loss of eye, limb etc). Age restrictions apply to the personal accident cover (PA cover has an upper age limit of 75 years of age and members aged 16 or under, or under 18 years of age and in full time education will qualify for 50% of the benefit sums insured).
If it is extremely important to a fencer to have personal accident coverage for fencing injuries to themselves, they should arrange it through an IFA/life insurance broker.
If a group of teams decide to form a league do I require additional cover?
You would need to declare this league to the BFA. If recognized by the BFA it would be covered.
The Club is running a social event outside of the club venue; will my Public Liability Insurance extend to cover me?
Yes but only if the event has been authorised and recognised by the British Fencing Association.
Do drivers need additional insurance if taking players places on behalf of the club?
No as this would fall into the ‘social, domestic & pleasure’ category of use for the drivers vehicle.
As a coach or referee, am I covered?
All registered coaches & officials are fully covered for all aspects of their duties at BFA clubs.
If you act in a commercial capacity outside of your club you will require additional cover.
Does my club require Employers Liability Insurance?
If your club employs anybody then it is a statutory requirement for you to purchase Employers’ Liability Insurance.
Are volunteers who help out at my club covered?
We are finalizing the answer to this and hope to post it by end of April.
The law is complex on the issue of whether a volunteer becomes an employee and whether the injured volunteer can sue the club.
If the volunteer themselves causes injury/damage to a third party, the club itself will be protected by the BFA policy if the club is sued. For the volunteer to be protected if they are sued it would be better if they were a member of BFA and then they would be. We are looking into how to protect volunteers who are not BFA members if they are sued in connection with activity at a club.
How do I manage the risk of Child Protection at my club?Essentially, both the Government & British Fencing wish to ensure that persons working with children or vulnerable adults are as ‘safe’ as possible. We would advise you speak with the BFA & government organizations such as The Child Protection in Sport Unit (www.thecpsu.org.uk) or the NSPCC.
When does the Public Liability Insurance start operating?
There is no specific operative time in respect of the Public Liability Insurance (operative time applies to Personal Accident Insurance only) - cover is 'in connection with the activities of the British Fencing Association' i.e. official association activities.
Therefore all fencing activities undertaken with organisation / permission etc from BFA or BFA clubs including training etc are covered.
When does the Personal Accident Insurance start operating?
Whilst fencing and including commuting to & from fencing.
Does the Public Liability Insurance operate outside the United Kingdom?
Territorial limits - Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Any other member of the European Union and elsewhere in the world in respect of injury, loss or damage caused by or arising from activities authorised or recognised by the BFA. Relating to any partner, director, member or employee of the BFA normally resident in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands
If I go abroad to compete do I need travel insurance?
You will require specialist sports travel insurance.
Fencers should not rely on ordinary travel insurance as a claim may well be turned down on the grounds that you did not disclose your fencing.