Insurance – Combined Liability Eligibility

For individuals to benefit from the insurance (Combined Liability and Personal Accident Insurance) benefits, they must be members of British Fencing.

The level of membership determines which types of fencing activities are covered.

BF offers a free ‘Introduction’ membership which insures participants/new members of beginner’s courses offered by affiliated clubs for up to 90 days.

New participants of beginner’s courses must have a valid Introduction membership to be covered.

Fencers are covered when participating in an unlimited number of registered events to which their age, membership category, competition category and any other factor qualifies them to enter, and which are organised by any of the insured groups – ie British Fencing, a home country, or a recognised region, section, county union or affiliated club, a registered coach, or by a registered group of members.

Non-members are not covered, unless they adhere to the specific circumstances here.

The insurance coverage has been primarily designed for members domiciled in the United Kingdom.  Cover is in place to allow members to fence Worldwide whilst participating in activities that have been formally arranged by either British Fencing or one of our member clubs including participating in official, pre-arranged training/practice and competitions. Cover will also operate during a social event organised by British Fencing or a member clubs

In terms of where claims can be brought against a member the policy covers worldwide courts excluding USA and Canada.  Please note non-UK Domiciled fencers must affiliate to the Governing Body in the country in which they are resident to ensure that they are covered in the event of a claim being brought against them.

It is understood that experienced fencers who are not registered coaches often act in support of coaches or give guidance or direction to less experienced fencers within clubs or at competitions.  They still enjoy liability cover under these circumstances, but only registered coaches enjoy cover outside of the affiliated club or licensed event environment.

For insurance cover to be valid the Club must ensure the following is in place:

1. Club Membership – The Club must be a valid member of BF
2. Club Officials – All Club Officials undertaking club duties (e.g. club secretary, president, coach, committee member) must be individual members of BF.
3. Individual Membership – All fencers in the club must be members of British Fencing. There are only very limited circumstances in which a club can offer services to non members (eg temporary international visitors with membership of their respective country’s federation, licensed ‘come and try’ events, contact [email protected] for more information).
4. Welfare Officers – Clubs which offer fencing activities to members of the public must have at least one welfare officer who is listed on the BF welfare office register. If they do not have a welfare officer there must be in place a  welfare officer training and recruitment plan agreed with BF’s Lead Safeguarding Officer which demonstrates their route to compliance.
5. Coaches – All Club coaches must be listed on the BF Coach Register and operate within their qualification level. Club Members supporting a registered coach in coaching duties on an ad-hoc and unpaid basis are covered – see item 10.
6. Safety – BF Safety guidelines must be followed.
7. Risk Assessment – this must be in place and regularly reviewed for each venue where the club operates.
8. Events/Competitions – Where clubs are holding events for people that are not members of the club, these events must be licensed appropriated. This includes come and try events for non members.
9. Policies and Procedures – the club must adhere to the BF policies and Procedures including but not limited to the Equality Policy, Anti-Doping Policy.
10. Ad-hoc, unpaid volunteers – If a club has a fencer or parent who, on an ad-hoc basis volunteers at a club it is not necessary to be on a British Fencing workforce register although the club is expected to ensure that the task that they permit the volunteer is reasonable and appropriate to their skills, qualifications and any mandatory checks including DBS or HC equivalent must be performed.  Alongside this the volunteer must receive adequate training (if applicable) prior to engaging in any activities.  The volunteer must be a British Fencing member.

Important Note – The BF insurance policy is designed for not for profit committee run clubs, constituted clubs, clubs that have been registered as CASC status, or community group clubs (that don’t necessarily have a constitution.  If you are a club set up as a limited company for commercial profit please contact [email protected] to discuss your situation and to check cover.

Individuals who are deemed coaches include individuals:

• Coaching on a regular basis, or
• Reasonably perceived as a coach within the activities they undertake, or
• Accepting payment for coaching services

For insurance cover to be valid the Coach must ensure the following is in place:

1. Coach Membership – The Coach must be a valid individual member of British Fencing.
2. Individual Membership – In community affiliated club settings, the Coach must be delivering services to members of British Fencing. There are only very limited circumstances in which a club can offer services to non members and be covered. (eg licensed ‘come and try’ events, contact [email protected] for more information)
3. Coach Register – the Coach must be listed on the BF Coach Register.
4. Activities – the Coach must operate within their qualified skillsets. The Coach must be BF L2 qualified to provide 1:1 fencing lessons, unless these lessons are overseen by a BF L2 coach as part of a coach education activity.
5. Safety – BF Safety guidelines must be followed.
6. Codes of Conduct, Policies and Procedures – the Coach must adhere to BF Codes of Conduct, Policies and Procedures, including but not limited to the Equality Policy, Anti-Doping Policy and the Coaches Code of Conduct.

Registered coaches are also covered in the course of coaching the sport at any club, or at any other suitable venue, subject to a documented risk assessment.  This includes coaching non-members in schools, universities, leisure centres and similar locations, outside of the club environment.  It should be noted that the coach is the insured person, and not the non-member participants.

1. Event Licensing – For events (including all competitions) to benefit from the Liability and Personal Accident Insurance they must be licensed with British Fencing
2. Event Officials Membership – all UK based competition organisation officials (eg competition organisers, competition committee members, referees) must be individual members of British Fencing. Non UK based officials must be members of their respective fencing federation.
3. Participant Membership – participants must hold the valid BF membership in accordance with the event license category. e.g all ranking events require compete licenses, recreational licensed events require participants to hold recreational licenses.
4. Competencies, Qualifications & Registrations – all event officials must be appointed by the competition organisers in accordance with their skillsets and as appropriate be on the relevant BF registers (eg referee, welfare officers, coach) and have the relevant qualifications. For the avoidance of doubt, fencers who are not on the referee register can be asked to support as referees in competitions on an ad-hoc basis provided the competition organisers warrant competency levels.
5. Safety – BF Safety guidelines must be followed.
6. BF Policies and Procedures – the event must adhere to BF Codes of Conduct, Policies and Procedures, including but not limited to the Equality Policy and Anti-Doping Policy.
7. Risk assessment – must be carried out and documented relating to the venue and the running of the event.

Important Note – The BF insurance policy is designed for not for profit entities. If your event organising entity is set up as a limited company for commercial profit please contact [email protected] to discuss your situation and to check cover

For affiliated organisations to benefit from the Combined Liability Insurance they must be formally recognised as affiliated to British Fencing and all organisation officials (eg committee members and officers) undertaking duties on behalf of the affiliated organisation must be individual members of British Fencing.

In addition for cover to be valid, affiliated organisations must follow BF Codes of Conduct, Policies and Procedures.

Affiliated organisations include the home country associations and recognised regions.