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5Ks to Football: How to Insure Summer Sports Events

April 10, 2025

Summer Sports Event Insurance is Easy through Insure Our Event

As summer rolls in and sports events ramp up, organizers across the country are finalizing details for 5K fun runs, youth football tournaments, 7 a-side competitions, IRONMAN and CrossFit events, and more. While excitement builds, one crucial detail must not be overlooked: sports event insurance.

Most sports events are not covered by the venue’s standard business insurance. Inviting participants will mean your premises will see more guests than normal, and therefore the venue owner must notify their insurance broker. It’s more than likely that the event will not be covered and additional liability insurance will need to be purchased for the days of the event.

From minor mishaps to major cancellations, sports events come with a unique set of risks. Having the right insurance in place ensures organisers, participants, and spectators are protected. Event organisers need to ensure they have in place an adequate level of cover, but purchased for an affordable price. This is why sports event organisers love Insure Our Event.

Why Sports Events Need Insurance

No matter how well you plan, accidents can and do happen. A participant might suffer an injury for which the venue is liable, a vendor could damage venue property, or unexpected weather might force a cancellation. Without insurance, organisers could be left footing the bill, involving hefty legal fees and compensation.

Sports event insurance provides coverage incidents accident and unexpected scenarios; helping mitigate financial losses and ensuring the event can move forward.

What are the key types of coverage for sports events, such as 5Ks and football tournaments?

Insurance types to consider include:

Covers injury to third parties or damage to their property during the event. If a spectator trips over misplaced equipment or a football crashes into someone’s car, this policy helps cover legal and compensation costs. This policy will only cover injury to participants if it occurs because of a discrepancy on the premises, such as a wrongfully placed wire lead or slip hazard. This extends to viewers, ticketholders and visitors.

No one likes to think about calling off an event, but weather, illness outbreaks, or key personnel dropping out can make it unavoidable. Cancellation insurance can cover lost revenue, non-refundable costs, and rescheduling fees.

Sports events often rely on expensive gear – tents, timing systems, scoreboards, and more. If this equipment is lost, stolen, or damaged, equipment coverage can help replace it quickly.

Staff and volunteers will need to be insured by businesses, as is required by law. If you are employing any staff, or are organising any volunteers, hosts will need employers’ liability insurance to cover against claims.

In the event of bad weather affecting your tournament or championship, we are able to offer a special improved cover. We recommend this cover for outdoor events.

Tailored Insurance cover is essential

Not every standard insurance policy fits every event. A 5K fun run may have minimal risks compared to a multi-day youth football tournament. That’s why it’s important to work with a broker or insurer who understands the nuances of sports event insurance, and can offer suitable tailored cover.

Participant numbers, liability limits, outdoor weather scenarios, the amount of equipment hire; each will affect the cover required. Some policies can also include cover for volunteers, food vendors, and entertainment add-ons like live music. With Insure Our Event’s instant quote form, organisers can tailor the insurance to their event by entering their specific details.

Risks Management Documentation and Risk Assessments for Sports Events

Event organising requires preparation and detailed planning in advance of the event date. Whether it’s a local gala or an international event, the same standards apply, and attention to detail is everything.

Use this event checklist to help organise your event. Once you’ve ticked off every item, you’re good to go. The documentation required will depend on the size and scale of your event, but this should give you a rough idea of everything you need to consider.

At Insure Our Event we’ve compiled everything event organisers need to remember in order to run a successful sports tournament.

Get a Sports Event Insurance Quote

Insure Our Event provide an instant free insurance quote so organisers can see exactly how much their cover would cost. Check out our insurance quote form to learn your price.

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