Travel insurance for athletes: Keep your eye on the ball

Every year, a surging number of sports enthusiasts embrace a healthy lifestyle. It is regarded as fashionable to play sports and maintain an athletic physique. To achieve heights in going for gold, you need to be protected. 

Travel agencies offer diverse tours that allow you to engage in your favorite type of physical culture or master new extreme types of active recreation, both locally and abroad. However, participating in sports competitions or training camps always carries a risk of injury. In the majority of cases, mandatory sport travel insurance is required for admission to large-scale competitions.

How does a sportsman’s travel insurance work? 

When concluding an insurance contract, athletes select certain insurance parameters: the type of sport, training conditions, and competition. The policy can be temporary, for instance, covering just the season, or it can be permanent, providing year-round protection.

How does sports insurance operate in essence? In the event of an injury, the athlete applies to the insurance company, providing the necessary medical documents, and receives a payment that compensates for the costs of treatment, rehabilitation, or even loss of income if the injury was a life-and-death situation. 

For professionals, sportsmen’s health insurance is not just protection, but a necessity. It allows them to focus on their careers, knowing that potential risks will be minimized.

What types of sports insurance are distinguished? 

Several types of insurance are available to athletes, depending on their needs and degree of risk. The major types of sports travel insurance encompass:

• Accident insurance. This protects the athlete in case of injury during competition or training. The policy covers expenses for treatment, rehabilitation, and sometimes temporary loss of working capacity. It is relevant for both professional and amateur athletes.
• Health insurance. It includes full or partial coverage of medical expenses related to the treatment of diseases and injuries received during sports activities overseas. It may include surgery, medication, and inpatient treatment.
• Sportsmen’s liability insurance. This type of policy covers against financial risks associated with causing harm to third parties. For example, if during the competition an athlete accidentally injures another participant, liability insurance can cover the costs of compensation to the victim.
• Professional risk insurance. It is intended for top-notch athletes. This type may involve compensation in case of termination of sports career due to injury or deterioration of health. Such insurance can cover loss of earnings or pay compensation in case of forced career termination.
• Temporary insurance. Typically, it is issued for athletes during the time of competition, which is valid only for the period of participation in competitions or tournaments. It is relevant for athletes who rarely perform or do not play sports professionally.
• Team sports insurance. This policy covers the entire sports team and protects each member against injuries and other risks associated with participation in competitions or training abroad. It is frequently used in such sports as football, basketball, or hockey.
• Insurance for sports clubs. It is aimed at protecting the well-being of participants and coaches from accidents, injuries, and other risks that arise during training and competitions. It can also include liability insurance of the section to the participants in case of claims due to injuries, and insurance of the equipment used for training. 

From pro sportsmen to local leagues, athletic travel insurance serves as a guarantee against risks and the strongest line of defense. 

What kinds of sports require insurance? 

Undoubtedly, insurance is particularly crucial for high-risk and contact sports. For example, football, hockey, boxing, and rugby involve a high probability of injuries, from minor sprains to serious fractures. Extreme sports like motor sports, snowboarding, or mountaineering require special insurance coverage, since in these disciplines the risk of fatal outcomes is increased. 

In addition, even in less contact sports such as tennis, golf, or swimming, sports insurance remains an important protection tool. Injuries can occur during training, and athletes prefer to safeguard their health and career in the first place. 

Those athletes involved in adrenaline activities should take out an extended insurance option. It provides for reimbursement of search and rescue costs for the insured person in the event of an accident in the mountains, jungle, at sea, and other remote areas, as well as their transportation by helicopter to a medical facility. Insurance of risks associated with mountaineering and conquering peaks over 3,500 meters is stipulated individually based on a written application from a sportsman. 

The bottom line 

Ultimately, the amount of sports travel compensation hinges on the insurance value and the risk group of a particular sport. It should be understood that the higher the insurance amount is, the greater the compensation the client receives. Usually, the reimbursed payment covers the costs of treatment and rehabilitation after an injury. The policy validity period is selected discretely, taking into account customers’ requirements and their level of professionalism when it comes to international competitions.