Sports insurance

Sport is one of the main causes of accidents of everyday life. In principle, and without exception, nothing obliges to take specific insurance for the practice of physical and sporting activities. Indeed, in most situations, the guarantee of civil liability, it is incorporated in the contract of insurance or underwritten by the structure in which the sport is practiced, cover damages caused to a third party. Insurance may be needed to cover the damage that the sporting cause itself.

Sports accident liability

Liability, these are the principles of the Civil Code that apply to sporting accidents: thus, to receive compensation, the athlete injured by a third party must prove the fault of the latter, unless the damage is caused by an object or an animal (the responsibility is then presumed).

If the responsibility is engaged, it is liability insurance that supports compensation of the victim. This warranty may be either subscribed individually linked to membership of a sports group.

Damage caused to another

Insurance vary depending on whether the sport is practiced within a structure or as an individual.

Framed sport

Any organizer of physical and sporting activity has to conclude collective contracts of insurance covering the liability of all participants.

Thus, regardless of the sport (skiing, horse riding, diving, sailing, hiking...), if it is practiced within an association, an establishment of physical and sporting activities or structure of animation, athlete liability insurance is covered by the insurance of the structure.

Even if the athlete is licensed to a sports federation, it benefits from the insurance of liability must be signed by the federation.

For damage caused during class hours, it is the State that covers the damage.

There are two exceptions to this principle obliging the personal purchase of insurance guarantees. It comes to the practice of underwater fishing for recreation and outputs optional school for which a special insurance must be purchased.

Practice on an individual basis

When an athlete is responsible for injury caused to another person, it is civil liability that supports compensation of the victim. This warranty is included in insurance contracts. However make sure that the sport is not excluded from the contract. Where appropriate, it is necessary to purchase an extended warranty.

Damage to oneself

For damage caused to oneself (and they are many because often, the victim is injured every single one), it is advisable to take a specific insurance, particularly for deemed dangerous sports and activities at sea or in the mountains that might require pay relief.

The clubs have the obligation to inform their members of their interest to take a contract of insurance to cover bodily injury which may occur during the practice of sporting activities.

Several contracts can support the damage: the guarantee of the accidents of life, insurance personal accident, and extra - school insurance for children.

As well; the 'Accidents of life guarantee' contract (GAV) is a contract of foresight with a core of minimum guarantees. It guarantees compensation, apart from any search for liability in case of death, permanent functional deficit, and permanent disfigurement following an injury accident. Beyond the common minimal base, each insurer can expand the coverage of the base contract by proposing some additional guarantees, for example, compensation for bodily injury resulting in a disability of less than 30% (minimum rate foreseen by the basic contract). Where the interests of good study contracts before subscribing.