Professional footballer injury insurance

This Forum is the main messageboard to discuss all things Claret and Blue and beyond
Post Reply
Bfc
Posts: 1248
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 7:28 am
Been Liked: 567 times
Has Liked: 1 time

Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by Bfc » Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:15 am

Given the number of injured players Burnley have, who haven’t played for long periods. Can someone confirm if the Club will have injury, sickness insurance cover, to cover the cost of their wages. The wage bill for lost hours of non selection, through injury, will likely run into millions of pounds at Burnley.
I think a Club receives payments, when a player is injured on International duty. But I’ve no idea, if it something Football Clubs have in place.

agreenwood
Posts: 4621
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 12:22 pm
Been Liked: 2566 times
Has Liked: 359 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by agreenwood » Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:02 am

No idea, but which insurance company would offer that kind of policy without astronomical premiums?

I imagine you could insure against injury completely ending a players career, but long term injuries are pretty common so it seems unlikely any companies would take that risk.

NewClaret
Posts: 17686
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:51 am
Been Liked: 3980 times
Has Liked: 4932 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by NewClaret » Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:09 am

I would doubt it and as greenwood says, I’d have thought the premiums would be so high that we will have paid one way or other over the years.

Paying the salaries of injured players is just a cost of business to a football club. Nothing to worry about.

CrosspoolClarets
Posts: 6868
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:00 pm
Been Liked: 1999 times
Has Liked: 510 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by CrosspoolClarets » Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:19 am

The FIFA Club Protection Programme compensates clubs for salaries of players injured during internationals. So Foster and Ekdal to name two would qualify I’d expect.

Burnley1989
Posts: 8588
Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2018 2:19 am
Been Liked: 2685 times
Has Liked: 2375 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by Burnley1989 » Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:36 am

Honestly not something I'd ever let concern me.
Remember players are getting injured whilst working on short term contracts, its a whole different ball game (pardon the pun) to standard work place practice. Its a risk from all parties

Spike
Posts: 3295
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 1:07 pm
Been Liked: 699 times
Has Liked: 1638 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by Spike » Wed Jan 22, 2025 9:42 am

Even if clubs would pay the astronomical premiums it would be impossible for the insurance companies to police it

billyhamilton82
Posts: 1115
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 8:50 am
Been Liked: 496 times
Has Liked: 571 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by billyhamilton82 » Wed Jan 22, 2025 11:36 am

I remember when we signed Kevin Reeves from City, the word was that the £100k fee was covered by insurance when he had a career ending injury.

Not sure how true that is, especially when it was obviously an old injury that recurred.

Ironically in the same period of time Joe Gallagher was released by West Ham suposedly had something to do with insurance, he was quite obviously injured.

Again not sure on the truth of the situation just the word going around at the time.

billyhamilton82
Posts: 1115
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 8:50 am
Been Liked: 496 times
Has Liked: 571 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by billyhamilton82 » Wed Jan 22, 2025 11:51 am

Just remembered Gallagher wasn't released by West Ham we paid money for him.

After a quick check, cheeky West Ham received £30k for a player (obviously injured) who they got for nothing.

ChrisG
Posts: 1504
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:10 am
Been Liked: 434 times
Has Liked: 533 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by ChrisG » Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:37 pm

My wife used to work for a large global insurance broker. She says it's very common for sports clubs to insure their players. Usually a London market insurer within Lloyds that provides cover

Brisliam
Posts: 70
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:46 pm
Been Liked: 13 times
Has Liked: 39 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by Brisliam » Wed Jan 22, 2025 1:04 pm

I've worked as an insurance lawyer in Australia and have, or colleagues at the firm I worked for, represented professional sports players for these sorts of claims. The salaries in Australia are obviously much lower than what professional football players in Europe get but the policies do exist. Syndicates at Lloyds of London were usually the insurer.

claretspice
Posts: 6442
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:13 am
Been Liked: 3179 times
Has Liked: 151 times

Re: Professional footballer injury insurance

Post by claretspice » Wed Jan 22, 2025 1:32 pm

My understanding is that it is a thing, and most clubs have it, although I don't know the precise details of what it covers (wages or transfer value and to what extent) and I assume there is a pretty hefty threshold for the policy to be triggered. But I think it is a thing and, as others have said, there is a similar scheme that applies to injuries etc. on international duty.

Post Reply