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From kicking off on the 18th September through to 31st October 2015, fans will be taken on a tour of 13 different venues throughout England & Wales. We'll see stadiums filled to capacity as 20 of the worlds’ best rugby teams battle it out for the title.

The Rugby World cup is the greatest prize in rugby, one of the worlds most admired competitions and is the third largest global event after the FIFA world cup and the Olympics. With an estimated 2.3 million spectators expected through the doors over the 6 week duration, 2015 is set to generate record revenue.

With the excitement building and the anticipation of exceeding previous years, it begs the question: How will the organisers be preparing to ensure the smooth running of an event this size? What kind of contingency plan will be in place? And most importantly, how are they preparing should something go wrong?

One of the most important factors with an event of this magnitude is Sporting Event Insurance, the level of risk involved is massive, therefore the insurance policy needs to be comprehensive enough to respond accordingly.

The organiser, insurer & venue will work together to ensure the smooth running of each event and the safety of everyone in attendance. Health and safety check lists will be drawn up prior to the event and an insurance company will only hold cover once they have seen evidence that the organiser has taken steps to enforce these requirements.

Sports Event Insurance requirements could include:

• Spectators kept to a minimum safe distance
• Spectators kept behind proper barriers/screens
• Ran to official rules i.e. RFU rules
• Risk assessments on sports grounds/venue to ensure these are fit for purpose and in excellent working condition
• Good access for medical teams/ambulances to and from venue
• Pre-event disclosures i.e. sports players confirming they are in fit and healthy conditions
• Good medical/support team in attendance
• Official referees/stewards
• Official equipment i.e. RFU approved kit, boots, balls, mouth shields etc and these are checked and recorded prior to entry
• Traffic management plan in place and approved by council, police, venue etc
• Good communications in and around the event
• Do all players currently hold their own insurance covers?
• Good drainage
• Crisis management plans in place

Shortly before the commencement of an event such as this, the outlay before revenue is sure to be at maximum limit. To protect against loss of irrecoverable costs and expenses, the organisers will have ensured that their Sports Event Insurance policy includes cancellation cover up to the amount they stand to lose should the worst happen.

But it isn't just large scale sporting events that require comprehensive policies. On a much smaller scale, sports clubs the UK over organising events on a daily basis are still at risk. Although this risk will be considerably lower, there is still the need for a Sporting Event Insurance policy.

Things to think about if organising your own sporting event

• How many people will be attending?
• Will you have employers or volunteers working under your instruction?
• What level of Public Liability is required by the venue?
• Will you require cancellation cover?
• Have you carried out health and safety checks on the venue?
• Will you have any hired equipment which needs insuring?

After all, when it comes to your event, why take a risk when you could insure a risk.

For more information on insuring your sporting event, contact us online or call us on 01425 484860.