Hurling Grounds Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

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Hurling Grounds Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

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Hurling Grounds Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

Introduction: why hurling grounds need specialist insurance

Hurling is fast, physical and equipment-heavy. Even when it’s played at community level, the risk profile looks more like a high-intensity contact sport than a casual leisure activity. Add in spectators, volunteers, visiting teams, bar and catering, changing rooms, goalposts, maintenance equipment and occasional events, and you’ve got a facility with multiple exposures.

If you run or manage a hurling ground (whether that’s a dedicated pitch, a multi-sport ground that hosts hurling, or a club facility with a clubhouse), the right insurance isn’t just a “nice to have”. It’s a core part of keeping the club open, protecting committee members, and ensuring you can recover quickly after an incident.

This guide explains the key covers hurling grounds typically need in the UK, how to structure a policy, what insurers will ask, common exclusions, and practical steps to reduce claims and premiums.

What is hurling grounds sports facility insurance?

“Hurling grounds sports facility insurance” usually refers to a package of covers designed for:

  • The venue operator (club, trust, company, local association)

  • The facility assets (pitch, fencing, goalposts, clubhouse, equipment)

  • The people involved (players, spectators, volunteers, staff)

  • The activities hosted (matches, training, tournaments, community events)

In practice, it’s often arranged as a sports club / sports facility policy combined with property and liability sections. The right setup depends on whether you own the premises, lease it, share it with other sports, or hire it out.

Who typically needs this insurance?

You’ll usually want specialist cover if you are any of the following:

  • A hurling club operating a home ground

  • A multi-sport club that hosts hurling alongside football/rugby/athletics

  • A facility owner leasing the pitch to clubs

  • A community organisation running a sports ground with volunteer staff

  • A school/college that hires out pitches for hurling events

  • A local authority contractor managing sports facilities

Even if a governing body provides some umbrella cover for affiliated clubs, it may not fully protect the ground owner, the clubhouse, or commercial activities like bar sales, catering, or third-party hires.

The core covers: what to include

1) Public liability insurance (spectators, visitors, third parties)

Public liability is usually the foundation. It covers legal liability if a third party is injured or their property is damaged due to your negligence.

Typical hurling-ground scenarios:

  • A spectator trips on uneven paving near the stand

  • A visitor is injured by a loose barrier or faulty seating

  • A stray sliotar damages a parked car

  • A contractor is injured due to unsafe access or poor site management

Key points to check:

  • Limit of indemnity (often £2m–£10m depending on venue size)

  • Whether it includes spectator injuries and events

  • Whether it covers off-site activities (fundraisers, away-day events)

  • Any participant-to-participant exclusions (important to understand)

2) Employers’ liability insurance (staff and volunteers)

If you employ anyone, employers’ liability is a legal requirement in the UK (with limited exemptions). Many clubs also need it because insurers and risk assessors treat regular volunteers as “employees” for liability purposes.

Examples:

  • A groundskeeper strains their back lifting equipment

  • A volunteer steward is injured setting up barriers

  • A bar worker slips in the kitchen area

Most policies provide £10m employers’ liability as standard.

3) Property insurance (clubhouse, buildings, contents)

If you own buildings (clubhouse, changing rooms, storage sheds, stands), you’ll want property cover for:

  • Fire (including accidental and malicious)

  • Storm and flood

  • Escape of water

  • Theft (with security conditions)

  • Impact damage

You can usually insure:

  • Buildings (rebuild cost)

  • Contents (furniture, kitchen equipment, bar stock, IT)

  • Sports equipment (portable goals, training gear)

Common pitfalls:

  • Underinsuring the rebuild cost

  • Forgetting outbuildings and storage containers

  • Not declaring flat roofs, timber construction, or unoccupied periods

4) Business interruption (loss of income / increased costs)

If your clubhouse or pitch becomes unusable after an insured event (like fire or flood), business interruption can help cover:

  • Lost bar and catering income

  • Lost pitch hire fees

  • Lost membership revenue (where measurable)

  • Increased costs of working (e.g., hiring alternative facilities)

For seasonal sports and community clubs, the key is choosing a realistic indemnity period (often 12–24 months) and a sensible basis for calculating income.

5) Personal accident (players, volunteers, officials)

Personal accident is not a substitute for liability cover. It pays fixed benefits if an insured person suffers injury.

It can be useful for:

  • Volunteers and officials

  • Coaches

  • Committee members

  • Players (depending on club arrangements)

Benefits may include:

  • Death benefit

  • Permanent disability

  • Temporary total disablement

  • Fracture benefits

This is often arranged as an add-on, and limits should match what the club wants to provide.

6) Directors’ and officers’ liability (committee protection)

Most clubs are run by committees. Decisions about finances, safeguarding, hiring, contracts and discipline can lead to allegations of wrongful acts.

D&O cover can help protect committee members if they face claims alleging:

  • Mismanagement of funds

  • Breach of duty

  • Employment-related disputes

  • Defamation

  • Failure to follow procedures

This is especially relevant if you are incorporated (e.g., a company limited by guarantee) or handle significant funds.

7) Legal expenses (disputes and prosecutions)

Legal expenses insurance can help with:

  • Employment disputes

  • Contract disputes (e.g., with suppliers)

  • Tax investigations

  • Health & safety defence costs

Some policies also include access to legal helplines, which can be genuinely useful for clubs.

8) Equipment cover (including theft and accidental damage)

Hurling grounds often have valuable equipment beyond the obvious:

  • Grounds machinery (mowers, line markers)

  • Defibrillators and first aid equipment

  • Portable barriers and signage

  • Audio/PA systems

You may need:

  • All risks cover (on-site and in transit)

  • Specified items for higher-value kit

  • Security requirements (locked stores, alarms)

9) Money and fidelity (cash handling and dishonesty)

If you handle cash from bar sales, raffles, ticketing, or events, consider:

  • Money cover (cash on premises, in transit, in safe)

  • Fidelity guarantee (employee/volunteer dishonesty)

This is often overlooked until a loss occurs.

10) Event insurance (tournaments, fundraisers, special events)

If you host tournaments, festivals, fireworks, or large community events, you may need event-specific cover for:

  • Event cancellation (due to weather, venue damage, key person illness)

  • Additional public liability for higher attendance

  • Temporary structures (marquees, staging)

Sometimes your annual policy can extend to events, but it’s important to declare them.

Key risk areas unique to hurling grounds

Hurling has some distinctive exposures that insurers will want to understand.

High-velocity ball risk (sliotar)

A sliotar can travel at speed and cause injury or property damage. Insurers may ask about:

  • Pitch orientation and proximity to roads/parking

  • Netting behind goals or along boundaries

  • Spectator separation and signage

Equipment and infrastructure

Goalposts, fencing, stands, dugouts, and barriers must be maintained.

  • Are goalposts anchored and inspected?

  • Are barriers stable and fit for purpose?

  • Are stands and seating checked regularly?

Safeguarding and youth participation

If you run youth teams or coaching, insurers will expect robust safeguarding:

  • DBS checks where appropriate

  • Supervision ratios

  • Incident reporting

  • Clear codes of conduct

Grounds maintenance and slip/trip hazards

Many claims come from “boring” issues:

  • Uneven paving

  • Poor lighting

  • Mud and algae on steps

  • Inadequate gritting in winter

Bar, catering and alcohol-related exposures

If you have a clubhouse bar, you introduce:

  • Food hygiene risks

  • Alcohol-related incidents

  • Late-night security considerations

You may need to confirm:

  • Whether you sell alcohol

  • Hours of operation

  • Door supervision (if any)

  • Kitchen equipment and extraction maintenance

Common exclusions and limitations to watch

Every policy is different, but these are common areas to check carefully:

  • Wear and tear / gradual deterioration (not covered under property)

  • Flood exclusions or high excesses in flood-prone areas

  • Storm damage limitations for fences, gates, and older roofs

  • Theft conditions (forced entry requirements, alarm warranties)

  • Unoccupied premises clauses (especially off-season)

  • Participant injury limitations (liability policies may exclude injuries to participants)

  • Abuse/molestation exclusions (important for youth activities)

  • Professional advice exclusions (relevant if you provide coaching services for a fee)

If you’re unsure, ask your broker to explain the practical impact of each exclusion using real scenarios.

How much cover do you need?

There’s no one-size-fits-all, but a sensible starting point for many facilities is:

  • Public liability: £5m (or £10m for larger venues/events)

  • Employers’ liability: £10m

  • Buildings: full rebuild cost (not market value)

  • Contents/equipment: replacement as new where possible

  • Business interruption: 12–24 months indemnity period

The right level depends on attendance, facilities, hires, and contractual requirements (for example, local authorities and landlords often specify minimum liability limits).

What insurers will ask (and how to prepare)

When you request a quote, expect questions like:

  • Do you own or lease the premises?

  • Construction details: roof type, age, any flat roof percentage

  • Security: alarms, locks, CCTV, perimeter fencing

  • Is the site ever left unoccupied for long periods?

  • Do you hire out the pitch or clubhouse to third parties?

  • Do you host events with more than a set number of attendees?

  • Do you have a written risk assessment and inspection logs?

  • Any claims or incidents in the last 3–5 years?

Preparing a simple “insurance pack” can speed things up:

  • Site plan (even a basic one)

  • Photos of key areas (stands, clubhouse, entrances)

  • Inventory of equipment

  • Maintenance and inspection schedule

  • Safeguarding policy (if youth teams)

Risk management: how to reduce claims (and premiums)

Insurers like well-run venues. Practical steps that often help:

Pitch and boundary controls

  • Install or upgrade ball-stop netting where needed

  • Keep spectators behind barriers and use clear signage

  • Review parking layouts to reduce exposure to stray sliotars

Inspection and maintenance routines

  • Weekly walkarounds for trip hazards

  • Documented checks of seating, barriers, goalposts

  • Annual electrical inspection and PAT testing where appropriate

First aid and emergency planning

  • Keep first aid kits stocked and accessible

  • Maintain a defibrillator (if you have one)

  • Train key volunteers in basic first aid

  • Have a simple emergency plan for serious injury incidents

Safeguarding and supervision

  • Written safeguarding policy

  • Clear reporting route for concerns

  • Training for coaches and volunteers

Fire and security

  • Fire risk assessment and extinguisher servicing

  • Secure storage for machinery and alcohol

  • Alarm maintenance and keyholder procedures

Hiring out the facility: what changes?

If you hire out the pitch or clubhouse, you’ll want to clarify:

  • Who is responsible for supervision and safety during hire?

  • Do hirers need their own public liability insurance?

  • Do you have written hire agreements with indemnities?

  • Are you hiring to higher-risk activities (e.g., contact sports, events with alcohol)?

A common approach is:

  • Your policy covers the premises and your negligence

  • Hirers carry their own liability for their activities

  • You keep a record of hirers’ insurance certificates

Claims examples (what can happen in real life)

To make this practical, here are realistic examples:

  1. Spectator injury: A visitor slips on wet steps outside the clubhouse and suffers a fracture. Public liability responds to the claim and legal costs.

  2. Storm damage: High winds damage fencing and a section of roof. Property cover responds, subject to excess and storm conditions.

  3. Volunteer injury: A volunteer strains their shoulder moving heavy barriers. Employers’ liability responds.

  4. Fire in the kitchen: A small fire causes smoke damage and forces closure for repairs. Property and business interruption cover can help.

  5. Equipment theft: Grounds machinery is stolen from an unlocked store. The claim may be declined if security conditions weren’t met.

The goal is to structure cover so these incidents don’t become existential threats to the club.

Choosing the right insurer or broker

Sports facilities are not all treated equally. A broker who understands sports and community venues can help you:

  • Avoid gaps between club, facility and event cover

  • Present the risk properly (which can reduce premiums)

  • Tailor cover for hires, bar operations, and youth activities

When comparing quotes, don’t just compare price. Compare:

  • Liability limits and key exclusions

  • Excesses (especially flood/storm)

  • Security and maintenance warranties

  • Claims handling reputation

Quick checklist: hurling grounds insurance essentials

Use this as a starting point:

  • Public liability (including spectators and events)

  • Employers’ liability (including volunteers where needed)

  • Buildings and contents (clubhouse, stands, changing rooms)

  • Business interruption (if you rely on bar/hire income)

  • Equipment cover (including grounds machinery)

  • D&O for committee members

  • Legal expenses

  • Money cover (cash handling)

  • Event extensions for tournaments and fundraisers

Call to action

If you run a hurling ground and want a policy that fits your facility (not a generic “sports club” template), it’s worth getting advice from a broker who understands sports venues, community clubs and liability exposures.

If you’d like, share a few details (own/lease, clubhouse yes/no, bar/catering yes/no, typical attendance, and whether you hire the venue out) and I can help you outline the most sensible cover structure and the key insurer questions to prepare for.

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