Precision & Target Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Precision & Target Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

Precision & Target Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

CALL FOR EXPERT ADVICE
GET A QUOTE NOW
CALL FOR EXPERT ADVICE
GET A QUOTE NOW

Precision & Target Sports Facility Insurance (UK): A Complete Guide

Introduction

Precision and target sports are built on control, discipline, and safety. But from an insurance point of view, they combine several higher-risk exposures in one place: members of the public on site, specialist equipment, strict supervision requirements, and (in many venues) regulated weapons and ammunition.

Whether you run an indoor air rifle range, an archery club, a clay ground, a small-bore rifle club, or a multi-discipline target sports centre, the right insurance isn’t just a “nice to have”. It protects your business, your coaches and volunteers, your members, and your ability to keep operating if something goes wrong.

This guide explains the main risks for precision and target sports facilities, the covers most UK venues need, common exclusions to watch for, and practical steps you can take to improve safety and keep premiums sensible.

What counts as a precision & target sports facility?

Facilities vary widely, but insurers typically include venues such as:

  • Archery clubs (indoor/outdoor)

  • Air rifle and air pistol ranges

  • Small-bore rifle clubs

  • Full-bore rifle ranges (where applicable)

  • Practical/target shooting clubs (discipline-dependent)

  • Clay pigeon shooting grounds

  • Laser/airsoft target training venues (depending on setup)

  • Multi-use sports centres with a dedicated range

Each discipline changes the risk profile. For example, an indoor archery range has different hazards to a clay ground with public footpaths nearby. Your policy needs to match what you actually do, not what an insurer assumes you do.

The biggest risks insurers look at

Insurers price and accept risk based on the likelihood of an incident and the potential severity. For target sports, the key areas are:

1) Third-party injury (public liability)

Even with strong supervision, accidents can happen:

  • A spectator enters a controlled area

  • A participant trips over equipment or a floor edge

  • A misfire, ricochet, or equipment failure causes injury

  • A stray arrow causes injury or property damage

Because injuries can be serious, liability limits and risk management matter.

2) Participant-to-participant incidents

Clubs often have mixed experience levels. Common issues include:

  • Poor technique leading to unsafe handling

  • Inadequate briefing for new members

  • Failure to enforce range commands

  • Crowding on firing lines

Insurers will want to know your supervision ratios, induction process, and whether you have qualified range officers/coaches.

3) Property damage and business interruption

Facilities can be expensive to rebuild and slow to reopen:

  • Fire in clubhouses, storage areas, workshops, or cafés

  • Flooding (especially for older buildings)

  • Storm damage to outdoor structures and target systems

  • Theft of equipment, bows, firearms (where applicable), optics, and IT

If you can’t operate, you may lose membership income, bookings, and events.

4) Equipment and specialist assets

Target systems, traps, backstops, ballistic curtains, nets, and electronic scoring can be costly. Some items need specific cover, especially if they’re hired out or taken off-site for events.

5) Regulatory and compliance exposure

Depending on your discipline and setup, you may have requirements around:

  • Safe storage and access control

  • Range operating procedures

  • Competency and supervision

  • Record-keeping

  • Noise management and neighbour complaints

Insurers may ask for copies of your operating procedures and inspection logs.

6) Employers’ liability and volunteer risk

If you have employees, employers’ liability (EL) is a legal requirement in most cases. Even if you rely on volunteers, you still have duties of care. Injuries to staff/volunteers can lead to claims.

7) Events, competitions, and open days

Events increase footfall and introduce unfamiliar participants. Risks include:

  • Temporary structures

  • Catering and alcohol (if applicable)

  • Guest instructors

  • Higher public attendance

Your policy must allow events and cover visiting coaches/officials.

Core insurance covers for target sports facilities

Below are the covers most UK precision and target sports venues should consider.

Public liability insurance

Public liability covers claims from third parties (including visitors and sometimes members of the public) for injury or property damage arising from your activities.

Typical limit: Many facilities choose £5m, £10m, or higher depending on venue size, landlord requirements, and governing body expectations.

Key details to confirm:

  • Does it cover the specific discipline(s) you run?

  • Are members treated as “third parties” or excluded?

  • Are spectators and casual visitors covered?

  • Does it include liability arising from use of hired-in instructors?

  • Are off-site activities (competitions, demonstrations) included?

Employers’ liability insurance

If you employ anyone (including part-time staff), EL is usually required by law with a minimum of £5m.

Even if you don’t employ staff, some venues still opt for EL or a similar protection if they have regular volunteers, because volunteer claims can still be costly.

Professional indemnity (coaching/instruction)

If you provide coaching, instruction, or training, professional indemnity (PI) can be important. It covers claims that your advice, instruction, or training was negligent and caused loss or injury.

This is especially relevant for:

  • Paid coaching

  • Accredited training programmes

  • Youth coaching

  • Instructor-led “have a go” sessions

Property insurance (buildings and contents)

Property insurance covers damage to buildings (if you own them) and contents (equipment, furniture, IT, stock).

Watch-outs:

  • Correct sums insured (rebuild cost vs market value)

  • Security requirements (locks, alarms, CCTV)

  • Storage requirements for regulated items

  • Outdoor equipment and structures

Business interruption insurance

Business interruption (BI) helps replace lost income and covers ongoing costs if you can’t operate due to an insured event (like fire or flood).

For clubs and facilities, BI can be the difference between reopening and closing.

Key choices:

  • Indemnity period (often 12–24 months)

  • Basis of settlement (gross profit vs revenue)

  • Cover for increased cost of working (e.g., hiring alternative venues)

Equipment cover (including off-site and hired-in)

If you take equipment to events, or hire in specialist kit, you may need:

  • All-risks cover for portable equipment

  • Cover for hired-in equipment

  • Cover for equipment in transit

Money and fraud cover

If you handle cash at events, run a pro shop, or take membership fees, consider:

  • Cash on premises and in transit

  • Theft by employees (fidelity guarantee)

  • Cyber-enabled fraud/social engineering (where available)

Cyber insurance

Many clubs now rely on online booking systems, membership databases, and payment providers.

Cyber insurance can help with:

  • Data breach response and notification costs

  • IT forensics and recovery

  • Business interruption from cyber incidents

  • Liability claims related to personal data

Legal expenses insurance

Legal expenses can support:

  • Employment disputes

  • Contract disputes

  • Tax investigations

  • Health & safety defence costs (policy-dependent)

Directors’ and officers’ liability (D&O)

If you operate as a limited company or a charity with trustees/directors, D&O can protect decision-makers if they’re personally pursued for alleged wrongful acts in management.

This can be relevant for:

  • Governance disputes

  • Financial mismanagement allegations

  • Regulatory investigations

What about member-to-member liability?

This is a common grey area. Some policies treat members as “the insured” and exclude claims between members. Others can be arranged to include member-to-member liability.

If you run a club where members shoot alongside each other, it’s worth asking specifically:

  • Are members covered if they injure another member?

  • Are guests/non-members treated differently?

  • Does the policy require signed waivers (and are waivers actually effective)?

In UK law, waivers don’t remove your duty of care for negligence. They can help set expectations, but they’re not a substitute for proper insurance and safety controls.

Common exclusions and conditions to watch

Target sports policies can have strict terms. Common issues include:

  • Exclusions for certain disciplines or calibres

  • Restrictions on “have a go” days or public taster sessions

  • Requirements for qualified supervision/range officers

  • Age restrictions for juniors

  • Exclusions for intoxication or alcohol-related incidents

  • Security conditions for storage and access control

  • Limits on off-site events or demonstrations

  • Exclusions for wear and tear or gradual deterioration (property)

If a policy is cheap but doesn’t match your activities, it can be a false economy.

Compliance and risk management (what insurers like to see)

Better risk management can improve insurability and reduce premiums. Insurers often look for evidence of:

Written operating procedures

  • Range rules and commands

  • Controlled area boundaries

  • Emergency procedures

  • Misfire and equipment failure procedures

Induction and competency checks

  • New member induction

  • Supervised probation periods

  • Clear sign-off process for independent use

Supervision and staffing

  • Named range officers

  • Supervision ratios

  • DBS checks where juniors are involved (where appropriate)

Maintenance and inspection logs

  • Backstop and barrier inspections

  • Target system maintenance

  • Equipment checks

  • Fire extinguisher servicing

Site safety

  • Clear signage

  • Safe walkways and trip hazard control

  • First aid provision

  • Incident/near-miss reporting

Security

  • Access control to restricted areas

  • Alarm/CCTV where appropriate

  • Secure storage and key management

Neighbour and environmental controls

  • Noise management plan (where relevant)

  • Parking and traffic management

  • Boundary checks for outdoor venues

How premiums are calculated (and how to keep them sensible)

Insurers typically consider:

  • The discipline(s) offered and risk severity

  • Number of members and annual footfall

  • Whether you run public sessions

  • Claims history (including near misses)

  • Venue layout, safety design, and supervision

  • Security and storage arrangements n- Building construction and location (flood risk, fire risk)

  • Revenue, payroll, and events schedule

To keep premiums sensible:

  • Keep documentation tidy and up to date

  • Record training, inductions, and inspections

  • Review sums insured annually

  • Improve security (and evidence it)

  • Separate higher-risk activities with clear procedures

  • Be honest about what you do (non-disclosure can invalidate cover)

Example insurance package (typical for a mid-sized facility)

Every venue is different, but a common package might include:

  • Public liability: £10m

  • Employers’ liability: £10m

  • Professional indemnity (coaching): £1m–£2m

  • Property (buildings/contents): tailored to rebuild and replacement values

  • Business interruption: 12–24 months

  • Equipment all-risks: for portable kit and off-site events

  • Cyber: appropriate to data held and online systems

  • Legal expenses: optional, but useful

  • D&O: for directors/trustees

Claims: what to do if an incident happens

If something goes wrong:

  1. Make the area safe and provide first aid

  2. Record the incident promptly (who, what, when, where)

  3. Take photos where appropriate

  4. Keep any defective equipment for inspection

  5. Notify your insurer/broker as soon as practical

  6. Don’t admit liability on the spot (stick to facts)

  7. Keep copies of training logs, procedures, and maintenance records

Good records often make the difference between a smooth claim and a messy one.

FAQs: Precision & target sports facility insurance

Do we need insurance if we’re a members-only club?

Yes. Members-only reduces some public exposure, but it doesn’t remove liability. You still have visitors, contractors, and potential member claims.

Is employers’ liability required if we only use volunteers?

Not always legally required, but you still have duties of care. Many clubs choose cover that protects against volunteer injury claims.

Does public liability cover coaching?

Not necessarily. Coaching can fall under professional services, which may require professional indemnity.

Are competitions and open days covered automatically?

Often not. You should confirm whether events, guest days, and public taster sessions are included.

What about equipment taken off-site?

You may need an all-risks portable equipment section and cover for transit.

Do we need cyber insurance?

If you store member data, take online payments, or rely on booking systems, cyber cover is worth considering.

Can we insure a facility that uses multiple disciplines?

Yes, but you must disclose all activities. Multi-discipline venues often need tailored wording and clear procedures for each activity.

A simple next step: get the cover matched to your venue

Precision and target sports facilities aren’t “one-size-fits-all”. The right policy depends on your discipline, supervision model, venue layout, and whether you run public sessions.

If you want a quick, practical review, prepare:

  • A list of disciplines offered and session types (members-only vs public)

  • Member numbers and annual visitor estimates

  • Coaching details (paid/unpaid, qualifications)

  • Property details (buildings, storage, security)

  • Events calendar

  • Any previous claims or incidents

Call to action

If you run a precision or target sports venue and want insurance that’s built around your real-world risks (not generic assumptions), speak to a specialist commercial broker.

At Insure24, we can help you compare options, explain key exclusions in plain English, and put cover in place that protects your facility, your people, and your reputation.

Contact us to discuss your venue, your disciplines, and the cover limits you need.

Related Blogs

Fencing Clubs Sports Facility Insurance: Complete Guide

Fencing Clubs Sports Facility Insurance: Complete Guide

By Insure 24

Fencing Clubs Sports Facility Insurance: Complete Guide

Fencing clubs represent a unique intersection of sport, tradition, and technical skill. Whether you operate a small community club or a large competitive facility, the combination of sharp weapons,…

Continue Reading
Skate Parks Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

Skate Parks Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

By Insure 24

Skate Parks Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

Introduction

Skate parks have evolved from underground counter-culture spaces to mainstream sports facilities embraced by communities across the UK. Whether you operate an indoor facility, outdoor…

Continue Reading
Polo Clubs Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

Polo Clubs Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

By Insure 24

Polo Clubs Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

Polo clubs represent a unique intersection of equestrian sport, luxury hospitality, and community recreation. Operating a polo club involves managing significant risks—from high-value horses a…

Continue Reading
Equestrian Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

Equestrian Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

By Insure 24

Equestrian Sports Facility Insurance: A Complete Guide

Operating an equestrian sports facility comes with unique risks and responsibilities. Whether you manage a riding school, livery yard, competition venue, or training centre, comprehensive insurance …

Continue Reading