How to Protect Yourself from Liability as a Sports Coach

Becoming a sports coach is a way to pass your love for the game onto others and inspire your players to work hard while bringing out the best in them. Whether your passion is baseball, football, hockey or another sport, coaching sports is as rewarding as it is fun.

The hidden danger from working as a sports coach is that despite your best efforts, there are a number of for which events you could be held liable. The unfortunate reality is that usually, the blame lands squarely on the shoulders of the sports coach. Having Sports Coach Liability Insurance will help!

As a Sports Coach, What Can I Be Held Liable For?

It’s a sad fact that in today’s litigious world, many sports coaches find themselves facing lawsuits, particularly from parents of children who have been injured during a game or training sessions.

These are some of the common reasons why sports coaches get sued.

• Failing to warn parents and athletes of risks inherent in participation in sports.
• Using equipment that is found to be unsafe.
• Discrimination and other unethical behavior.
• Not providing appropriate care in an emergency situation.
• Having a player continue to play in the game despite showing signs of head injury, such as a concussion, or other serious injuries.
• Allowing a player to collapse due to dehydration caused by inadequate water breaks.
• When an injury is sustained during transportation to and from a game.
• Allegations of misconduct, assault, battery, inappropriate sexual conduct, or abuse.
• Everything else in-between! It may appear that no reason is off-limits when it comes to suing sports coaches. Have a look at these questionable lawsuits that actually happened.

It’ll Never Happen To Me – I’m a Great Coach!

We don’t doubt that you are a great coach, but we also know that bad things happen to good people. Players facing pressure from parents, friends, and peers can hide and conceal injury to continue playing the game. Individuals can also push themselves beyond their limits or not take adequate care of themselves while off the field and outside of your care, which can then lead to a problem or injury during a coaching session.

The statistics speak for themselves:

• High school athletes account for around two million injuries per year.
• Overuse injuries account for almost half of high school injuries.
• Sixty-two percent of organized sports injuries occur during practice.
• 1/3 of parents fail to have their children take the same safety precautions during practice as they do during a game.

What Can I Do to Protect Myself?

Just as you protect your team, it’s essential to make sure that you are protecting yourself too. You can protect yourself as much as possible by ensuring that each team member:

• uses the right gear.
• warms up and cools down adequately.
• takes proper breaks and rehydrates.
• does not play while injured or showing signs of injury.
• knows the rules and abides by them.

It’s also essential that you have adequate sports coach liability insurance in place too.

XINSURANCE provides liability insurance solutions for high-risk activities and occupations, including insurance for sports coaches. We pride ourselves on being able to offer coverage to those who have had difficulty finding insurance or getting insurers to cover them at all.

XINSURANCE is powered by Evolution Insurance Brokers, LC (“EIB”), an excess and surplus lines insurance brokerage. Our customized coverage is designed to give you peace of mind and allow you to continue doing what you do best – coaching with passion.

Please note that XINSURANCE does not provide coverage for workers compensation or personal injury claims.

My Sports Organization Provides Insurance – Do I Need More?

While it’s true that most sports organizations will offer some coverage, if you look carefully, you are likely to find that the coverage isn’t adequate for you as an individual and that the policy is designed to protect the entity rather than its sports coaches.

Scrutinize the policy and make yourself aware of its limitations and whether you’ll be covered in the event of a liability claim. If it’s not enough, then XINSURANCE sports coach liability insurance may be able to provide the coverage you need to protect yourself.

If you’re still not sure whether you need insurance for sports coaches, we can provide you with a free policy review. We will go over your current policy to see if you have proper coverage. We can fill in the gaps or just let you know what is missing. If you have any questions about your current policy, we are happy to help.

How to Get in Touch with XINSURANCE?

Getting in touch has never been simpler. You can head over to our website to read more about our sports coach liability insurance and receive a quote. Alternatively, you are welcome to email us at info@xinsurance.com or call us on 877-585-2853. Our experienced and professional team is always on hand to answer your queries and talk about how we can help you.

We like to make it as easy as possible for our customers to stay in touch and keep themselves updated on what XINSURANCE is doing. We’re available on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram, so no matter what your social media preference is, you will probably be able to contact us at the click of a button.

Even if you’ve faced difficulty finding adequate coverage in the past, XINSURANCE may be able to help you. Our extensive product line is a testament to our commitment to providing liability coverage where others don’t.

Don’t leave yourself unprotected in the event of a lawsuit. Sometimes lawsuits are outlandish, such as this instance where a sports coach was sued for the sun getting in a player’s eyes! Getting the right protection in place will help you avoid such obstacles to passing on your passion for the game. With sports coach liability insurance, you can focus on coaching in an enjoyable and responsible way.

Contact XINSURANCE today and see how insurance for sports coaches can help you achieve a stress-free working environment.

Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, President, Chairman, and CEO of XINSURANCE

Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Rick J. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick J. Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick J. Lindsey discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Rick J. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick J. Lindsey to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. XINSURANCE also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are XINSURANCE can help.