Protect Your Sports Pitch Construction

Protect your sports pitch construction with the right insurance package

Whatever sports facility you are planning – whether it be a multi use games area, new tennis court, full sized stadium or playground safety surface – planning the right  insurance  is a must. From protecting your sports pitch construction against damage to insuring for public liability, you’ll need to make sure you have the right level of cover to guard against all eventualities.

Let’s face it, insurance isn’t the most thrilling subject in the world. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to get you up and running in a few simple steps so that you can sleep easy and concentrate on making your facility perform for you.

What should my sports pitch construction insurance cover?

Insurance is vital at every stage of your sports pitch construction and should be planned well in advance, so don’t leave it to the last minute. Map out a simple plan of your project and consider the different stages to make sure you cover all the bases.

If you are entering into a brand new sports pitch construction you will need to protect yourself, your workmen and your equipment. Consider the risk of injury to tradesmen, as well as public liability insurance if your venue will be accessible during the construction works. You should also think about loss, theft or damage to your construction equipment and the facilities you are insuring, from synthetic sports turf to floodlighting and sports fencing.  Don’t forget that if you are working within a separate party’s property (for instance installing a new 3G pitch on a school playing field or building a residential tennis court in someone’s home) you need protection against any risk to the freeholder’s property that could potentially be caused via your installation.

Once your venue is up and running the same rules apply. Public liability is a must to protect against accidents involving users, spectators or staff. Buildings insurance will cover you in the event of fire, theft or flood damage. You should budget for contents insurance too – especially if your new tennis court, football club or MUGA is a profitable venture and you are likely to be keeping cash on the premises for any length of time.

What will my insurer want to know about my sports pitch construction?

Any insurer will require you to complete an application giving details of your venture – but don’t be daunted. You know your project inside out already, so in fact you’re likely to have all the information they need at your fingertips. They will ask you to break down the value of your building and equipment. They will have questions about the number and type of users you anticipate in your facility.  They may want to investigate your health and safety procedures and ask to see a risk assessment. None of this will be a problem, because these are all issues you will have incorporated into your plans anyway.

How do I choose the right insurance company for my sports pitch construction?

For any type of construction or sports surfacing project it’s advisable to choose a specialist insurer  who knows your industry. To find the right insurance broker a good place to start is the British Insurance Broker’s Association. They can help you source a broker online or by telephone, and have useful guides to all aspects of insurance.

The benefits of using an insurance broker are twofold. Most obviously, they will do all the work for you by searching for the best insurance policy for your MUGA, artificial pitch, new tennis court or any other project you are planning. Plus, of course, they will save you money. By searching for the best deal on your behalf they will keep your insurance as economical as possible and maximise your budget for other aspects of your sports pitch construction, like extra floodlights, upgraded sports fencing, and even marketing to get users through the door!

Insurance is a necessary stage of any sports pitch construction but it doesn’t have to be irksome. Get this one sorted out well in advance and you can sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge that your sports pitch construction is fully protected against any eventuality. For more guidance on maintaining a safe, smooth running facility consult our guide to health, safety and risk assessment at your sports pitch construction.