However, football is not without its risks. In fact, AFL, Soccer and Rugby are the top three sports in Australia1 for sports-related injuries.
If you play footy on the weekends, have you ever wondered what would happen if you were unable to work due to an injury on the field? This is where income protection insurance can help. Income protection can provide you with up to 85% of your monthly salary should you be unable to work for an extended period of time.
Since football is so popular in Australia, insurers typically still offer cover as long as you're not a professional player. However, it is still a risk factor which can affect your policy and may mean you're less likely to get cover. Factors including how frequently you play, at what level and your health may be factored into your premiums.
There are a number of ways that a footballers income protection policy may be adjusted to allow them to be provided with cover:
A premium loading is applied to income protection policies to reflect your increased risk of claiming. For example, if you're an amateur footballer an insurer might apply a 25% loading to your insurance premiums.
Some insurers offer you the option of adding additional personal accident cover for injuries sustained during sporting activities.
Income protection insurance is designed to provide you with much-needed coverage when the unexpected happens. Income protection can:
While income protection cover is generally available for amateur footballers, the issue gets a little more difficult if you’re a semi-professional or professional player. For example, if you’re receiving small match payments for taking to the field, your insurer may reject your application for cover on the basis that you are playing at a more competitive level with higher risks.
Insurers will often offer or deny cover on a case-by-case basis. Speaking to a range of insurers and shopping around can help you find cover.
Most mainstream insurers will not offer income protection cover to professional sports players of any kind. Generally, the salaries and the risk of injury are too high.
If you’re a member of a sporting association, your team may have an insurance scheme in place. For example, you may have personal accident cover while on the field, or might be able to get cover through a partnered specialist insurer.
There are specialist insurers that can deliver a range of other covers for professional footballers. This form of insurance can be found by individuals, or through a sporting organisation.
Learn more about income cover for professional sports players
Most insurance providers will provide complimentary accidental injury cover for applicants while the insurer is processing their application.
It is not uncommon for insurers to have an extra set of exclusions applied to this cover for when a benefit will be paid. As an example, AIA will not provide a benefit for total disablement that has occurred within the interim period if it is a result of a football injury. It is crucial to be aware of these exclusions prior to taking out cover.
In Australia, premiums for income protection insurance policies outside of super are tax-deductible. Your policy needs to be shown to be linked to your ability to generate an assessable income, while your policy cannot be related to death or specific injuries.
In Australia, football can refer to:
Cover varies depending on the insurer. As a general rule of thumb, it's a good idea to disclose your lifestyle with your insurer including any sports you play and how often.
Both rugby and soccer are some of the riskiest sports out there, outpacing almost any other sport in both the number of injuries and likelihood of being injured across all age groups.
The table below shows the number of injuries requiring hospitalisation in a 12-month period from 2011 to 2012, and the hospitalisation rate per 100,000 participants. Every year you play football, your chance being one of the people who suffers a serious injury increases.
| Number of injuries requiring hospitalisation | Rate of hospitalisation per 100,000 participants | |
|---|---|---|
| Soccer | 2,962 | 17.0 |
| Rugby (all codes) | 2,621 | 15.0 |
| Australian rules | 3,186 | 18.2 |
| Touch football | 644 | 3.7 |
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Here's what contractors need to know about finding income protection insurance policies that fit their specific employment situations.