AYF: The risks of Going Uninsured or Being Underinsured

Currently Insured Organizations: Click Here to Review Your Number of Teams.   If you need to add teams, please use the “Add Teams” form on your proof of coverage.

Youth tackle football and cheer carry higher risks of injury and litigation than most youth sports.

Injuries in youth tackle football are more frequent and more severe than in most other youth sports.

Injuries in youth cheer are less frequent but more severe than in most other youth sports.

The recent media blitz on the dangers of football make it more likely that leagues and volunteers will be sued.

Many teams/associations/conferences may be underinsured.

Approximately 70% of all member teams of AYF buy from the endorsed insurance program.

The other 30% buy from another source which means that they may be underinsured due to limits that are too low or unacceptable policy exclusions. (See 12 Reasons AYF insurance Program Blows Away the Competition)

Significant injuries and related lawsuits regularly occur within AYF and our carriers pay a significant number of claims.

Accident Claim Cost:                 Average $2,100      Largest over $ 75,000

General Liability Claim Cost:    Average $49,000     Largest over $1,000,000

Most common types of injuries/lawsuits in AYF/AYC (Can you imagine these happening in your organization?)

Spectator injuries:

  • slips/trips/falls in parking lots, walking paths, and on bleachers
  • stepping in holes
  • playground injuries
  • being assaulted by coaches, umpires, or other league officials
  • food poisoning from concessions or burns from coffee or hot chocolate

Player injuries:

  • slips/trips/falls in parking lots, walking paths, and on bleachers
  • dangerous field conditions such as hole or equipment too close to sidelines.
  • lack of supervision resulting in roughhousing or fighting
  • improper instruction on tackling technique or cheer skills
  • return to play too soon after injury
  • coaching demonstration injuries
  • game or scrimmage against older opponents
  • inappropriate drills
  • sex abuse/molestation allegation

Coach and staff injuries:

  • slips/trips/falls in parking lots, walking paths, and on bleachers
  • stepping in holes
  • technique demonstration injuries
  • being assaulted by another coach or official
  • concession stand lifting injuries, cuts, burns, etc.

Unusual injuries:

  • fall from parade float (parades are no longer covered by General Liability)
  • wind lifts canopy and collides with spectator
  • property damage to rented facility
  • golf cart collision with persons or autos
  • fundraiser injury from fun ride

Failure to report and insure 100% of your teams is the same as being uninsured.

Gaming the system by intentionally under reporting the number of your teams to save on premiums will likely result in a denied claim. The claims adjusters will compare the number of teams reported for insurance against the number of teams that appear on your website and social media and AYF records. Intentionally under reporting the number of teams is insurance fraud.

Players, parents, board members, and volunteers depend on you to purchase quality insurance to protect them, and you can be sued for managerial negligence if you don't.

  • Players often can’t get medical treatment if their parents don’t have family health insurance or if they have a high deductible or coinsurance.
  • Parents will often have no choice but to sue your league, its board members and staff in search of a deep pocket if they can’t pay their medical bills because you did not carry Accident insurance.
  • Board members and volunteer staff are often shotgunned into lawsuits and they are depending on you to purchase liability insurance to protect their assets.
  • Failure to carry adequate insurance can result in lawsuits against the league and directors and officers alleging managerial negligence.