*Find savings for General Liability and Accident Insurance for ice hockey instructors, coaches, teams, leagues, camps, or tournaments. Low cost, high limit insurance with the option to add Non-Owned and Hired Auto Liability and Sex Abuse.
What is ice hockey?
Ice Hockey is a full-contact sport typically played on a rectangular sheet of ice. Two opposing teams play each other in a 3-period game. The players wear ice skates and use a hockey stick to pass the puck amongst team members to ultimately score a goal.
A player shoots the hockey puck into the opposing team’s net to score a goal. Each team has a net on opposite sides of the ice where a goalie guards the shots taken from the opposing team.
Each team consists of having five players and one goalie active on the ice, barring any penalties. Players receive penalties when they break game rules, usually in a manner that is unsafe or unfair to the other players/team. A player will be removed from the ice for a specific amount of time as a result of the penalties. Now, their team is at a disadvantage as they are down a player who could help score and play defense.
Is ice hockey a high-risk sport?
Due to the physical nature of the sport, ice hockey can cause various injuries and is high risk. Hockey players are putting themselves at risk for injury at any moment while playing. The game is very competitive and a contact sport, so there is typically hard hitting involved. The overall high-speed, physical aspect of hockey puts each player at risk.
Below are various factors that typically cause injuries in ice hockey:
- High-impact contact from other players
- Rigid boards and goal posts
- Sharp blades on ice hockey skates
- Hockey stick misconduct
- Hard pucks moving at high speeds
Common injuries in ice hockey
While hockey is a great sport and keeps the players active and healthy, there is still a risk of injury. The risk is due to the hockey environment being naturally unpredictable. For example, there is rapid movement on the ice between players and various objects around the rink.
According to a study, below are a few common injuries seen in hockey players when the inevitable accidents come into fruition.
- Concussions
- Separated shoulder
- Broken collarbone
- MCL injuries (both strains and tears)
- Muscle Strains
- AC joint (shoulder)
- ACL strains or tears
Ice hockey risk management: ways you can protect your team
1. Competent referees/linesmen
Referees and linesmen are an essential part of risk management practices in Ice Hockey.
Therefore, ice hockey teams, camps, and coaches must ensure that they are doing their due diligence to certify that the referees and linesmen are adequately trained.
Ensuring that your referees and linesmen are competent to control the game will help limit the risk of players breaking the rules. These hockey game rules are set in place to maintain the safety of the other players. Therefore, well-trained officials will help to decrease the chance of injuries.
For example, referees assign penalties to players. Since penalties are an overall disadvantage to the team, having a referee can control the game by deterring actions that increase risk. As for the linesmen, they break up fights between players, which is an essential part of ice hockey safety.
2. Effective training methods
Not only should the team members train to know the rules of the game and to improve skills but, they should train to prevent injuries. Like many contact sports, building strength and conditioning through a training program can help avoid common hockey injuries.
The following steps can aid ice hockey players in preventing injuries while playing:
- Always warm-up before beginning to prepare your body for the fast activity.
- Warm-up should include cardiovascular exercises as well as stretching. For example, players should go for a light skate or jog and stretch their lower back, hips, and groin before playing.
- Wear proper protective gear (helmet, shin pads, etc.)
- Consistent strength training off-ice
Although taking the above measures is a great start to decrease your risk, further education can increase your awareness of risk management. Increasing your knowledge in how to mitigate risks will overall aid in keeping your team safe. Sadler Sports and Recreation Insurance has in-house risk management programs to implement as a part of your risk mitigation strategy.
Risk Management Programs that apply to Ice Hockey:
- Brain Injury/Concussion Risk Management Program
- Safe Sport Child Abuse and Other Misconduct Risk Management Plan
- Risk Management Awareness Training for Sports Organizations
- Sample Minor Waiver/Release Form
- Sample Adult Waiver/Release Form
Why do I need ice hockey insurance?
Ice Hockey is an intense sport, so there is potential for bodily injuries and harm, which can lead to lawsuits. Even with solid risk management strategies, there’s only so much that can prevent accidents in a sport like hockey. Getting Ice Hockey Insurance will give any coach, hockey camp organizer, tournament host, or instructor peace of mind by helping to cover any claims that might arise. Taking the next step to ensure your hockey activities is an excellent addition to your risk management practices.
What are the benefits of ice hockey insurance?
Having Ice Hockey Insurance is highly beneficial for hockey organizations for protection. Ice Hockey Insurance could assist in covering the liabilities that would fall onto your organization if there were any accidents. These incidents can result in your business facing lawsuits. Even if you were not negligent, these lawsuits could still be expensive. Putting a high-quality insurance policy into place will give your organization the help it needs to mitigate these risks. Sadler Sports Insurance offers Ice Hockey Insurance that provides worry-free coverage that helps to protect instructors, camp organizers, tournament hosts, and coaches.
What does ice hockey team insurance cover?
Ice Hockey Team Insurance will help to cover your liabilities for sports accidents. When applying a General Liability policy, you could receive help in mitigating the risk of financial loss from lawsuits and medical expenses. These types of general liability insurance policies are essential for ice hockey organizations. Overall, a high-quality approach could help your organization and players be taken care of if an accident requires financial obligations to cover expenses.
What does ice hockey camp insurance cover?
Ice Hockey Camp insurance will help cover the liabilities that your organization faces when organizing a hockey camp. This could include accidents that involve the ice hockey camp attendees during the program. Therefore, your organization will have coverage over the potential medical and legal expenses.
Get ice hockey insurance that fits your needs!
Whether you are a coach, instructor, camp organizer, or tournament host, it is always crucial to stay covered. Our customizable Ice Hockey Insurance plan is adjustable to fit the insurance needs of your ice hockey team, camp, or coaches. Providing coverage for your team shows a level of attentiveness and professionalism that everyone involved will appreciate.
Sadler is the best in the industry and is ready to help protect you from significant financial damages and to be a substantial contributor to your risk management tactics. In addition, we offer highly competitive rates with savings of up to 38%. It is time to provide yourself and your ice hockey organization with high-quality coverage.
Request a quote now and discover the perfect, worry-free policy package for you.