What kind of insurance do I need to host jiu jitsu events?

A few tips that you need to know when getting BJJ event insurance.

You have everything set for your first BJJ tournament. You figured out the ruleset, you know of a great venue that you can rent, there are participants ready to compete, you've created waivers for them to sign, and you are good to go! Still, you have one question in the back of your mind. Do I really need extra insurance for my event?

The answer is simple. Yes. You will need event-specific insurance which is usually purchased standalone for just a single event, or multiple events can be bundled over the course of a year and at a lower cost. That said, not all event insurance policies are going to cover everything you might need in that policy when you buy it online, so it is advised that you speak with an insurance broker before you add anything to the shopping cart online if you are not exactly sure. 

It’s important to understand that even though you may feel like your event will be covered under a personal insurance policy, a gym liability policy, or you might feel that the venue is already covered, the insurance coverage you have (or think you have) is probably not enough. 

To determine exactly what insurance you will need for your jiu jitsu competition you will want to have a general understanding about how event liability is typically purchased so that you know exactly what you are buying when it comes time to bind coverage. That said, we are confident that after reading the below summary we created you will be able to determine exactly what you will need insurance wise for your future jiu jitsu tournaments.

There are typically three parts to a event liability policy; 

1. Spectator liability coverage.

2. Participant liability coverage.

3. Participant medical / accidental injury or death coverage. 

Although when initially evaluating the three parts of available coverage it might seem simple to differentiate what each covers based on their descriptions, however when shopping for event liability coverage online you are not always guaranteed that all three parts of coverage will be included in the policy you end up buying. 

For example, we can get you a Martial Arts Tournament liability policy for your next bjj competition at eventhelper.com for about $269, but this coverage will only insure the 100 spectators at your event. This is called spectator only insurance meaning that if you are ok with not having insurance coverage for the participants at your event then this will be the lowest cost option to get in the door of a venue asking for liability insurance. Keep in mind having insurance coverage for the spectators only does leave you exposed to the cost of defending lawsuits from participants at your event or keep you off the hook for paying judgments for medical bills from participants. Regardless of whether or not the participants signed a waiver for your tournament general liability insurance will provide defense and pay judgments for covered insureds so it is necessary.

So how much coverage do you need to buy? 

If you host a BJJ tournament or grappling event at a nearby venue and pay a fee to the landlord to rent that space just the day, typically that landlord will require you to have a general liability insurance program for that single event. This type of single event insurance coverage however is not going to be included in your "Business Owners Policy" that you bought for your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy, instead it is something you will have to purchase separately.

The first thing you will want to do when planning your event is to ask the venue for the amount of insurance benefits they require. This is an important step to take before you buy an insurance policy online because all the venues and landlords will require different amounts of liability coverage, as well as could request specific contract endorsements they want included to modify the event coverage. For example, if you are hosting your event at a middle school that school district will most likely require that you not only purchase general-liability insurance for both the participants and spectators, but might also require additional amounts of coverage added like coverage for abuse or molestation that protects against alleged, actual, or attempted  abuse or molestation of any person by another person. 

Just ask. Before you promote your Jiu Jitsu event or tournament just ask the venue for their insurance requirements so that you know what is expected right out of the gates. Once you have those details then we can help you get insurance estimates and pricing for your bjj event coverage.  

What if the jiu jitsu event is in-house?

Alternatively, if you are hosting a jiu jitsu event or tournament in your own gym you most likely won't have anyone asking you to provide proof of insurance for that event, however that obviously does not mean you don't need to have single event insurance coverage for your in-house bjj competition. 

It's important that you do not assume that your school's general liability policy will provide coverage for this event. In the world of insurance every event is treated (underwritten) uniquely by the insurance company, and every insurance contract is worded differently when it comes to policy benefits, coverage, limitations, and exclusions.  So you just can't assume anything, you need to see it in writing. 

Start by checking to see what the wording in your current gym insurance policy has to say about in-house Jiu Jitsu competitions. Get a copy of your policy summary and the copy of your original bjj school master application to find out what it covers. Does it cover in-house scrimmages, exhibitions, or competitive events? If so, what does it cover, who is covered, and how much is covered? 

Once you determine that information then you can choose whether or not to purchase additional liability coverage to fill the gaps where the schools liability policy does not provide coverage for.  

What's next?

Does this insurance stuff seem complicated and time consuming? If you said YES then you are right, however that is why we are here to assist. If you send us a copy of your current insurance policy we can then explore the language in the contract for you to uncover exactly what you are covered for. After reviewing your insurance programs and requirements we can then see if your event will be covered, or not. After that, if you decide you need to add more coverage then we can recommend other insurance companies who might consider bundling your school coverage with event insurance coverage, or simply can help you purchase a single event policy if that is all you need for your next Brazilian jiu jitsu event.

A GUIDE TO RULES, INSURANCE, AND SURETY BONDS FOR MMA EVENTS.

If you have been hosting grappling events but you are looking to break into MMA then you will want to read this. This article will provide you with a blueprint to get you started while you are in the planning stages of your business. Read more >>