Before purchasing any student personal accident insurance we fully recommend you assess the suitability of cover. This same level of benefits applies to any inclusive instructor insurance also.
Overview
Personal Accident cover is an optional, extra level of insurance that can be combined with instructor and, more commonly, student memberships. Whilst public liability insurance is designed to provide cover if someone is injured or property is damaged as a result of martial arts, personal accident cover is designed to cover the student or instructor personally. The key difference is that public liability is third party, and personal accident is for the individual. In reality, this means (as an example) a student who is injured participating in class can claim automatically against the personal accident cover (provided the policy terms are met) without needing to prove fault etc, whilst for public liability a third party would need to pursue legal action against the named, and demonstrate via arbitration with solicitors that the named person was negligent.
Who is it suitable for?
You can take a look at what’s covered below to help make an informed decision on who it’s suitable for. As a rule of thumb, we only view personal accident (PA) cover as a baseline of protection in the event of a claim. This is mainly because the loss of income portion of cover is minimal, and rarely enough to cover a genuine unpaid mortgage or rental. It can provide useful emergency financial release for things such as Physio and Dental, however. Please consult the details below.
Does it cover competitions?
In theory yes, in reality however, probably not. There’s nothing specific in the policy wording that prohibits its use in the event of a competition but as the broad definition offered by the insurer is ‘any BMABA authorised activities’ it’s very likely an injury sustained in a competition not run exclusively by BMABA may result in the insurer throwing the claim out. If you’re unsure on this, please do speak with us first but it’s generally not a sufficient level of cover to append to students competing in competitions.
BMABA Personal Accident (PA) Cover Summary
Scope of Cover
Cover Type: Sports Injury
Operative Time: Whilst taking part in BMABA authorised activities only.
Insurer: Travellers @ Lloyd’s via Pulse Insurance Ltd.
Eligibility: Valid only with an active BMABA student licence.
This Personal Accident (PA) insurance provides financial benefits following accidental injury sustained during authorised training, events, or competitions under BMABA membership.
Benefit Schedule
Benefit Type | Benefit Amount & Limitations |
Death | £25,000 (Reduced to £10,000 for under-16s) |
Loss of Limbs or Eyes | £25,000 (Continental Scale applies) |
Permanent Total Disablement | £25,000 (From any occupation following an accident; Continental Scale applies) |
Physiotherapy Expenses | Up to £350 (Maximum 10 sessions per member) |
Dental Expenses | Up to £250 (Excess £25 each claim; excludes dentures, bridges, crowns, and other dental appliances) |
Temporary Total Disablement | £100 per week (14-day excess; payable up to 52 weeks; reduced to £50/week for those not in gainful employment) |
Broken Bones Benefit | £300 (Arms, legs, cheekbone, or collarbone only; no cover if Temporary Total Disablement is claimed; specific criteria for wrist and ankle breaks apply) |
Conditions and Limitations
Income Limitation: Temporary Total Disablement benefit cannot exceed 75% of normal weekly income.
Exclusions: No cover for injuries or disablement resulting from any pre-existing defect, infirmity, or sickness.
Territorial Limits: Applies only during BMABA-authorised martial arts activities.
Financial Advisory Note:
Personal Accident insurance provides limited benefits and does not replace loss-of-income protection.
Members requiring higher or extended cover (e.g. for self-employment or family protection) should contact BMABA to discuss enhanced options.
Key Benefits
Provides reassurance of financial support following serious injury or death.
Includes modest weekly income protection during recovery.
Covers physiotherapy and dental treatments directly resulting from training accidents.
Can I get enhanced cover?
There are insurers that offer stand alone personal accident cover for Martial Arts, if required. The premium is reflective however, at c. £70+ annually as opposed to just a few pounds annually via our group cover policy.
It’s important to be clear with students as to what’s covered through your club’s personal accident and to allow them the chance to make an informed decision. You may want to do something like present the cover as an optional extra and advise that enhanced cover – for things like loss of income etc – are available from third parties. This helps to discharge your duty of care, as well as ensuring students can protect themselves adequately.
It’s important to note that martial arts personal accident cover is not a replacement for medical insurance. It is intended to supplement medical insurance and provide additional coverage specifically for injuries sustained while participating in martial arts.
Individuals who are interested in purchasing martial arts personal accident cover should carefully review the terms and conditions of the policy to ensure that it meets their needs and provides the coverage they require. It’s also a good idea to compare policies from multiple insurance providers to find the best coverage at the most affordable price.
Personal accident cover via our group cover policy is designed as a minimum provision for basic immediate care needs, such as limited dental work. You should make sure your students make an informed decision and, if needed, take care of their own personal accident provisions.
Common FAQs
Q: How soon after adding student personal accident cover is it before the cover is live?
A: The student personal accident cover is live immediately after purchase. The system should be automated meaning you should see this reflected on the student records immediately but occasionally, the sync might not occur automatically. This doesn’t matter – cover is still live and our team review every order as a quality control measure so it will be added – but you can drop us a line if you wish and sort out any issues.
Q: What if I’m adding personal accident cover to a student who has current membership? Is it pro-rata?
A: No, personal accident cover is not pro-rata meaning you’ll be charged for the full year, even if the student only has a week left to run on their current membership. The tool is intended for use straight after registering them for the first time but you can add personal accident at any point. If more than a month has passed since registering them with us and you wish to add ‘PA’ please raise a ticket and we will be happy to pro-rata a manual invoice for you.
How Do I Claim?
In all instances the club must report the claim to us in no more than 30 days from the date of the injury. If initially it is notified to us as a 'notification only' but is thereafter transferred to a claim, that will typically be acceptable to the insurer.
To start a personal accident claim, please contact our office who will introduce you to the Personal Accident claims line with the insurer, who will guide you through the self-claim process.
It is crucially important this information is returned promptly. Delaying the reporting of a claim could invalidate the cover, and lead to a claim being declined.