The Most Common,
The Most Expensive,
The Most Unexpected
INSURANCE CLAIMS and
HOW TO PREVENT THEM

Insurance Claims

THE TOP FIVE

Looking at It Another Way
• Fractures account for 35% of Claims
• And, 30% of Total Amounts Paid
• Sprains/strains account for 23% of Claims
• And, 19% of Total Amounts Paid
• ACL injuries account for 12% of the Claims
• And, 22% of Total Amounts Paid

Looking at It Another Way
When combined, KNEE, LEG and ANKLE
Injuries account for:
 70% of all claims dollars
 52% of all claims submitted

Looking at It Another Way
• 65% of claims involving Sprains/Strains/ACL are attributed to female athletes.
• 53% of these claims occurred in the 12-15 age group with 37% in the 16-19 age group.
• 60% of claims involving fractures are attributed to male athletes.
• 24% of fractures occurred in the U12 age group, 57% in the 12-15 age group and 19% in the 16-19 age group.

Head Injuries
• We’re doing it right.
• Attention to concussions is getting youth players off the field and making sure they’re cleared to return.
• Head injuries are not making a major impact on our insurance rates.
• In general, these are low cost claims. The player sees a doctor, may have an X-ray, CT scan or MRI. Once diagnosis is made, most likely treatment is rest until deemed medically ready to play.

Now, What Can We Do?
• Promote proper stretching
• Promote core, hamstring and quad strengthening for our female athletes
• Promote agility drills
• Pay attention to field conditions – including indoor facilities.

Now, What Can We Do?
Look into, talk about, explore….
Developed for amateur players and players U14 and older, this warm-up’s effectiveness has been proven in Switzerland with a 30% to 50% reduction in injuries when used by teams at least twice-a-week.

Now, What Can We Do?
• Structured with 3 parts and a total of 15 exercises to be performed in sequence
• Key points are the use of proper techniques, good posture and good body control.
• Includes straight leg alignment, knee-over-toe position and soft landings

Now, What Can We Do?
FIFA 11+
• Part 1: Running exercises at slow speed combined with active stretching and controlled partner contacts
• Part 2: Six sets of exercises focusing on core and leg strength, balance and plyometric/agility
• Part 3: Running exercises at moderate/high speeds combined with planting/cutting movements

Insurance Claims

GOAL POST INJURIES
,
A Look Back at Top 20 Most Expensive Claims
Injuries from Falling Goal Posts
• #2 -- $ 2,400,000
• #6 -- $ 640,000
• #8 -- $ 570,000
• #14 -- $ 253,244
• #18 -- $ 158,680
• #20 -- $ 120,000

GOAL POST INJURIES
One of the top claims for the past year is $1,000,000 paid when a six-year-old climbing around goal equipment was struck by an unsecured goal. Child had a craniotomy for a subdural hematoma and has lost almost all vision in the left eye.

“It is astounding that soccer goal injuries continue to be the leading cause of highlimit claims.”
(Bollinger Insurance)

“Unsecured portable goals…are ‘under the radar’ by sports underwriters.”
(Pullen Insurance)

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Goal Injuries
EDUCATE! There are numerous sites with good information on how to secure goals.
Consumer Protection Safety Commission : www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/soccer.pdf
KWIK Goal Website: http://www.kwikgoalsafety.com

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Goal Injuries
EDUCATE – to all levels!
• Stress that goals should be inspected every time a coach takes the field for a game or practice. Players should never be placed in an area with an unsafe goal or asked to move or help move a goal.

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Goal Injuries
EDUCATE – to all levels!
• State Association
• Leagues
• Clubs
• Teams
• Coaches, Parents, Admins and Players

Now, What Can We Do?
Label Your Goals with Safety Stickers
• Labels may come with goals from the manufacturer
• Label examples are also available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/soccer.
pdf

Now, What Can We Do?
Label Your Goals with Safety Stickers
• Labels include warnings like:
• Unanchored goals may cause death and serious injury
• Never hang or climb goals

Now, What Can We Do?
Limit Your Liability
Take Common Sense Steps
• Buy goals from reputable manufacturers with liability insurance.
• Don’t use homemade goals.
• Know who owns and is responsible for goals.
• When possible, give your goals to the municipality, school, etc. where they are located.

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Goal Injuries
Take Common Sense Steps
• Encourage the State Associations, leagues and clubs to establish routine, scheduled inspection of goals.
• Talk to your Referee Association and ask that they report any potential goal safety problems.

Now, What Can We Do?
Create a Card-Carrying Coach:
The following has been created as a file the size of a player card and can be laminated and included with the cards.

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Goal Injuries
GOAL AND FIELD SAFETY
Check goals before every practice and game. Make sure they are properly anchored, have no sharp edges and any bolts are tight.
Never have players move or help move a goal. Only authorized adults should move a goal.
Check field for holes, ruts, foreign objects, etc.
PERSONAL SAFETY
Avoid being alone with a child. Have an assistant, team parent, etc. at the field with you. If alone, work in an open area in view of others.
Keep clear boundaries between adults and players.
Include parents in communications such as texts, emails, etc.
Do not make personal phone calls to players; do not “friend” them in social media.
.

Sexual Molestation
,
A Look Back at Top 20 Most Expensive Claims
Sexual Misconduct Claims
• #3 -- $ 1,374,849
• #5 -- $ 769,645
• #10 --$ 530,000
• #19 --$ 140,000

SEXUAL MOLESTATION
These Claims Continue
Parents of a 16 year-old girl are suing a soccer club on behalf of their daughter who was lured into a sexual relationship with a 40 year-old coach.
,
Total Claim to Date: $125,000
Reserves: $112,000
Expense Paid/Reserved: $13,000

Now, What Can We Do?
Keep professional barriers in place:
• Promote professional behavior and communications between adults and youth -- whether by text, cell phone, on the web or through email.

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Texting:
• Texting lowers the barriers; it’s the way youth communicate with each other.
• Texting gives the coach’s cell phone number to everyone who receives the text.
• Texts are easily misconstrued and you cannot control the text that comes back to you.
• Recommend the use of broadcast texts to the entire team and parents and/or using a texting service. Free texting services are available.

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Email:
• This is a personal way to communicate.
• Once your email address has been given out, you cannot control how it is used or what emails are sent to you.
• Emails should be group/team emails including parents – never individual, personal emails

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Cell Phones:
• Adults should not make or accept personal phone calls to/from youth.
• Once a cell phone number is given out, you cannot control how it is used including texting.
• Phone communication should include parents.

Now, What Can We Do?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Social Media:
• Adults should not “friend” youth or allow youth to “friend” them.
• Tagging photos can lead back to individual youth and their personal social sites.
• Practice times, full names, pictures that identify individual players should never be posted to a social media site.

“Online predators know the ropes of their trade well and look for opportunities to strike their unsuspecting targets.”
(Internetsafetyrules.org)

How Do We Do It?
Warn:
• Don’t be afraid to tell coaches that they are vulnerable.
• Let parents know the dangers of posted rosters, public team sites, unmonitored computer/cell phone use.

How Do We Do It?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Address the Issue:
• Have policies that address our new “wired” world, including policies for misuse of social sites and communications.
• Make your policies known to all stakeholders – coaches, admins, players and parents.

How Do We Do It?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Monitor:
• Google your organization, your leagues and your teams. See what’s out there.
• Likewise, do searches on Facebook for your members. See if sites are open to the public.
• Create and distribute guidelines for Internet website and Social Media sites.

How Do We Do It?
Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Guidelines can include:
• Recommending password-protected or private sites.
• A list of things that should not be posted such as pictures with names, practice schedules, anything that can identify individual players.
• Any rules for your organization has in place.

Remember -- anything posted online can be easily copied, easily shared, can be reposted to other sites and can be misconstrued.
And, it’s available forever.

General liability: Club installed outdoor field lighting system on leased premises.
Homeowners Association filed suit against field owner and the club. The field owner defended under policy as an
Additional Insured.
Loss amount: $ 500,000
Indemnity: $ 150,000
Expense: $ 350,000

Player injury: Claim based on player mismatch. A 13-year-old player broke leg by colliding with another player.
Allegations of negligence revolved around U14s playing against U15s.
Settled in mediation.
Loss amount: $ 401,864
Indemnity: $ 285,000
Expense: $ 116,864

Spectator injury: A 79-year-old female fell over a speed bump in school parking lot while attending a soccer game. She later died of a heart attack caused by an infection from the injury. The school district intended to have their full defense tendered through their indemnification agreement. In mediation, the school district was ordered to pay
$242,500 and a smaller amount was awarded to be paid by soccer league.
Loss amount: $ 174,182
Indemnity: $ 82,500
Expense: $ 91,682

Unexpected Claims
These Claims Continue
Two bounce houses and one inflatable slide went airborne with a gust of wind at a tournament/festival. Twelve players/spectators injured.
,
Total Claim to Date: $143,000
Indemnity Paid/Reserved: $112,000
Expense Paid: $ 93,000

Now, What Can We Do?
• When in doubt – get legal advice.
• Know your vendors. If possible, be named as their additional insured.
• Take precautions. Do research. Dot your
I’s. Cross your T’s. Cross your fingers.

Factors Effecting Your
Insurance Rates Now
• Liability insurance rates are actually down an average of 40% from 2006.
• This reflects a “soft market”.
• However, moderate price increases are now being implemented and will like continue in 2013-14.

Factors Effecting Your
Insurance Rates Now
• The reduction in Liability cannot offset the increase in Medical Insurance
• Medical costs are rising an average of
10% annually.
• Treatment may be more complicated and more expensive.

Factors Effecting Your
Insurance Rates Now
• Claims have increased
• Claims presented without additional insurance (secondary becomes primary) have increased by 20% to 41% since 2008 and the economic downturn.
• Claim counts have increased in four out of the last five years.

Factors Effecting Your
Insurance Rates Now
• Higher Primary Deductibles
• Employer-sponsored insurance plans may be offsetting their insurance increases with higher deductibles -- which means your State Association is picking up a greater proportion of a claims “out of pocket” expenses.

Factors Effecting Your
Insurance Rates Now
• Interest Rates are Down
• “Positive” price adjustments are being driven by an inadequate rate of return on insurance company’s capital in the current low interest rate environment.

Now, What Can We Do?
How States are Handling Increases
• Higher-per-claim deductibles
• Co-Insurance and/or high-limit, selfinsured (aggregate) deductibles.
2013 Does Not Indicate Relief on Accident
Claims and Their Impact on Rates

Factors Effecting Your
Future Insurance Rates
• PPACA Healthcare Legislation
(Obamacare)
• Possible relief in 2014 by creating more families with primary insurance.
• Could stabilize pricing due to insurance mandate and implementation of state insurance exchanges.

Factors Effecting Your
Future Insurance Rates
• PPACA Healthcare Legislation
(Obamacare)
• Could mandate sports accident plans to pay on a primary basis before the national healthcare plan would pay.

Now, What Can We Do?
We must all work to keep sports accident insurance affordable.
• Educate to reduce goal injuries.
• Increase sexual abuse awareness to reduce sexual misconduct claims.

Special thanks to Pullen Insurance and Bollinger Insurance Companies for their help in preparing this presentation and their on-going efforts as our partners in keeping insurance affordable for youth soccer and all youth sports.