Insurance FAQs

If you are an active Personal Member of England Netball (Over 18, Under 18, Under 14 or Under 11) and have paid your membership fee in full, and England Netball is in receipt of your fee, then subject to the terms, conditions, provisions and exceptions of the policy, you are covered under England Netball’s programme of insurance during your involvement in recognised and authorised netball activity during the period of insurance.
The programme of insurance also covers active Personal Members for netball coaching or officiating if you are appropriately qualified and involved in recognised and authorised netball activity.
Please note: Social and Supporting Members are not covered by Personal Accident insurance.

Males can join registered netball clubs as Personal Members (where mixed and/or men’s netball is facilitated) or a County Netball Association as an independent Personal Member. 

All Personal Members of England Netball are covered by the programme of insurance whilst participating in recognised and authorised netball activity in accordance with the conditions stated in these FAQs and other published terms and conditions. 

England Netball follow World Netball’s pregnancy guidance, which says – in short – that the decision to play netball during pregnancy is ultimately the participant’s choice and emphasises the importance of seeking medical advice due to the inherent risks.

World Netball’s Pregnancy Guidelines state, “Netball is a physically demanding game which requires a high level of agility. It also involves a degree of contact and carries an inherent risk of accident and injury, both to the participant and the unborn child. Accordingly, participation in netball during pregnancy is at the risk of the participant.” In the same vein, “Maternal and foetal responses to exercise can vary with pre-gestational maternal fitness levels, co-existing medical conditions and/or pregnancy complications. All women are encouraged to seek individual medical advice.”

In accordance with World Netball, England Netball strongly recommends that the pregnant participant:

(i) consults with their own appropriately qualified medical practitioner to inform them, on a voluntary basis, of their pregnancy and to obtain individual and specific professional medical advice before participating in netball (both during and following pregnancy), in particular regarding the risks of such participation;

(ii) acts in accordance with the medical advice received; and

(iii) attends regular check-ups with their medical practitioner throughout and following their pregnancy regarding their participation in netball, adjusting participation accordingly.

By participating when pregnant, the participant will be deemed to have consented to any risks (including any risk of injury to the participant and/or the unborn child) that may arise from such participation. Aside from liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence, the participant will also be deemed to have waived any and all claims, causes and rights of action against World Netball, England Netball, event organisers, players and match officials, whether at law or in equity, of whatever nature and in any jurisdiction or forum, that she may have as a result of such participation. Members* should note that England Netball’s centrally arranged programme of insurance excludes any loss or expense due to pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, or any consequence thereof.

You can find pregnancy guidance and information on the NETBALLHer website here.

*Personal Members. Excludes Social and Supporting members.

Registered Netball Clubs also benefit from the programme of insurance where all club personnel (all golden committee roles as a minimum) are active Personal Members or are active Social and Supporting* Members and where all participants are Personal Members of England Netball (subject to the “sample period” for “new” participants) and participate in recognised and authorised versions of the game.

Please see “Should all committee members be members of England Netball?” for more information.

*Social and Supporting Members are not covered by Personal Accident insurance.

Registered Leagues also benefit from the programme of insurance where all league personnel (all golden committee roles as a minimum) are active Personal Members or are active Social and Supporting* Members and where all participants that play in the League are members of England Netball and participate in recognised and authorised versions of the game, in accordance with England Netball and International Netball Federation rules and regulations. Membership to England Netball should be stated as mandatory in the league regulations to demonstrate this. 

Please see “Should all committee members be members of England Netball?” for more information. 

*Social and Supporting Members are not covered by Personal Accident insurance. 

Educational establishments are responsible for procuring their own insurance and are not covered by England Netball’s programme of insurance. 

Exceptions: 

Players at a College/University with an active College/University Group Membership are covered for Personal Accident (Category C Silver) by their College / University’s Group Membership during university organised recognised and authorised netball activity. 

If an educational establishment would like to play in a tournament and/or event that is exclusive to England Netball registered netball clubs (outside of the National Schools Competition), they would need to upgrade their level of cover to include the full programme of insurance (including Category A Gold Personal Accident cover for players 16 years and over and Category B Gold for players under 16 years) by registering as a netball club and registering their players as Personal Members.

For registered netball clubs the golden committee roles are: 

• Chairperson 
• Data Protection Lead 
• Safeguarding Officer 
• Secretary 
• Treasurer 

For all other registered netball organisations the golden committee roles are: 

• Chairperson 
• Data Protection Lead 
• Resolution Lead
• Safeguarding Officer 
• Secretary 
• Treasurer 

Everyone that has been assigned a committee role in ENgage (golden role or otherwise) is expected to have an England Netball membership in place, not only for GDPR compliance, but for the volunteer’s own protection. 

Personal Members or Social and Supporting Members with an assigned committee role will access on-going support specific to their role throughout the membership period, as well as benefit from peace of mind protection to cover them should they be held liable for any decisions or actions arising from the role*. 

As a minimum, all Golden Committee roles should have an active Personal or Social and Supporting membership in place at the start of every membership period in order for the registered club or league’s cover to be operative. 

Please see “Which roles are considered Golden Committee Roles?” for more information. 

Please see the “Region, County, League and Club Contract” here and select the second tab. 

*Subject to the terms, condition, provisions and exceptions of the policy 

No. Committees should consist of a minimum of three individuals each undertaking one or more of the golden committee roles. All of these individuals should be Personal Members or Social and Supporting Members of England Netball.

To ensure effective financial governance, the Chairperson and the Treasurer positions should be held by different people.

If you are appropriately trained and qualified to administer First Aid, as an active Personal Member of England Netball, you are insured for liability arising from the provision of First Aid treatment (excluding treatment provided by a qualified medical practitioner, such as a Doctor or Physiotherapist who should carry their own insurance) during the period of insurance. 

To help you understand if you are appropriately trained and qualified to administer First Aid, you can read our First Aid guidance here. 

No. You must hold an England Netball Level 2 qualification (or above) and be an active Personal Member to be covered by England Netball’s programme of insurance to coach. However, if you are unqualified, you may assist an England Netball Level 2 (or above) qualified coach. 

More information about the coaching pathway can be found here. 

Please note: 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, England Netball’s programme of insurance will now cover Personal Members with qualified teaching status (QTS) and relevant netball experience to coach recognised and authorised netball activity, including coaching in an adult or junior netball club. Please note that this has been agreed as a temporary measure.  

Please see “Are members with Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) covered to coach?” for more information. 

No. If you are an England Netball Level 1 coach and an active Personal Member you are qualified to assist an England Netball Level 2 (or above) qualified coach during recognised and authorised netball activity and are covered for Personal Accident during the session. You are not appropriately qualified to lead the session alone and therefore aren’t covered to do so. 

Please note: 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, England Netball’s programme of insurance will now cover Personal Members with qualified teaching status (QTS) and relevant netball experience to coach recognised and authorised netball activity, including coaching in an adult or junior netball club. Please note that this has been agreed as a temporary measure.  

Please see “Are members with Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) covered to coach?” for more information. 

Under normal circumstances, no. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, England Netball’s programme of insurance covers Personal Members with qualified teaching status (QTS) and relevant netball experience to coach recognised and authorised netball activity in an adult or junior netball club. Please note that this has been agreed as a temporary measure.  

In addition, any individuals with QTS and relevant netball experience that lead netball activity in a community setting are required to have the following in place: 

• An England Netball DBS – apply for DBS here. 
• A Safeguarding and First Aid certificate.  

Please see “I have QTS, how do I know if I have “relevant netball experience”?” for more information. 

What does this mean for the 2024-2025 membership year? 

Our insurers have kindly agreed to extend this temporary measure into the 2024-2025 membership year while we work with volunteers and members to certify as many new England Netball Level 2 coaches as possible. 

Don’t delay, book on to an England Netball Level 2 coaching course now. Find out more here. 

Please see “I have QTS, how do I know if I have “relevant netball experience”?” for more information. 

“Relevant netball experience” is defined as: 

• Individuals with QTS that teach netball on a regular basis, and have done for a minimum of two years 
• Individuals with QTS who run after school netball clubs and teams, and have done for a minimum of two years 
• Individuals with QTS that coach netball in a community setting, and have done for a minimum of two years 

In addition, any individuals leading netball activity in a community setting are required to have the following in place: 

• An England Netball DBS – apply for DBS here. 
• A Safeguarding and First Aid certificate. 

If the trainee official is an active Personal Member and has enrolled onto and is working towards an England Netball or Netball Europe Umpiring Award, they are considered “in training” and are covered by England Netball’s centrally arranged programme of insurance to officiate recognised and authorised netball activity as long as they are supported on court by a qualified co-umpire. In the case where two “in training” Into Officiating umpires are umpiring the same match, a third qualified individual (be that a qualified umpire or a qualified Assessor, Mentor or Tutor) should be present to support and oversee the two trainee umpires. 

More information about the officiating pathway can be found here. 

In normal circumstances, if you are an active Personal Member, you are eligible to deliver the following recognised and authorised activities during the period of insurance, subject to you having attained the following qualifications: 

Coaching an adult or junior netball club 

In order to be covered by the programme of insurance to coach in an adult or junior netball club you need to have an England Netball Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. 

You can find a netball coaching course here. 

Walking Netball 

In order to be covered by the programme of insurance to run a Walking Netball session, you must have attended England Netball’s Walking Netball Host Training. 

You can find out more about the Walking Netball Host Training workshop here. 

Back to Netball 

In order to be covered by the programme of insurance to lead Back to Netball, you need to have an England Netball Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. 

You can find a netball coaching course here. 

Bee Netball 

In order to be covered by the programme of insurance to lead Bee Netball, you need to have an England Netball Level 2 OR have attended a face-to-face Bee Leader training course. You can find a netball coaching course here. 

School Netball 

Teachers that deliver school netball in the school environment are usually covered by the school’s insurance. If you are unsure, please check with your school.
If you have QTS and would like to deliver netball outside of the school environment, to be covered by England Netball’s programme of insurance, you need to be an active Personal Member with an England Netball Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. 

In addition, any individuals leading netball activity in a community setting are required to have the following in place: 

• A Safeguarding and First Aid certificate. 
• An England Netball DBS when delivering regulated activity – apply for DBS here. 

Please note: 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, England Netball’s programme of insurance will now cover Personal Members with qualified teaching status (QTS) and relevant netball experience to coach recognised and authorised netball activity, including coaching in an adult or junior netball club. Please note that this has been agreed as a temporary measure.  

Please see “Are members with Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) covered to coach?” for more information. 

Personal Members that have completed the officiating pathway and have successfully passed their practical assessment are deemed fully qualified and are covered by England Netball’s programme of insurance to officiate recognised and authorised netball activity. 

Additionally, Personal Members that have enrolled onto and are working towards* an England Netball or Europe Netball Umpiring Award, are considered “in training” and are covered by England Netball’s centrally arranged programme of insurance to officiate recognised and authorised netball activity as long as they are supported on court by a fully qualified co-umpire. However, please note: In the case where two “in training” Into Officiating umpires are umpiring the same match, a third fully qualified individual (be that a qualified umpire or a qualified Assessor, Mentor or Tutor) should be present to support and oversee the two trainee umpires. 

*Individuals must have attended an approved course and be within 2 years of the start date or have a valid written assessment and be within 2 years of the pass mark or be awaiting a practical assessment. 

Non-members aren’t covered by England Netball’s programme of insurance. 

However, registered netball clubs are covered for the actions of non-members, as long as non-members are sampling the club for the first time, for a period of up to one calendar month. 

To be eligible for this cover, signed and dated attendance records of all such individuals must be kept by the registered netball club to evidence non-member activity. 

The above applies to registered netball clubs where all club personnel (golden committee roles as a minimum) are Personal Members or Social and Supporting Members and all participants are Personal Members of England Netball (subject to the “sample period” for “new” participants) and participate in recognised and authorised versions of the game. 

Note: Non-members are not eligible to compete in a Registered League until they have an active Personal Membership. 

Please see “Which roles are considered Golden Committee Roles?” for more information. 

Insurance cover is operative when Personal Members are participating in recognised and authorised netball activity and it is not dependent on who else is participating in the activity. 

Affiliated members* of England Netball can download a copy of the Summary of Liability and Personal Accident Cover for 2023-2024 here. Evidence of Liability for the same period can be found here. These documents are intended as a summary only and do not represent the full terms, conditions and exclusions. A full policy document is available from Howden. 

*Please note: the Personal Accident policy excludes Social and Supporting members. 

England Netball centrally arranges a programme of insurance; this insurance is designed to provide cover for the following areas: 

– Liability, including: 

• Public Liability 
• Products Liability 

• Professional Indemnity 
• Management Liability (Regional & County Associations, Registered Netball Clubs & Registered Leagues only) 

– Personal Accident* 

A copy of the policy documentation can be obtained by contacting England Netball or Howden. 

*Social and Supporting Members are not covered by Personal Accident insurance. 

The benefits and sums insured vary according to your eligibility, your category of membership and the netball activity undertaken. For full details of your cover provision, you should read the policy summary and policy wording. 

In short, there are three levels of Personal Accident cover available, depending on your age and – in some cases – the netball activity undertaken. These three levels are: 

• Category A Gold – 16 and Over 
• Category B Gold – Under 16 
• Category C Silver 

Please see the Summary of Cover for details of the benefits and sums insured for each category of cover. 

There are three levels of Personal Accident cover available, depending on your age and – in some cases – the netball activity undertaken. 

Category A Gold 

Applies to anyone with an active Personal Membership aged 16 years or over and up to age 80. This can include: 

• Players 
• Coaches 
• Umpires 
• Tutors, Assessors and Internal Verifiers 

• Technical Officials 
• Honorary Life Members 
• County Netball Association’s Management Committee 
• Regional Management Board’s Management Committee 
• Volunteers who have a Personal Membership (as opposed to a Social & Supporting membership) 

• Advisory Groups, Committees and Technical Support Groups working with either England Netball or their Regional Management Boards and County Committees. 

Category B Gold 

Applies to anyone with an active Personal Membership aged under 16 years of age. 

Category C Silver 

Applies to Players at a College or University that has an active College/University Group membership and England Netball subscribers. 

Social and Supporting Members are not covered by Personal Accident insurance. 

The insurer will, subject to the terms, conditions, provisions and exceptions of the policy, pay the sums insured against the relevant benefit or benefits if, during the period of insurance, and as a result of recognised and authorised netball activity, an Insured Person suffers Bodily Injury which is the sole cause of their death or disablement. The benefits and sums insured vary according to the category of membership, as explained above. 

As an example, benefits include*: 

• Accidental Death 

• Permanent Total Disability 
• Loss of Limb 
• Loss of one or both eyes 
• Loss of Speech 
• Loss of Hearing 

• Emergency Dental/Optical Expenses 
• Hospitalisation 
• Convalescence 
• Physiotherapy 
• Broken Bones 

• Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament necessitating surgery 
• Temporary Total Disablement 
• Temporary Partial Disablement etc. 

*This is intended as a guide only. For a full list of benefits and information regarding the sums insured, excesses, limitations, exclusions and definitions, please refer to the full policy documentation. 

Please note the following: 

Category B Gold exclusions include: Hospitalisation, Convalescence, Temporary Total Disablement, and Temporary Partial Disablement. 

Category C Silver exclusions: Hospitalisation, Convalescence, Physiotherapy, Temporary Total Disablement, and Temporary Partial Disablement. 

Category B Gold includes: Parental Travel Expenses (incurred travelling to or from insured person’s home and medical practitioner). 

Social and Supporting Members are not covered by the Personal Accident insurance. 

The cover commences once England Netball is in receipt of the full membership fee and the membership has been activated in the online netball management system, ENgage. If you have paid your fee in advance of the membership year, your cover will start as soon as the new membership year commences (usually 1 September). Cover expires in conjunction with the membership expiration date (usually 31 August), unless terminated sooner. 

There is no maximum age limit for the Liability programme of insurance. 

However, please note that the Personal Accident insurance applies up to the age of 80 years for all active Personal Members who are participating in recognised and authorised netball activity. Once a Personal Member turns 80 years old, they will no longer be covered by the Personal Accident policy and participate in recognised and authorised netball activity at their own risk. 

Please note that Social and Supporting Members are not covered for Personal Accident. 

The minimum age limit for Coaches and Umpires (including trainees) is as per the current England Netball regulations. 

The Personal Accident policy provides cover for all active Personal Members of England Netball who are participating in any recognised and authorised netball activity anywhere in the world. 

The liability risks associated with participation are covered worldwide during England Netball recognised and authorised netball activity, although a Public / Products Liability and Professional Indemnity claim cannot be brought within the USA or Canada and Management Liability cover does not apply for any activity undertaken in the USA or Canada. 

Please note that no cover is provided for activities not recognised and authorised by England Netball, and all activity must be risk assessed prior to the commencement of play. 

Travel insurance should be sought separately where applicable. 

*Social and Supporting Members are not covered by Personal Accident insurance.

As per “Am I covered by the programme of insurance outside of the UK, when on holiday or overseas?” as long as they are qualified to act in that capacity. If you are unsure whether you are appropriately qualified, please submit a request here to find out. 

As per “Am I covered by the programme of insurance outside of the UK, when on holiday or overseas?” as long as they are qualified England Netball Level 2 or above. If you are unsure whether you are appropriately qualified, please submit a request here to find out. 

Some fundraising and social activities organised by England Netball registered Netball Clubs and Personal Members are covered by Public Liability providing the activity does not require any additional specialist equipment, qualification or training. For these types of activity you should engage an appropriate third party contractor that carries their own suitable insurance. 

Please refer to the policy and principle exclusions for more information. If you consider an event to be “out of the ordinary”, you should contact Howden prior to beginning the event. No cover is provided for bouncy castles and trampolines. 

A Risk Assessment Checklist should be completed before any game (where an umpire or competition official has not been required to complete a risk assessment) and this should become part of the overall risk management culture of your netball club or group. 

Individuals should also make themselves aware of their environment and activity and scan it for risk prior to participating. Participation in an environment deemed inappropriate or unsafe may result in any potential insurance claim being invalid. 

In the case of mixed netball, individuals are encouraged to take into account the physical differences between men and women when assessing a safe environment.

A Risk Assessment Checklist should be completed before any game (where an umpire or competition official has not been required to complete a risk assessment) and this should become part of the overall risk management culture of your Netball Club or group. All clubs competing should take part in the completion of the checklist and two representatives should sign the form once they are satisfied with the conditions. 

If the club is responsible for proceeding on game day (i.e. shared common ground), then a club representative may take responsibility for the completion of the form. However, the participating clubs should still review the questions and sign the form to ensure that they are satisfied with the conditions prior to commencement of play. 

All clubs should choose a suitable person that will be responsible for this activity (and a backup if he/she is not available). 

The checklist should be completed prior to the commencement of play of the first game on game day.

If the conditions change during a game or at another time during the day, the checklist process should be revisited. The earlier completion of the form should not result in play continuing where it is acknowledged that it is potentially unsafe. However, the full extent of the checklist process would probably not be required. 

In the event that the conditions do change significantly enough for this to be revisited, the situation should either be rectified (e.g. glass removed) or the competing clubs should meet to decide whether conditions are too dangerous to continue with play (e.g. extreme storm conditions). Ultimately, the responsibility for these situations will rest with the clubs, but the safety of the players, spectators etc. should be the overriding factor. 

Holding volunteers responsible is not the intention of the risk assessment checklist. It is simply a form that facilitates a discussion between volunteers and officials about the overall playing conditions. By signing the form there is a sense of formalising the process. England Netball’s centrally arranged programme of insurance protects volunteers* of registered clubs and leagues as well as qualified and in training officials* in the case of wrongful acts or errors when facilitating recognised and authorised netball activity, however they still have a duty of care to provide safe conditions for participants. It is important to note that cover will not be provided for volunteers and officials who show wilful negligence or disregard for these responsibilities.

*With an active Personal Membership 

The home club should retain the original checklist. These forms should be retained for a minimum of three years for future reference and longer where under 18s are participating. 

If a club declines to sign a risk assessment due to risk exposures, the exposures should be identified and effectively remedied. Once all parties are satisfied that playing conditions are safe, the form should be revisited. If risk exposures cannot be sufficiently mitigated, common sense should prevail. Play should never commence until safe conditions are available to all. 

If you have had an accident, claims under this policy must be notified to the insurer within 120 days from the date of the incident. No claim will be considered after 365 days from the date of the incident. If you are unsure if your injury will trigger a claim under the policy, please discuss with Howden claims team. Please contact Howden using the contact information below: 

Kirsty McNamara
0121 698 8040
kirsty.mcnamara@howdengroup.com. 

You must report every claim and any incident that is likely to give rise to a claim in the future. Please contact Howden on 0121 698 8040 and complete the necessary report/claim form as soon as possible to avoid prejudicing your claim. Do not admit liability; do not make an offer or promise to pay. 

It is essential that you notify any claim or potential claim. It is also important not to admit liability or discuss the matter with a third party.
Please refer to Howden within 24 hours of receipt or knowledge of the incident and please do not respond before referral to Howden. 

Please contact: 

Kirsty McNamara
0121 698 8040
kirsty.mcnamara@howdengroup.com. 

You must report every claim and any incident that is likely to give rise to a claim in the future. Please contact Howden on 0121 698 8040 and complete the necessary report/claim form as soon as possible to avoid prejudicing your claim. Do not admit liability; do not make an offer or promise to pay. 

Do not respond to it. It is essential that any allegations are submitted to Howden immediately. Please contact Howden on 0121 698 8040 and complete the necessary report/claim form as soon as possible to avoid prejudicing your claim. Do not admit liability; do not make an offer or promise to pay. 

For the full policy terms and conditions, please contact: 

David Gilding 

D +44 (0)121 698 8157 | S +44 (0)121 698 8000 

david.gilding@howdengroup.com 

For claims, please contact: 

Kirsty McNamara 

D +44 (0)121 698 8040 

Kirsty.mcnamara@howdengroup.com 

For questions about your membership category, please contact England Netball’s Customer Experience team: 

Submit a request here or call +44 (0)1509 277 850.